Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-08-23
5fiscellamY.
AGood Story.

vet carpets glass in the conservatory
windows all broken; chickens scratch
ing up all the geraniums on the front
lawn, and all the lazy servants dwadling
away their precious time, while poor
dear Mr.. Avenel and Harry don't know
any know any more what's going on
than if they were boarders. Say L:
Dear heart alive, Mr.. Avenel, this is
enough to make your poor wife turn in
her grave Says he-you know his
pleasant way Well | know it isn't just
right, Mrs. Marley, but what can l do 2
And answers, says |, get housekeep-
err says he, where ? says l, advertise,
says he, Mrs. Marley, you've hit the nail
on the head. I'll advertise tomorrow.
And that's how that paragraph happen
ed to be in the papers"
Here Mrs. Marley stopped to catch
her breath, and nodded emphatically at
her auditor, pale woman dressed in
deep mourning, with the unbecoming
framework of widows cap around her
| face.
" And do you think / would suit the
gentleman ?" the latter asked timidly.
"You can but try" was Mrs. Narley's
encouraging response. "Mr. AvenePs
as easy as lamb, and not one O them
as is everlasting checking off bills, and
counting nickle pennies, and Harry's
dreadful pleasant tempered. Any way,
if | was you, Mrs. Hawkhurst, I'd 60
up and see"
And Mrs. Hawkhurst, holding her
pretty little daughter by the hand, went
up accordingly to the handsome stone
house on the hill
There she found Mr.. Avenel in a
state of temporary siege, for others be-
sides herself had seen the tempting adj
vertisement and made haste to answer it.
There were fat women and lean, tall
women and short, Scotch women and
Germans, smiling slovenly women and
trim, sharp-visaged women; women who
had seen better days, and who evidently
hadn't.
Mrs Hawkhurst looked around some
what discouraged by the formidable ar
ray of rivals.
There's no hope for me-" she thought
desparingly, and was just about to turn
away with the timid Juliet clinging to
her hand, when Harry Avenel advanc-
ed
"Do you wish to see my uncle, ma am ?''
he asked courteously.
"I-I called about the housekeeper's
situation" meekly murmured the widow.
And Harry showed her in at once.
The fat and tall, the German and the
Scotch, the sour and the sweet went.
Avenel decided to engage Mrs. Hawk
hurst as his housekeeper with permission
to keep Juliet with her.
"She is all / have, sir" said the
housekeeper, apolegetically, "and she
will try to be useful about the house"
How old is she ?" asked Mr.. Avenel.
Fifteen, sir"
well, let her stay" said the widow
er good humoredly. "She'll eat no
more than chicken, and / dare say she
can do great many odd things about
the place"
Mrs. Hawkhurst proved herself an ex-
ecutive officeress of the greatest ability.
Gradually the chaos and old night OF
the Avenel place was reduced to system
and order. The wheels of housekeeping
revolved SO softly that no one knew they
moved. yet these were the results. You
scarce ever saw the housekeeper glide
about the halls, yet the servants declar-
ed her omnipresent. Mr.. Avenel found
himself actually the inhabitant of a
home once more as the years slowly pass
ed away.
lie was sitting on piazza one day,
smoking his cigar, and watching the
graceful movements of Juliet Hawk
hurst as she was planting training vines
in marble vase that occupied the cen
tire of the lawn, when Mrs. Marley came
out.
GA nice evening, sir" said Mrs. Mar
ley. 40 there she is !"
"Who" Mr.. Avenel asked.
Why, that foolish child Juliet" an
swered the old lady sharply. al ha'nt
no patience with her, that | ha'nt."
"What has she been doing now p
asked the widower with an amused face.
"Why, she's refused Ben Nichols
eldest son, as likely and beforehanded a
young feller as there is in the country.
Mr.. Avenel started.
"Ben Nicholsl Why Mrs. Marley,
she is only child"
"She's seventeen next week." nodded
Mrs. Marley, "and high time she thought
of settling"
Mr.. Avenel looked across to where
Juliet stood in her pink gingham dress,
the soft summer wind stirring her curls,
and her cheeks as softly tinted as the