The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-10
THE mousEKEEpERs DAUGHTER.

THE Il0USEREEPER'S DAUGHTER.
81 never did see sucii sight in al my
llfe," quoth Mrs. Marley. eleyating bel
two rheumltism-twiSted old hands in the
.alr. "Dust on them beautiful velvet
carpets; glass in the conservatory window,
all broken; chickens scratching up all the
geraninms on the front lawn, and the lazy
servants dlwdlng away their preciou,
time, while poor, dear Mr.. Ayenel, and
Harry don't know any more whats going
on I'll i if they were boarders. Says l.
'Dear beart.alivc, Mr.. Aycnel, this /,
enough to make your poor wife turn in
her grave.' Saws he-yOu know bis pleas.
ant way Well, know it isn't just
right, Mrs. Marley, but what can | do q
And I answers, says !, Get house.
keeper Says he, 'Whercf Says !,
Advertise Says he, Mrs. Marley,
you've bit the nail on the head. III adj.
vertisc Tomorrow And that's how that
paragraph happened to be in the papers"
Here Mrs. Marley stopped TO catch
breath, and nodded cmphalically at her
auditor, pale woman dressed in deep
mourning, with the unbccoming frame
work ola widows cap around her face.
"Aud do you think | should suit the
gentleman ?" the latter asked timidly.
g You can but try,n was Mrs. Nirley's
encouraging response. "Ntr. Avcnels as
easy as lamb, and not one o. them as is
cverlastingly checking oil bills and count.
ing nickel pennies, and Harry's dreadful
pleasant tempered. Any way, IL | was
you, Mrs. Hawkhurst, I'd 20 and sec.n
And Mrs. TIawkhurst, holdin; her pretty
little daughter by the hand, went up nc
cordingly to the handsome stone house on
the hill
There size found Mr.. Ayencl in a state
oftemporary siege, for Others besides her.
self had seen the tempting advertisement
and made haste to answer IL. There were
fat women and lean, tall women aud short,
Scotch women and Gcrmtns, smiling,
slovenly women and trim, sharp-viaged
women; women whOlia seen better days,
and women who evidently hadn't.
Mrs. Hawkhurt looked around some.
what discouraged by the formidable array
ofriyals.
"Thcre'sno hope for me- she thought,
despairilsly, and was just about to turn
away with timid Juliet clinging TO her
baud. when Harry Avenel advanced.
"Did you wish to see my uncle, ma'ml"
he asked, eourteouslN
"I--1 called about the houSekecper's
situation" meekly murmuined the widow.
Aud Harry showed her in at once,
The fat and the tall, the German and
the Scotch, the sour and the sweet, went.
Mr.. ATenel decided to engage Mrs. Hawk.
huntas his housekeeper, with permission
tokeep Juliet with her.
"She Is all Ihave, sir said the house
keeper, apolOgetically, "and she will try
to be useful about the house"
"Ipw old is she ~ asked Mr.. Ayenel.
Fifteen, SIR
awell, let her stay said the widower
good huinoredly. "Shc'll eat ne more
than chicken, and / dare say sac can do
apreat many odd things about the house,
Mrs. IlawkhurSt proved herself au exec
utive oiIiceress Of the greatest ability.
Gradually tue "chaos and old night' ol
Avcnel place was reduced to system and
order. The wheels Of housekeeping re.
volyed so softly that no one knew they
moved, yet these were the results. You
scarce ever saw the housekeepcr gliding
about the halls, yet the servants declared
she was omnipresent. Mr.. Ayenel found
himselfactually theinhabitant Of home
once more as the years slowly passed
away.
lie was, sitting on the piazza one day,
smoking his cigar, and watching the grace-
full movements of Juliet Hawkhurst, AZ
she was planting trailing vines in a mar
bic vase that occupied the center Of the
lawn, when Mrs. Marley came out.
"a nice evening, sir,n saidAlrs. Marley,
d0h. there she Is p
awho7n Mr.. Avenel asked. '.i. O..
"Why, that foolish child, Juliet an.
swercd the old lady sharply. ha'nt no
patience with her, that ha'nt."
"What has she been dOingnow 2" asked
the widowei with an amused face.
"Why, she's refused Ben Nicholos'
eldest son, a. likely and forehanded o
young TELLER as there is IN the country"
Mr.. Ayenel started.
"Ben Nichols Why, Mn. Marley,
slieis only child.n
ashes seventeen iext week. nodded
MB. Marley, "and high time she thought
o settling.h
Mr. Avebellooked across to where Juliet
sto,h in her pink gingham dress, the soft
summer winds stirring her curls, and hel
cheeks as softly tinted rs the standard
moss rGse on the laws. Seventeen, was
u possible that little Juliet Ilawkhuri
had grown to be seventeen yeas old
On, RELENTLESS time, that would moi
stand stu oh, cruel years, that went by
and stole tho fair brightness OF childhoof
: away So Ben Nichols had actually asket
Juliet Hawkhunt to be his wiIc
I" wish you an Iiarry'd talk seriou,
10 her about it, went on Mn. Marley
Tan't likely she'll hev many more ,ucl
chances rs that"
"Noi 10 be sure not said Mr.. Avchcl
abstractedly.
"And o'coure she'd oughter think II
over we'll" added Mrs Marley.