Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-03-17
THE EVENING STAR
aOUsEkEEPEp WANTED.
BY GRACE GARDNER.

s%ArTkD-A housakePper No one out m
Ye.ueclabiIity need apply. Can between the
eoErs OF three aGd four, ThnTsoaV, hpra Ssn,
a. No. - Michigan avenue.
Kate Franklin read this IN the paper which
Icy on tie counter IN the little grocery. while
" Atr 10 have ounce or two OF tea done
MP, and a roll of baker 8 bread.
She repeated the number Of the house over
to herself, as she received the change from the
she prepared the tea, after she returned 70
the little bare attic, and ate her scant meal me-
chemically. SDe forgot how uDsatisiied her
appetite still was, in her busy thought
Yes, she must descend to meuiai service.
why cot this! It would be better than lower
grade: Yet her soul and pride snrank from !.
A stranger in strange place, suceessiS-Iy
she had tried to find a situa!ion rs leacher'
copyist, In q store, SCI wing. she naa Iaiieo LA
the first three, and was starving on Inc las sno
She would apply Tor that place, Dat sDe
would need references. Only one psrron she
knew In the whole great city, or sumciens 10
ster.sister. who had III. treated her gentle
mother while she had lived, and had hated
Kate herself with double hatred since the first
and only one she had ever loved had turned
frem her brilliant beauty, to offer heart and
hand TO her young and disliRed step-sist.r,
only 10 be rejected in his tarn. Tue bsa atiful,
imPerious beautiful had soon after, married
an old man ter his wealth, but she had not for
gotten her hatred for Kate, and disoWned all
connection with the orphaned and peuniiess
girl. Perhaps, though Kate tnonght she
TO have her descend TO mental employ menL.
Kate felt competent for the situation, fer dur
Ing her mothers long illness, and her fathers
absence. she had entire charge Of their large
family and splendid house.
But ian elderly woman Now Kate
frhnHlin was not an elderly woman, Oeins
only twenty; but she RENE m berea. with sort
OF pleasure that in private theatricais, in hap.
pier 6sys. she had minated the voice and As
snhed the character OF old woman with
great success. She knew how 10 stain tne shio
tnO lflr nj - tGh n N m M
che lad In the ottom OF a DOx, some false gray
hair, muslin cap worn on one OF these occa
ftops. she did not need to look cry oid-only
TO presenta mature and naironly appearance.
Mr. Edward Day ton waited at home after
dinner, to see The respondents 10 the advertise.
mept. He was 4 handsome man, not yet Inr-
~ with gay, frank, good natured counts.
nance.
Nov for a dozen or tao of good Old danes,
all competent all respectful lie, and each Conf
dent she would give satisfaction
He lighted cigar.
"I shall shock the dear old souls, hnt shall
take liberty TO smoke in my own house, In the
Parior or any where else ! pie sse, they may as
well know what TO expect"
He leaned back in q nonchalant way, his
feet on another chair.
There ought TO be, i suppose, Mrs. Day
ton TO manage these housekeeper matters.
" ell, theIe Is time enough"
Two applicants were seen and dismissed in
MI Day toms gentlemanIy way.
Wonld let them know il he decided to ca
z age Them.
A third was ushered In. Mr.. Dayton in
stinctively laid aside HIS cigar and placed
chair for his visitor.
The lady likeness and propriaty OF her man.
rer pleased him at once. Fallen fortunes"
he commented 10 himself.
She answered her questions readily but in
few words.
"a silent woman-a good thing" was his
inward remark.
al think you will suit me, Mrs. what
did undersa and your namel"
"FraDEln."
MRS. Franklin, you will be required to go
ont CT town seven miles 70 my market place
Oak Grove-in the town Of Embury on the
Central railroad. The salary propose 70 pay
is six hundred per annum. DO my terms
suit1''
Suit. Six hundred to the half starved per-
son before him seemed India's wealth.
She answered quietly that they suited.
"Then 1t is all settled. By the way suppose
you have references, though all that is q mere
matter Of form"
The name Ut Davenport was given.
"Dayenport, Robert Davenport l know
them. All right, then. Ii convenient, Mrs.
Franklin, You Will please 90 tomorrow, or
next day. / shall not come down till the mid
die OF next week, and ,haii probably bring
friend or tW with me. Have the chambers In
the centre and wings prepared, If you please.
The housekeeper there now will not leave TIL
Saturday. She will show you round"
Ills Mrs. -, is your wife there, or to 60
eoonf"
III. laughed
"Mrs coward Daytonl No, she Is not
enL" Adding more seriously, III have not the
pleas IRE, Mrs. Fra,klin, OF having a wife,"
with slight stress on 'pleasu re."
A vivid blush came into the brown cheek OF
the housekeeper, and her manner showed evil
dent embarrassment.
al thought believe-I ealnot-" and she
stopped.
He did not notice It. His mind had already
turned 10 other things.
He Iose.
his I'VE falling ON the rusty black dress, 'you
may like an advance, as an evidence OF the
bargain. II is quite customary, believe to do
So
Much Edward Day ton knew about the cns-
tom of uch things, but It was like the kind.
ness and delicacy to cay So"
The beusekeepers hama closed on the fifty
dollars he gave her; and the words she would
have said were left unuttered She moved to
the door he opened it for her courteously..
s.Good morning, Madam"
.Good morning. she replied
i cannot starve must go. i can Keep up
my die guise, she murnnred:
Mr.. Dayton accompanied by friend, ar
ensuing week. Everything within and about
The house was perfect order. II the new
hoasekeeper had made a few mistakes at first
they were soon rectified. Every room she had
touched showed magical change. Her pre-
decessor had been OF the kind who believed in
the sunlight never entering room for fear of
fa1iDg carpets and uttatnr: whose watch
word was "order," and therefore the furniture
was set primly back against the wall as If nix
lures, and their position had not been altered
for years; and who moreover believed cut
flowers in a room unhealthy.
The new housekeeper's belief differed in
these respects. The CHEEKY sunlight was al
lowed TO enter W hen and where il would; Il Nv
ers were on the tables AID mantle pieces: the
furniture was dissrranged with careless grace,
ornaments were taken from drawers and clos
cts where they had been packed away, aud
spoke for themselves on etagerts, marble
shelves and N antle pieces
MI Dayton felt the change without knowing
the reason Of IL. He looked around him with
q satisfied air.
This is a grand CHEEKY old place. after all!
Do you know Lyon, have always Stunned
IL as the gloomiest OF al gloomy places. have
not stayed here fortnight, all put together
for the last Fl We years. IL must be your pres.
enee, old fellow, that has frightened il up so,
or the gloom was all in my ina gination u
"Not altogether; for / remember IL just as
you do. You forgot have run with YOU once
or twice Tor a day. Dldn't you tell rae you
had q new house keeperl Perhaps the change