, 1864-04-24
MIR, VERKeN'S HoTsEKEEPER.


vi: teltto sI!@nt 1icdI.atfous On Lne scc:ies
Gl *f,1&nsor :unt! hIppfncss vanlsAtu iofoV3r.
tlt 'clvtt Lawn grew coar4e nnu uneven
I LIZ cattfuny 1ul..t pGtEs wsF: llsscsed Wt4
lta.ts anI ;" lSe, slic feltl:.au4s NssG calseo
aIsi sileu., 4 iew ,erdy struts nnd plants had
Isutsd 1u1 G!l lie ciuiGcc varieties. anu grew
il. tangled ii:assts Hto1lt tbc tsa.aen, eh4 IN
iLu Goueer1a11rr:th.r -Icp.ained only roivs
Of lowtr pots with the earth l!ard ana dry TO
remind one Of the rare exoucs winch bad
illed It with fragrance ana neaIyi Itsb,a ~ Tag naa
Many J oung girl from the little village
which it, overlooked had enjoyed there her
Irst triumph; md mnny young nan, awk-
ward and blush1ng III his frst etty snlf, had
bten there Ge1tcattly and systefnatlcaly aided
polish, The rumor, therefore, that the es-
tate hail f0nud alsercAascr who would take
possession uf it in person EaSo universal Plea
sure. pleasure Which Was suddenly damped
by unmlstakable indications o. n!s character
and hnbite. An agent appeared with q body
Of gtonc. .cutrerg: a1d The ioW', open iron fence
which had permitted the child OF 6i1 years to
scan ell the treasures Of the grounds gave
place to high stone vail, to be- scaled OIL
by thief or sailor. T~o decentiy apparel
ed but stupied looking servants louoWed IN
charge Of an immense number OF boxes, Which
heavy and cumbersome as they were, no arti-
san assisted to nnpack. A few days afterward
Mr.. Vernon, the master, a11yed. He was
handsome ind refined, but hatSnty auo fcpel-
ling, and upon seeing him, the yllage,a felt
instinctivtly that Greeuslope EXISTED TOR
them no longer.
Aside from tile daily yisits Of the butcher.
baker, grocer and 1nilkman to the little back
+ gate, fitted apparently to keeprop9efs ont Or
prisoners In, Mr.. Vernon appeared 70 desire
nothing further Of tie world e1eept s "a, oouse-
would be liberal, and several persons madeap-t
plicatioD for the post, buta single glance suttl-
ced for examination in eRcA cases R0Q the dis
misEal was SO abrupt and peremptory that 9TH
eis were discouraged from attempting to Sc
cure it. Hutwhateyer want OF comfort or ele.
gance there might be within that high ring Of
stone, there was no Sign ofits existence cxcekt
the advertisement which appeared IN daily
paper. 4 month frum Its first insertion, 1t was
answered BY an old woman 50 quaint In cos
tune That one might easily have belteved she
Was an old family portrait suddenly endowed
with LIFE. Her graz. .hair, 1izzed into pysa-
mid, was fenced ut the back Of her head With
one Of the extrnvagantly hlghtopped combs
+ In use some fiity years before, willie 1t Yves as
carefully hattcned in front BY band ofsnoWy
muslin tied. beneath the chin. A double
PLATED rntI, as stiff Us starch could make 1t,
stood with: military precision around her
throat. a black SILK bodice, without trim
ming Of any kind, sent q long poiut before
and behind over her limp, acanty skirts,
which were short enough to reveal fine white
eatin bows, while the sleeves, each with q
little puff at the top, descended to the wrist
with so close fit that the material threaten
cd to give away ut each" bend Of the elbow.
Having beeu ush he1ed through the back gate,
she layed aside her tall calash, her br0cade
6tautlal gloves, and presented herself to Mr..
