Show mrs hyssops first bearner Boa Bear iter BY ALBERT J KLINK copyright 1902 by bally daily story pub c boj the algonquin was not SQ pr preterit e eteri t bious a hostelry as its name might lead one to believe it was a modest two storied affair placed well back from the street and presided over bv a rather spacious example of the gentler sex who lived simply and happily un der the pungent name of mrs win wint fred hyssop this estimable lady had been a widow now for two years dur ing which time the algonquin had been planted had taken root and branched into a cosy comfortable boarding house from its very incel tion the rooms were always taken and the table always held its limit of satis fled eaters mrs hyssop was a model landlady in more senses than one she was now sitting enthroned on the fiant veranda enthroned because no other word fits so aptly when she chooses to adorn the front veranda I 1 do believe he s taking up with both the girls was her soliloquy the he being the boarder who was the first one domiciled under her humble roof and I 1 wonder which will get him my but it is exciting I 1 oh here comes fanny now fanny looked worried as she came up the steps she drew a chair up to mrs hyssop and sat down are you tired fannye the latter asked and did you meet with much success to daya fanny panny s success depended upon dis posing of gaudy fancywork made by her own nimble fingers which to judge from her work numbered more than the allotted supply of thumbs fanny sighed mrs hyssop I 1 new well what this meant it is hard I 1 know she to get along in this world especially when one Is alone she ended casting a side glance at the perturbed fanny mrs hyssop hoped this would tow fanny into the matrimonial channel and a prologue in this direction did sprout tor for the girl sighed again and said I 1 would lose hope altogether it if it wasn gasn t for for fanny s face went red then she said in a stage whisper for mr barnston ah ali breathed mrs hyssop very much as if she had had a drink of some refreshing beverage you must have noticed resumed fanny that he has been attentive to me quite attentive As I 1 have no mother 1 I thought all along that I 1 would some day come conle to you who have been so very und kind to me and confide in you and ask your advice you know more about mr barnston than I 1 do he told me he had been boarding here for two years yes for two whole years put in mrs hyssop ever since I 1 opened up you must have had a rare chance to study him fanny said you must know it he has any any qualities that are not not good mrs hyssop sat more erect she turned her head to one side pensively fanny now came to the point with almost superhuman abruptness ask ing do you think I 1 ought to marry him mrs hyssop the suddenness with which the question came made the landlady wince then she beamed upon her fair boarder yes she began mr barnston has been with me a long time there have 1 fanny looked worried as she came up the steps been many chances to study him and I 1 have taken advantage of them you haven t I 1 him so long as I 1 have and of course are not so able to judge I 1 appreciate very much your coming to me and tal ing everything into consideration and to make a long story short I 1 would advise you not to am marry him under any circumstances A cyclone seemed to strike fanny fann and her fancywork for both went to t pieces fanny on her chair and the th fancywork tancy faricy work on the floor at her feet oh mrs hyssop she gasped I 1 know what I 1 am talking about fanny the landlady went on ii in this case no one than myself could give such intelligent advice mrs airs hyssop talked on it was a way she had she erit into details explained at almost marvelous length and poor fanny listened finally the landlady halted fanny mr horton allow me to introduce you to my wife rose from her chair and gathered up her fancywork well what are you going to do about it mrs hyssop asked I 1 in going to do my best to win mr Dar barnston I 1 hope you are not angry with me mrs hyssop asked oh no not in the least was the reply I 1 thank you very much for your advice two days later mrs hyssop was again sitting upon the front veranda A frail creature in white with a last year s sailor ork on and a music roll in her lap sat beside her both were gazing absently across the street I 1 don t see how I 1 shall get through the summer the frail creature said almost all of my pupils have now gone to the country to stay for the summer I 1 must make a living some how you poor dear solaced the feeling widow no one knows that better than I 1 do when my dear husband died he left me almost destitute but I 1 thought at once of starting a board ing house and the first thing I 1 knew mr barnston the frail creature suddenly raised her eyes she was the other girl with whom mr Dar barnston was taking up as his landlady put it mr barnston came and before long I 1 got more boarders than I 1 could ac ended mrs hyssop again che he had set the ball rolling Barn and again her hopes rose for the frail creature with the music roll at once plunged headlong nto into the subject of mrs hyssop s first boarder of course she said you must have bave noticed that mr barnston has een paying attention to me of late he ie seems to be very nice he Is al ways so gentlemanly he is indeed pul put in the landlady there have been times went on he the girl when I 1 felt as it if I 1 just must ome come to you for advice about mr barnston it any one could give it I 1 1 knew you could do you think he would make a good husbands 7 9 having had experience this time timo mrs hyssop s calm was something to wonder at my dear louise she began if I 1 feel eel deeply the honor you put upon me yes I 1 have studied mr barnston very closely for the past two years and of late I 1 have noticed that he thinks very well of you but mr barnston Is Is well louise dear I 1 wouldn t marry him if I 1 were you for a moment there was silence on the front veranda then louise burst out I 1 believe you are in league with that cat fanny I 1 know you are just because she gave you that doiley for your parlor table I 1 suppose if I 1 had things to give to you you d say it was all right for me to marry mr barnston I 1 won t ask you to tell me what you have against him because you d make up things but you just bet fanny 11 lave a hard race to win from now on I 1 am going to do my utmost to cut her out the greatest day in the algonquin s history dawned bright and clear just a perfect wedding day came fr in all sides from early morning there was con slant stant bustling everybody was will lag ing and dd lend a helping ton ku BL nl tb the a boarders could hardly await the corn com ing in event the wedding supper was to be a most sumptuous culmination by noon the bouse house began to take on its decor decorr ions the boarders who came for weir midday meal were loud in their praises ot of the excellent taste manifested M anif ested and when evening at last came and they began to assemble in the parlor there was a veritable buzz of talk about things in general finally the guests had been ushered in all but one and that one would not witness the cere money in an upper room she sat alone at an open win dow with a handkerchief to her eyes weeping she could hear the minis ter s voice as he made them man and wife later when she heard the hi lit larity below she knew that it was all over but she still sat at the ln dow she saw the carriage drive up and halt at the stepping stone khe bhe heard loud talking out on the sidewalk she aw caw figures scurrying back and forth then she heard a chorus of shouts A moment later the sound of rice thrown the carriage more shouting and then the sharp r 4 ban bang to of the carriage door after ward the patter of horses feet and the sound 0 wheels on the cobble stones then more shouting within the vehicle sat two very happy beings the ride to the station was short and when they entered their train mr barnston was surprised to see seated at the other end of the car a former charn of his Dar barnston and his bride bad had hardly got comfortably seated when hia his friend left his seat to go to the er As he came abreast of the newly wedded couple he recognized barnston and halted jove but I 1 am glad to see you barnston aid laid raising and taking his friend by the hand mr horton allow me to introduce you to my wife tor for merly mrs winifred hyssop of the algonquin |