The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-09-27
MY HOUsEKEEPER.

MY HOUSEKEEPER.
Lady who can give the best references as
"A to character and ability, wishes ii situation
aS housekeeper in gentleman's family. kef.
ereuces required.
Address N. l.. SMITH, box l004.
| am, | mean was, a bachelor. had
plenty of money, but | was forty-five
years old, and had never arrived at sat
isfactory way ofspending it. concluded
that my error was the want of home OF
my own; concciving sudden disgust for
hotels and boarding houses, | took a
handsome house in respectable part OF
the town, and began looking for house
keeper The advertisement which heads
this narrative had just met nv eye, as
glanced over the wants in the evening
paper 1t pleased me In fact suppose
Destiny had decreed that | should bc
pleased with it,
was reading it for the twentieth time,
when n servant knocked at my parlor
door, and announced my -SiSter-in Law,
Mrs. Eliza Bishop, and her daughter Eli
n. Mrs. Bishop was the widow Of my
eldest brother, and her attention to and
kind care for my comfort were really
touching.
She followed her name into the room,
leading her daughter-the eldest and best
behaved Of the three. She was hand
some woman, of commanding, imperial
order, and she looked her best that winter
afternoon, in her rich furs and vclvcts, her
cheeks crimson with the effects Of the eX-
erci>e she had been taking.
lam very glad to see you, ] said, as |
handed her a chair. There are some
things you women know more about than
an old bachelor like me, ard want to con-
suit you. have concluded To go to house.
keeping.
Eliza's face frightened into an expires.
sion even more bcaming than the one she
had previousl v bestowed OF me. 1t never
occurred To me that she could he thinking
of my future home aS Il convenient resi-.
dcnce for herself and three. She answer.
cd warmly
An excellent idea, brother Sandie, il
you are prepared for all the expense and
trouble it involves. The expense, to be
sure, is not much of n consideration to
you. You have been so successful, that
you would not require so close economy
IN your house as used to practice in poor
Roberts time. lie always said | made
one dollar do the work of three. But
there will be great deal of trouble. In
the first place, yuu'll have to find house
kecpcr.
The very thing | want to speak to you
about
Her smile was positively brilliant.
How kind, Sandien
Not kind at all, troubling you about
my affairs
For shame as if you ever had reason
to think that anything | could do for you
would be u trouble
A very just remark, considering that
her voluntary service amounted, besides
frequent visits, to pair of slippers, with
pink-eyed pussy cat on each toe, and a
smoking cap with the device of a green
eyed poodle, cOuchant. --.. .-.-.-
FASTENED to place before her the paper
in which had marked the advertisement
which heads this article
'fhere, Eliza, there is what have been
thinking about. Somehow | fancy
should like Mrs. N. L. Smith; Mary,
imagine, her name is. am going to write
to box 1904
But aren't you acting on impulse, San
die 2
Perhaps sol always do-and, some
how, my ventures have been tolerably for
tunate.'
Yes, but this is such an important
thing. Of course you know'-and she
laughed rather uneasily-'that you will
be sure to marry the lady
'Marry!' believe every woman has in
her character the clements of an Eve
Here was all apple should never have
seen but for my sis;er-n-law. 1t was my
turn to laugh.
why, no, Eliza. That is an objection,
of course, which | never thought Of |
don't imagine it would prove to DC one
with me, though. am not q marrying
man. Besides, she is without doubt a
widow with children and
stopped, for remembered my sisters
bereavement and membranes. Her face
turned crimson.
All men do not think it impossible to
marry widow with children, and yOu
may not, when Mrs Smith has kept house
for you six months; though to be sure,
don't think some women would ever make
up their minds to marry again.
| suppose some women referred to
herself, and was glad of this hint as to
her sentiments, for poor Robert had left
his family very comfortable, and | did
not want to see his children subject to the
untender mercieS of a second papa. AT
ter few more cautions from Mrs. Bishop,
and o few strong expressions Of admira-
ton for various articles Of feminine adorn-
ment from little Eliza. which extracted
from the pockets of her good natured un-
Gle the customary amount of hush money,
my visitors departed, and wrote my
letter to box 1904. In it stated my resi-
dencc, the salary | was willing to pay, and
the number of my household. gave her
my name, and the names of few Of my
friends who would be ready to afford her
whatever information she required as to
my means and character Iadded a post
cript to say that | particularly objected to
children, and would make it point with
my housekeeper to leave hers behind her.
If she liked the terms and stipulations, l
requested her to call at my counting room
the ensuing morning.
1t would be idle to say that attended
very closely to business the next forenoon.
The housekeeping fever, the home longing
had taken full possession of me. must
confess, besides, to no small amount Of
curiosity as to the personal appearance Of
M. L. Smith. wanted an agreeable house
keeper. Not too young-that wouldn't
look well-no too:hless, wFihkled crOne to