Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-31
The H0uSekeeper's Daughter.

The HOusekeeper's Daughter.
A coon STORY
4" | never did see such a sight in all my
life" quoth Mrs. Marley, elevatng her two
rheumatism twisted old hands 10 the air.
" Dust on them beautiful velvet carpets glass
in the conservatory windows all broken ;
chickens scratching up all the gerauiums on
the front lawn, aud the lazy servants dawding
away their precious time, while poor dear Mr..
Avenel aud Harry don't know any more
what's going on than if they we're boarders.
Says |, Dear heart-alive, Mr. Avenel, this
ia enough to make your poor wife turn in her
grave Says he,-you know his pleasant
way We'll, know it isn't Just right, Mrs.
Marley, but what can do2 And answers,
says |, Get a housekeeper.' Says he,
. Where 2 Says |, Advertise Says he,
. Mrs. Marley, you've hit the nail on the
head. I'll advertise tomorrow. Aud that's
how the paragraph happened to be in the
papers"
Here Mrs. Marley stopped to catch breath,
and nodded emphatically at her auditor, a
pale woman dressed in deep mourning, with
the unbecoming framework of widows cap
around her face.
aud do you think would suit the gen.
tleman ?" the latter asked timidy.
You can but try" was Mrs. Narley's en-.
lcouragiDg response. Mr.. Avenels as easy
as a lamb, and not one O. them as is everlast-
ingly checking of bills and counting nickel
pennies, and Harrys dreadful pleasant ten.
pered Any way, il | was you, Mrs Hawk
hurst, I'd 90 up and see"
And Mrs. Hawkhurst, holding her pretty
little daughter by the hand, went up accord
ingly to the handsome stone house on the hill.
There she found Mr. Avenel in state OF
temporary siege. for others besides herself
had seen the tempting advertisement and
made haste to answer it. There were fat
women and lean, talIIwomen aud short, Scotch
women and Germans, smiling, slovenly women,
aud trim, sharp-visuged women; women who
had seen better days, and women who evil
IDENTIFY hadn't.
Mrs llawkhurst looked around somewhat
discouraged by the formidable array of rivals
There's no hope for me, she thought, de.
spairingly, and was just about to turn away
with the timid Juliet clinging to her hand
when Harry Avcnel advanced.
"Do you wish to see my uncle, ma'am p
he asked courteously
IL called about the housekeeper's sit
uation," meekly murmured the widow.
And Harry showed her in at once.
The fat aud the tall, the German and the
Scotch, the sour and the sweet, went Avenel
decided to engage Mrs. Hawkhurst as his
housekeeper, with permission to keep Juliet
with her.
"She is all have, SIR" said the house.
keeper, apologetically "and she will try to
be useful about the house."
How old is she2" asked Mr.. Avenel
Fifteen, SIR
"Wel, let her stay" said the widower,
good humoredly Smell eat no more than
a chicken, aud dare say she can do great
many odd things about the place"
Mrs. IIawkhurst proved herself an cxecu-
tive ofIi;eress of the greatest ability Gradu-
ally the " chaos aud old night Of the AveneI
place was reduced to system aud order. The
wheels of housekeeping revolved so softly
that no one knew they moved, yet these we're
the results. You scarce ever saw the house,
keeper gliding about the halls, yet the SER
wants declared her omniprcsent. Mr.. Avenel
found himself actually the inhabitant of
home once more as the years slowly passed
away.
lie was sitting on the piazza one day.
smoking his cigar, and watching the graceful
of Juliet Ilawkhurst, as she was
planting training vines in II marble vase that
occupied the centre Of the lawn, when Mrs.
Marley came out
A nice evening sir" said Mrs. Marley.
" Oh, there she is =
Who 2" Mr.. Avenel asked.
Why, that foolish child, Juliet" an
swered the old lsdy sharply. | ha'nt no
patience with her, that ha'nt."
"What has she been doing now ?" asked
tho wdower, with an amused face.
Why, she's refused Ben Nichols eldest
son, as likely and fOrehanded young iellcr as
there is in the country"
Mr.. Avenel started.
Ben Nichols Why, Mrs. Marley, she is
only child"
She's seventeen next week" nodded Mrs. |
Marley, "and it is high time she thought of
settling"
Mr. Avenel looked across to where Juliet
stood in her pink gingham dress, the soft
summer winds stirring her curls, aud her
cheeks as softly tinted as the standard rose on
the lawn. Seventeen. Was it possible that
little Juliet Hawkhurst had grown to be sew
enteeu years old2 Oh, relentless Time, that
would not stand still Oh, cruel years. that
went by aud stole the fair brightness of child
hood away SO Ben Nichols had actually
asked Jaliet Hawkhurst to be his Wife
IL wish you and Ilarryd talked serious
TO her about it," went on Mrs. Marley
u Taint likely she'll have any more such
chauces as that"
"No; to be sure not" said Mr.. Avenel,
,bstractedly.
And o. course she'd oughter think it over
WE'LL added Mrs Marley.
30, certaioly-to bo sure !"
When Harry Avenel came home from the
,ity that evening, he found his uncle in
brown study.
Harry quoth the widower.
Z" Yes, uncle"
g. I've been thinking"
80 | should conclude, sir, from the H.
shaped wrinkle between your brows," laughed
ho young merchant. " "Well. and what has
,een the topic Of your m,diIations, Uncle
Joef" |,