Vernon. She did not speak; hut stood
eilen1l} before him, her o. es cast down and
the faintest possible color creeping into her
white checks. Strange and absurd As was her
aspect, She brought to the cold and taciturn
master feeling Of rest, Of peace, 10 which
he had long been stranger. For moment
tile mystery Of bis life disappeared, the bit
telnees died awny, and fresh, warm, health
1ul emotions gnshed 10 in his heart. He
alyzing IT. He thought it came from the
curious picture before him which carrlea. him
buck to past 50 distant as to be untafnfed By
any hour which be had known, past which
lad blo6eomcd and faded before he bud found
existence. 1t was welcome from whltever
source it spraDg, and lie dreaded TO speak
lest he should break the spell.
At length he forced himself to say" " I
proposed to offer housekeeper ten dollars
week. Win that be satisfactory 7" .-
The visitor bent her head.
~ also proposed to place. each month in
tie hands OF any one who should undertake
the charge Of the money for all household
expenses, and to require her to conduct the
establishment without any direct reference to
me except when 1t is unavoidable. Are you
willing to undertake this dutYs'' =,
Again the quaint figure bowed. ,,,
80 Il ypu decide to remain, you can neither
visit nor receive guests.n = .-,
A bow abbreviated to nod.
~ think you will suit me; Will the place
suit you!''
Another nod. .
"Then Gretel will show you to your room,"
and Lr. Vernon rang the bell "One thug
mo1e,,nhe said. " lad torgottento ask your
" Madam Colcord."
The voice was rnised s.arely above whfs--
per, but it was very sweet and It doated
through the apartment like wave Of melody.
MI. Vernon started, sighed family, and look
tionIess @ waiting W tin for Gre1el The door o opaa; @
cd as he finished his survey, and the mistress
and maid passed out together. Alter they
had gone, Mir. Vernon settled himself IN an
easy chair, with his feet on the mantef; but
his reflections were less painful, than usual,
and tor the first time aimee he arrived ut
Greenslope he though he would buy q horse.
Meantime hb.dam Colco1d made q thorough
hsth ad Fl ths st.sF Pd ms2s
Of more plastic material thnn sic anticipated
from first survey. They were plodding but
honest and submissive, anxious to learn, and
than they Ind ever Tiled before. As M for 'he the
rest. MI Was haudsome bnt SADLY in need Of n
ln5y,s eve md fouch- WITH 1,rr own onart.
ments Madam was cspecIaly nleased. They
| we're 1'nnn tno lower f1oor' sena rated from
the Kitchen cnly l,v a narrow nassara. and
coneisted Of n iarge airy sittfnr.room and a
cnnvrnfent steening room. Thnv locked nm
an nm attractiyc 1aFt of the rrnurtis, and m
din mattinrs With light curtains. chlntz
covered lounges md chpIfs. audi a few prcttv
| articles in hlack walnut yere ~ adv to>be fiEe
ted to their places under her inspection.
But Madam understood her charge too well
to think first of herself, She proceeded at once
10 business
A great deal Of furniture Ind been LEFT by
the former proprietors, and much Of 1t was OF
kind to be rendered fully available only
through tastc and ekill. 1t soon became
evident TINT Madam possessed both. Aided
By Gretel and Kurt, she wrought magically in
the neglected dining room. she changed the
curtain, put up an India screen, and brought
out some exquisite vases, which she filled
with with lilies, set of with glossy myrtle
cd per1wtukle. The sideboard was polished
till 1t reflected all its ncighhors, and the drops
vi the great chandelier emerged from their
coatini. Of venerable dust, Tue dinner table
was laid with careinfreeard to artistic ef-
feet, and the viands were excellent; while
Madam, seated behind the screen, directed
by sigus tile awkward and Frightened Kurt.
| Mir. Vernon grew walmostlicht-hearted. He
thought It was tbs drlicatelY clean room
inc We'll cooked dinner. which had u laror oI
iouc ogo, and reminded him Of the dishes on
his mothcrst 4 table-the relief occusioncd b7
: nudiur lis establishment complete. When