The Hickman courier., 1872-11-16
A GOOD STORY.


81 never did see such a sight in
all my life" quoth Mrs. Naley, ele-
waiting her two rheumatism-twisted
old hands in the air. "Dust on
them beautiful velvet carpets glass
in the conservatory windows all
broken; chickens scratching up all
the geraniums on the front lawn,
and the lazy servants dawdling
away their precious time, while
poor dear Mr.. Avenel and Harry
don't know any More what's going
on than if they were boarders. Says
/: "Dear heart-alive, Mr.. Avencl,
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. Mar
ley, but what can I TO ?" And l
answers, says ], "Get housekeep-
er." Says he, Mrs. Marley, you've
hit the nail on the head. I'll adver-
tise tomorrow" And that's how
that paragi aph happened to be in
the papers ?"
Here Mrs. Marley stopped to
catch breath, and nodded emphati-
cally at her auditor, pale woman
dressed in deep mourning, with the
unbeceming framework ofa widows
cap around her face.
And do you think L would suit
the gentleman 2" the latter asked
timidly.
You can but try" was Mrs.
Narlcy's encouraging response.
Mr.. Avenel's as easy as a lamb,
and not one O. them as is everlast
ingly checking off bills and count
ing nickel pennies, and Harry's
dreadful pleasant tempered. Any
way, if | was you, Mrs. Hawkhurst,
I'd go up and see."
And Mrs. Hawkhurst, holding her
pretty little daughter by the hand,
went up accordingly to the hand
some stone house on the hill.
There she found Mr.. Avenel in a
state of temporary siege for others
besides herself had seen the tempt
ing advertisement and made haste
to answer it. There were fat wo-
men and lean, tall women and short,
Scotch women and Germans, smil-
ing slovenly women and trim, sharp
visaged women; women who had
seen better days, and women who
evidently hadn't.
Mrs. Hawkhurst looked around
somewhat discouraged by the form
liable array of rivals.
"There's no hope for me-" she
thought despairingIy, and was just
about to turn away with the timid
Juliet clinging to her hand, when
Harry Avenel advanced.
edo you wish to see my uncle,
ma'am 7" he asked courteously.
"I-I called about the housekeep-
er's situation," meekly murmured
the widow.
And Harry showed her in at
once.
The fat and the tall, the German
and the Scoth, the sour and the
sweet went. Avenel decided to en-
gage Mrs. Hawkhurst as his house
keeper, with permission to keep Ju-
liet with her.
I" She is all 1 have, SIR" said the
housekeeper, apologetically, "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 Wild
over good humoredly. "She'll eat
no more than chicken, and l dare
say she can do great many odd
things about the place."
Mrs. Hawkhurst proved herself
an executive officeress of the great
Iy ability. Gradually the "chaos
and old night" of Avenel place was
reduced to system and order. The
wheels of housekeeping revolved so
softestthat no one knew they NOV
ed, yet these were the results. You
scarce ever saw the housekeeper
glide about the halls, yet the SER
wants declared her omnipresent.
Mr.. Avenel found himself actually
the inhabitant of house once more
as the years slowly passed away.
He was sitting on piazza one
day, smoking his cigar, and watch
ing the graceful movements of Juliet
Hawkhurst, as she was planting
training vines in a marble vase that
occupied the centre of the lawn,
when Mrs. Marley came ont.
"A nice evening sir,'s said Mrs
Marley. ooh, there she is r
Who ~ Mr.. Avenel asked.
eaWhy, that foolish child, Juliet,
answered the old lady sharply, 'sl
ha'nt no patience with, herr that
ha'nt" s-1s 'sss
"What has she been doing now
asked the widower with an amused