The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-10-13

lie leaned back in nonchalant way,
| with his feet on another chair.
"There ought to be, suppose, Mrs.
Dayton to manage these housekeeper mat
ters. Well, there's time enough"
Two applicants were seen and dismissed
| in Mr.. Dayton's gentlemanly way.
"Would let them know if he decided to
| engage them"
A third was ushered in MIR. DAYTON
| instinctively laid aside his cigar, and
placed chair for his visitor.
The lady likeness and propriety of her
manner pleased him at once. "Faller
| fortunes" he commented to himself.
| She answered his questions readily, but
in few words
"a silent woman-a good thing" was
! his inward remark
81 think you will suit ME, Mrs. -
what did | understand your name?"
'sFranklin.''
"Mrs. Franklin, you will be required to
go out of town, about seven miles, to my
| country house-Oak Grove in the town
of Embury, on the great Central Railroad.
The salary propose to pay is six hun
dred dollars per annum. Domy terms suit ?'
Suit! Six hundred to the half-star-
wing person before him seemed India's
wealth.
She answered quietly that they suited.
"Then it is all settled. By the way, I
suppose you have references, thought all
that is a 'mere matter of FORM -
The name of Davenport was given.
Davenport! Robert Davenport! 1
know them. All right, then IF conve-
nient, you will please go tomorrow, MIS-.
Franklin, or the next day. 1 shall not
come down till the middle of next week,
and shall probably bring friend or two
with me. Have the chamber in the CEN
tire and wings prepared, if you please
The housekeeper there now will not leave
until Saturday. She will show you all
around"
"Is Mrs. is your wife there, or to
go soon ?"
He laughed.
"Mrs. Edward Dayton No, she is
not there, and l do not know of her going
at present" Adding more seriously, "I
have not the pleasure, Mrs. Franklin, of
having wife, with a slight stress on
"pleasure."
A vivid color came into the brown
cheek of the housekeeper, and her man
ner showed evident embarrassment.
81 thought believe-I cannot"
And stopped.
He did not notice it. His mind had
already turned to other things
He rose.
at is all settled, I believe. By the
way" his eye falling on the rusty black
dress, 'you may like an advance, as an
evidence of the bargain. 1t is quite GUS
tomary | believe to do so.'
Much Edward Dayton knew about the
custom of such things, but it was like his
kindness and delicacy to say so.
The housekeeper's hand closed on the
fifty dollars he gave her and the words
she would have said were left unutterej
She moved to the door, He opened it
for her cautiously.
"Good morning, madam"
''Good morning ~ she replied.
81 cannot starve. [ must go. [ can
keep up my Disguise, she murmured.
Mr.. Dayton, accompanied by friend,
arrived at his country house the middle of
| the ensuing week. Everything within
| If the new housekeeper had made few
mistakes at first, they were suon rectifed.
Every room that she had touched showed
a magical change.
Her predecessor had been one of the
kind who believed in the sunlight never
entering room for fear of fading carpets
| and curtains ; whose watch word was Cor
DER" and therefore, the furniture was SET
primly against the wall, as if fixtures, and
| their position had not been altered for
years and who moreover conscientously
believed cut flowers in room unhealthy
The new housekeeper's belief differed
in these respects. The CHEEKY sunlight
was allowed to enter wheE and where it
would; flowers were on the tables and
mantle pieces the furniture was disar-
ranged with careless grace; ornaments
| were taken from drawers and closets where
they had been carefully packed away, and
spoke for themselves on etegres, marble
shelves and mantle pieces.
Mr.. Dayton felt the change without
knowing the reason of it. He looked
around him with satisfied air.
''This grand, CHEEKY old place, after
all Do you know, Lyon, / have always
Stunned it as the gloomiest of all gloomy
places haven't stayed here fortnight
all put together, for the last five years.
1t must be your presence, old fellow, that
has frightened it up so, or the gloom was
all in my imagination"