Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-20
HOUSEKEEPER WANTED.
BY GRACE GARDNER.
INnpolu,;on1

- ....... BY GRACE GARDNER.
lConclu.on.l ,e...
sAh me-" she said. -"Now, what other
foolish things shall do to prove to myself
that am not an elderly housekeeper, but a
young girl who, by virtue of her age, should
be gay, by right of birth, wealthy-and of
consideration, visited, and is visiting, as Mr..
Dayton's lady-love visits and is visited. He
is noble, and good, and handsome" she said
with a sigh. "She will be happy. How
graceful she danced here at the party the
other evening, when the old housekeeper
was permitted to look on. She looks good
and aniable too. Mr.. Dayton danced with
her three times. | wonder If have for
gottenhow to dancew and humming an
air, she iloated gracefully about the room.
She stopped breathless, her cheeks bril-
liant from the exercise, her hair disarrang-
ed.
II believe feel like stiff old Mrs. Frank
lin, with whom dancing doesn't agree"
Zone more song by that heavenly voice
Miss Franklin, and Ishall go away dream
ing I have heard the angels sing" in The
lu9icronsly affected voice she had before
initiated.
"Ahw she laughed yet half sadly, .'the
compliments poor old housekeeper Frank
lin receives hope won't spoil her and turn
her silly old head" 49, ~.
She sat down at the piano,and sang "Home
Sweet Home;" then played one of Bee
thoven's grandest, most solemn pieces.
She rose closed the piano.
The carnival is ended; Kate Franklin dis
appears from the scene, and Madame Frank
lin enters.
Neither Mr.. Dayton nor the servants
would have suspected from the placid, dig
nified department of the hotisekeeper when
they returned at evening, of what strange
freaks she had been guilty.
The ehousekeeper, as usual, when Mr.. Day
ton was all alone, sat at the table. 1t had
commenced to rain violently, and the
weather had grown suddenly cold.
Mr.. Dayton, as he had done occasionally,
invited her to the library,where was cheer
full fire in the CRATE. He read the letters
and papers which he had brought with him
from town, while she knitted. n-,
An hour or more passed in silence indeed
the housekeeper seldom spoke, axcept when
asked a question. At length Mr.. Dayton
looked up at her and said abruptly:
"Yours must be lonely life, Madam. II
it is not too painful subject, may | ask how
long since you lost your husband?"
Two hands suspended their employment,
two eyes looked up at him with an alarmed
| tADIGsSlOus III lllS SCllOuS, Sl
countenance, there was nothing to frighten
or embarrass, but the red grew deeper and
deeper in the brown cheek. ...
1T is painful subject" she said, at last
falteringly. "You will please excuse me-
"Pray pardon me, Madam. 1t was furth-
est from my wish or thought to give you
pain" he returned, with grave courtesy.
His manner, after this, was even kinder
than before. 1t became his custom to invite
her to sit with him every evening.
She commenced to decline but as he in
| variably insisted upon reason, it was no
always easy to find one. If she gavehouse
hold cares he called one of the servants K
attend to it. Once she frankly told him i
was not agreeable, but she never did it {
second time; for week he had wrapped
himself in impenetrable reserve, looked
cold and gloomy, never speaking excep
from necessary civility. .a,,...
At last the poor housekeeper could beal
| it no longer. After tea, without an invita-
| ton, which had not been extended since
that night, she took her knitting and wen
into the parlor. The first approach to s
smile she had seen on his face for many day
frightened it then, but he did not say, ;
great DEAL .......- ..........
After this, it became the regular custom
There could be no danger to him in the gray
hair, the seemingly aged face and figure be-
fore him but was there none to her, even
ing after evening, sitting opposite the man
| ly, handsome fellow, knowing his goodness
and large heartedness, listening to his in
telligent and polished conversation? '1
II never knew mother, he said; s'sht
died before my earliest recollection. | be-
| lieve that, man as am, if j had mother,
| would go to her with all my griefs, as lit
tie child would. 'Ihave sometimes though
of asking you to act as mother in thes'
quiet evenings, when have longed to con
fide in some one. My mother would hav'
been your age, think" Ai
Again there was a vivid color in tn,
brown cheek of the housekeeper, such as /
rarely seen in the aged, and It was accom-
panied by quiver of the mouth, and {
smothered noise, which ended in cough
but both mouth and cheek were quickly
covered with handkerchief and quite {
violent fit of coughing succeeded. ~
Mr.. Dayton, however, had not seemed II
notice, though he had given her one curiou
glance, instantly withdrawn, and he con
tinued.
"For instance, respecting matrimony
whose advice of SO much value as a mothers
Who so quick to see through character, an,
make wise selectionf Had you son
who about here would you select for
daughter-in-law,M Mrs. Franklin"