THE TWO MRS. SMITHS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 30, 3 February 1877, Page 1

THE TWO MRS. SMITHS.

"Well, we're to have two summer boarders at any rate," said Mrs. Copper. " One of them is that rich Mrs. Smith. You know Freddy is with Smith and Company in the city. It's Mr. Jabez Smith's mother. She's going to have the best chan:ber, of course, and, Peter, see that we get that new mirror up in time. The other Mrs. Smith is some poor woman — has been a nurse, and saved up enough to live on ; says her board must be cheap, for she can hardly afford to go out of town at all, and wouldn't, only that her health is breaking down, and she needs fresh air. I mean to give her that little room over the kitchen. Whatever other boarders we have won't stay in it, you know. That will do for anyone as poor off as she is, and she won't mind the pitcher without a handle, and the basin with a nick out. There isn't any closet or bureau, so drive up a few nails, and, I suppose, she'll stay as long as she means to, anyhow. Oh, I say, Peter, when yon go to town, send up that picture of little Samuel saying his prayers. I'll have it put into the frame, and hung in our Mrs. Smith's room. It's so sweet, and it will look as if we had taste, j-ou know." Just then a head adorned with a red beard was thrust in at the door. " You're expecting company, ain't yon, Mrs. Copper," said the voice belonging to the head. " I've jest been down to the station, and there's two ladies come on unexpected for you. They're waiting there." " Gracious goodness !" cried Mrs. Copper. "Thank you, Mr. Pidgeon. Run, Peter, and harness the horse. Dear me ! both the Mrs. Smiths must have come at once." Peter obeyed as promptly as he always did, and in fifteen minutes he was at the station, and had introduced himself to two elderly ladies. One of these ladies wore a plain grey dress, the other a plain black silk. Peter could not tell which bonnet cost most. Their trunks were much of the same size ; and how to tell which was rich Mrs. Smith and which poor, without asking, he did not know. Being a bashful man, he drove them home in silence. But at the door, his wife settled the matter at once to her satisfaction. She addressed the black silk dress at once with the remark — " Well, now, I suppose you'ro the lady my Fred has been telling me so much about ?" And Mrs. Smith replied — " Perhaps so. Your son was the very last person I saw in London. I met him at tho station, and he said I'd be suro to be comfortable at his mother's." " Oh, I hope so," cried Mrs. Copper, beaming wid. politeness and satisfaction. " But I know ours is only a plain country home, and not at all what you're useto." " I certainly have lived in very elegant places in my life," said the lady, " but I feel at homo in the country, and the plainest room where there is a window from which I can sec blue sky and green trees will be delightful. This is lovely !" 6hc cried, as she entered the large front chamber. " How fresh and sweet !" " I am so glad you like it," cried Mrs. Copper. "Do let me help you off with your shawl. Will you have a cup of tea before dinner? I'll send your trunk up, and anything I can do, Mrs. Smith, tomake you comfortable, rely on mc to do it." Just then — "Cynthy,'" cried her husband's voice, " where is this hero lady to go ?" Tho other Mrs. Smith, the insignificant one, had all this while remained .unnoticed in. the porch, looking somewhat as- ; toni>hcil and rnfiled. It was not worth while to waste much time on her. "You know the kitchen chamber as well as I do, Petei," said Mrs. Copper. Just take the trunk up, aud show her the way." " Mightn't she as well havo some other room until other folks come?" askedi gooc -hearted Peter, in a whisper. "I slept in that kitchen chambcr;pnce,,an4Ca

and sat on the verandah till morning. The air is just roasted in there." " Mind your own business ! I'm housekeeper," cried Mrs. Copper. And Peter beckoned Ids guest to follow him. He put the trunk into the room, and looked anxiously to sec whether there was also room for a human being. A clothespin propped the one window. It opened so little that no longer rest was needed. The smell of fried fish had come up from the kitchen at breakfast time, and had not yet escaped. " Dear me ! is tliis my room ?" asked Mrs. Smith in grey, standing at the door. " Well, so my wife says," said Peter. Mrs. Smith shrugged her shoulders and entered. An hour afterwards the two boarders met, and Mrs. Smith in grey first broke silence. " Have you a comfortable room ?" she asked. " Oh, yes, ma'am," said the Mrs. Smith in black silk, " beautiful j and the lady of the house bo kind." " Show me your room, Margaret," said Mrs. Smith in grey. " Certainly, ma'am," said Mrs. Smith in black silk. She ushered the way. " So fresh and sweet," said she, " and brought me a cup of tea — and so polite. I hope you are comfortable, ma'am — though, oi course, you might find fault where I wouldn't." Mrs. Smith in grey made no definite answer. She asked a few more questions, and made a resolution. At dinner Mrs. Smith in black silk was serveo witli care and anxiety, and Mrs. Smith in grey was helped to her dinner, and left to ask for more if she wanted it. In the afternoon, Mrs. Smith in black silk was taken out to ride, and no invitation was extended to Mrs. Smith in grey, who, however, sat quite placidly in the porch until the tea hour being over, bed-time approached. Then she sought an interview with Mrs. Copper. " Have you other empty rooms besides the one you gave me V" she afcked. " Of course I have," said Mrs. Copper. " Then I must ask you to give me one," eaid Mrs. Smith. ' 1 cannot sleep in that small oven over tlie kitchen." " Then you'll have to lie awake, ma'am," said Mrs. Copper. "That I prefer not to do," said Mrs. Smith. " I would make no complaint if it were merely a bare room with a decent bed. I expect no elegance, but you know no one could rest in such a place." " Dear me !" cried Mrs. Copper, "I suppose you've been used to everything veiy tine. You forget that you told me you went out nursing, and wanted cheap board. I've only charged you a pound a week, remember." Mrs Smith smiled. " Your other boarder has a delightful room," said she. " I should think so," said Mrs. Copper. "That's the rich Mrs. Jabez Smith. She didn't ask what I'd charge, and my Fred is working for the firm, and knows how she livea and all. Folks that go out nursing can't expect to be just exactly the same as quality, unless they can pay for it." ■'Good reasoning, Mrs. Copper," said Mrs. Smith in grey, "only you have made a little mistake. I happen to be Mrs. Jabez Smith ; it is a common name. Your other boarder, whom I met, to my surprise, at the station, is Mrs. Smith, the nurse. She lived with me for fifteen years, and cared for all my children. She is an excellent woman, and I consider her a friend. I " "Dear, dear!" cried Mrs. Copper. "Why, what a fool I've been. You see she wore black silk, and said she knew Fred." "As she does," said Mrs. Smith. " She often praises him. I never saw him but once." "Oh, my!" said Mrs. Copper, "but everything shall be rectified. I'll turn her out of the best bedroom at once, and you shall have it." "Mrs. Copper," eaid Mrs. Smith, "I shall not need it. Give me a cool room for to-night, and to-morrow I'll go home. But let Margaret keep her comfortable room, have her rides and everything she fancies, and send the extra bill to me, and say nothing about it. I shall be willing to pay whatever you think politeness to her is worth." " Oh, I'm sure I'm greatly obliged. But can't I induce you to stay, ma'am. The best parlour now. I could put a bed in that, or— oh, anything, ma'am, you'd like," said Mrs. Copper. But Mrs. Smith in grey took the early train to London the following morning.