National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-08-09
A GOOD STORY,

never did see such sight IN all m
life quoth Mrs. Marley. elevatinp he
two rheumatism twisted old hands in RI
air. Dnst on them beautiful veIve
carpets; rlasS in the conservatory win
dows all broken chickens scratching II,
All the geraninms on the front lawn. an,
the law servants dawdlne away thoi
precious time, while poor dear Mr.
Avenel and Harry don't know snv NOR,
what's going on than if they were board
erS. Sav L; Dear heart-alive. Mr.
Avenel, this is enough TO make vour poor
wife tnrn in Der grave Saws heLvou
know his pleasant wav--' Well know II
isn't lust right. Mrs. Marley. bnt whae can
dor And | answers, saws get a
hou'ekeeper, SAYS he. 'where2' saws +,
advertise. saws he, Mrs. Marley. von've
hit the nail on the head. I'll advertise to-
morrow And that's how that paragraph
happe ed 10 he in the papers"
Here Mrs. Marley stopped To catch her
breath, and nodded emphatically at her
auditor, pale woman dressed in deem
mourning, with the nnbecomng frame
work OF widows can around her face
And do You think | wou'd snit the
Gen'leman2' the latter asked timiilv.
" fou can bnt try" was Mrs Narlev's
encouraging resnonse. "Mr. AvenelS as
eaSv as lamb, and not one a them as is
everlas'ing checking off. bills and count
ing nickle PENNIES, and Harrv's dreadful
pleasant tempered, ANY wav. If 7 was
yon, Mrs. Hawkhurst, I'd 60 M and see y
And Mrs. Hawkhurst. holding her pret.
ty little daughter bv the hand. went I'M
accordingly to the handsome stone house
on the hill
There she tonnd Mr.. Avenel in a state
Of temDor lrv siege for Others besides
herself had seen the tempting advertise
ment and made haste to answer il. There
were fat women and lean, tall women and
short. Scotch women and Germans. smil. F.
ING slovenly women and trim, sha-n-
visared women; women who had seen
better days and women who evidently
hadn't
Mrs. IawkhurSt looked around some
what discouraged by the formidable array
Of rivals
"There's no hope for me. " she thought
despiringlv. and was Just sbout to turn
away W th the tinid Juliet clnging to her
hand when Harry Avenel advanced.
DO Won wish to see my uncle ma'am7"
he asked conrteorslv.
"l-l called about the housekeper's
situation, meeklv murmured the widow.
And Harry showed her in NJ once.
The fat and tall. the German and the
Scotch. the sonr aud the sweet went
Avenel decided to engage Mrs. Hawkhurst
as his houSekeeper- with permission TO
keep Juliet with her.
She is al have. sir" said the honse
keener, apoloeetica'ly, "and she will try
to he usefn| about the hOuse."
" How old is she2" asked Mr.. Avenel.
Fifteen. sir"
"Well, let her stav" said the widower
good hnmoredlv "She'll eat no more
than chicken. and dare say she can do
n great manv odd things about the place"
Mrs. Hawkhurst proved herself an ex a.,
'cntive officeress of the greatest ability. !
Gradually the chaos and old night" of :
Avenel place was reducted to system and y
order. The wheels of housekeeping re- |
roIved so softly that no one knew thew u
moved, yet these were the results. Yon
'carce ever saw the housekeeper glide !,
l'ont the halls. vet the servents declared "
Ter omnipresent Mr.. Avenp found him. u
efactuqlv the inhabitant of home once
more ss the wears slowly nassed away.
He was sitting on a riozza one dav. a
'moking his cigar, and watching the
'racefnl movements o. .Inliet Hawkhurst
Is she was planting training vines in
marble vase that occnnied the centre of II
he lawn, when Mrs Marley came out. Il
"A nice evening sir said Mrs. Mar
ov. "Oh. thcre she is - y
who ?" Mr.. Avenel asked. !"
why, that foolish child Juliet" an !,
wered the old lady sharply. :" | ha'nt no y, :"
'a'ience with her, that | ha'nt." .,
What has she been doing now?" asked a.
he widower with an amused face. =
WHY. she's refused Ben Nichols eldest =,
on. as likely and beforehanded young y
'ler as there is in the country" :,
Mr.. Avpnel started. >. ..
Zen Nichols. Why Mrs Marley, she a.
: only child. D,
She's seventeen next week" nodded y. :.
irs Marley, "and higl time she thought =
settling" P,
Mr. Avenel looked across 70 where u u
nliet stood in her pink gingham dress, - -
ne soft summer wind stirring her curls, a, a.
M her cheeks as softly tinted rs the u
,andard rose on the lawn. Seventeen :,
' as It possible that little Juliet Hawk ~
urst had grown TO be seventeen ears old I :. :.
Oh, relentless time. that yonld not T.
and still. Oh. cruel years, that went by
no stole the fair brightness of childhood
No IL n |