The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1864-08-02
The Bishop and Housekeeper.


we will not name at present, there lived Il
few years age a bishop, kind, nminbe old
man, severe TO himself. indulgcnt to others,
so good and charitable that everybody loved
him. His house was model of pr propriety
and hospitality it was managed by an old
ihonsexeep Madame Pichard. In bach
slor's establishment the supreme authority
is always exercised by lady. Madame
Pichard was the very model Of housekeep
ers, and everything went on admirably un
der her administration. Her only source Of
trouble was her husband, drunken, quar-
relsome old man, who, at The time of our
story, was carried off by dropsy produced
by his excesses. A few days after his
death the bishop went up to his house.
keepers apartment TO pay her visit of
coincidence. ''''-
=. well, my deaf Madam" said his Lord,
ship, 81 have called to endeavor to console
you in your Affections. You must not grisve
too deeply; we are all mortal, you know,
and sooner or later we come to the end of
our earthly pilgrimage; your husbands is
now ended-it would have been better if he
had not spent 80 much of it in drinking, but
still the mercy of Heaven has no bound"
"Your lordship is very good but, to say
the truth, | was not thinking of INV hus
This was kind Of funeral Grafton for
which the Bishop was hardly prepared,
and it was with no little astonishm ent that
he replied:
THAT is not very Christian frame OF
mind, pm afraid did you not love your
husbands %
"Your Lordship would not ask me that
question, if you knew how | came to be
married"
You must tell NE all about it," said the
Bishop, with the curiosity of age.
"And your LOrdship does not know any
thing about my Augustus" continued the
houseksePer in melancholy tone.
"Yonr Augustus, Madame Pchard D.
Pray explain"
81 was born at Boulogne, ifit please yonr
lordship. At fifteen they called me the
village beauty, end, suppose, when eigh'
teen, | was not much uglef; but excuse
mo, sir said the old lady, drawing back
her chair, am going to sell you love
story, and / shall only tire you I"
"Go on" repeated the digntary, "we are
both Of US old now, and can talk about such
nonsense without any danger"
"There lived in the village young man
tall, finely formed. with blue eyes and curl
Ing light hair; | think can see him now;
al "e BHio useu 10 pun caps Tor nm he
was what our parents called wild Young
man; his name was Augustus, and we MI
used 10 call him handsome Gussy' He
soon singled me out, and when my father
went to Paris, and my mother YVES out Of
the way, he was always at my side When
one gets to be an old woman, and has
great grown up girl TO take care of, one
rails ut lovers but still that was the happi.
est time Of my life; ] remember it ~ il il
was yesterday. i was proud of my Gussy,
who was our village beau, and he soon quit. |
oil the other girls to pay his court to me.
All this sounds very strange to your lord
ship, no dOut. My father and IN other would !
never have agreed to my marrying SO wild |
fellow as ne was; they forbade him the |
house, but We used often to meet in secret;
he would prowl around all day only to get
q single leok OF me, and then, oh, how han.
Py ives One Gay my father had gone to
the city with load, and slipped .ourts
try and see Augustus for moment we |
bad not seen each other for fortnight, \
met him in the high road. Ifyeur lordshjp
knew what a delight IL Is TO meet ones
lover, when ones just eighteen, and has been
parted from him fortnight, you would
comprehend what one feels; forgot father.
mother, everything We stood uistier a
tree by the road side, looking into each
others eyes; we were so happy We did not
sven speak. A cart came along, il was nv
'ather's; he saw US, sprung out, and began