Our Landlady

NZ Truth, Issue 984, 4 October 1924, Page 14

Our Landlady

(By "Lilian.'.')

Arthur and I had made a momentous ! discovery. Housekeeping was too ex- | pensive. ' Unknown to Arthur, I, of course, had implanted the idea m his mind, and by subtleties I had caused him to think that the idea was his own. It's so easy to do. You see 1 was anxious to go and board, as I was tired of housekeeping, and did not like to be perfectly frank about it. Arthur is not the kind of husband to be frank with. Finally it was his own suggestion that we should board for a while, nnd he cajoled me into agreeing with him! ihe next step was to look out for suitable lodgings, and eversftne who knows anything at all knows how easy that is. By our joint efforts we covered a really nice establishment kept by an unmarried lady of uncertain age and impeccable reputation. There were some interesting fellowboarders, and altogether things appeared most promising. We felt that we would be perfectly happy. Our landlady, unlike most people, was a saving sort, and her penchant manifested itself at times m a culinary direction. The air of refinement m the home compensated for this m some measure. Also she had eccentricities of a highly diverting character, and provided us. with a mirth -provoking affaire de coeur. There certainly is variety m a boarding establishment. I refer to events, not food. -^. ,■ On a certain day I missed a pair of Arthur's new golf stockings, . and he was dreadfully enraged. They had absolutely vanished, no one knew where. He began to express/ doubts about the satisfactoriness of boarding. About ,this time our landlady's affair was assuming a rather distressing aspect. Her hero was neglecting her. This, of course, was causing us unbounded mirtJi m private/ 1 encountered her coming down the stairs one 1 day. Her eyes were red and damp-looking, nnd I felt that she was about; to confide m me. I was 1 not mistaken. She unb\irdened her pent-up sorrow, and m the fulness of her grief she lifted up her serge skirt to wipe away copious tears. There, on her skinny lees, disclosed before my very eyes, were Arthur's golf stockings!