The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-11-22
A GOOD STORY.

never did sec such sight in
all my life," QuOth Mrs. Naley, Gle
waiting her two rheumati5m-twiste
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.. Avencl and Harry
don't know any more what's going
on than if they were bOarders. Says
[: "Dear heart-alive, Mr.. Avenol,
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 [ Go 2" And I
answers, says l, "Get a 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 i'll
the papers Z"
Here Mrs. Marley stopped to
catch breath, and nodded emphati-
cally at her auditor, pale woman
dressed in deep mourning. with the
unbeceming framework of a widow s
cap around her face.
''And do you think 1 would suit
the gentleman 2" the latter asked
timidly.
"YGu can but try" was Mrs
Narloy's encouraging response
" Mr.. AvenePs as easy as a lamb,
and not one O. them as is everlast
ingly checking off bills and count
ing nickel pennies, and Harry
dreadful pleasant tempered. Any
way, if | was you, Mrs. Hawkhurst
I'd go up and see"
And Mrs. Hawkhurst, holding hel
pretty little daughter by the hand
went up accordin@ly to the hand
some stone house on the hill.
There she found Mr.. Avenel in ;
state of temporary siege for Others
besides herself had seen the tempt
ing advertisement and made hast,
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 haC
seen better days, and women wht
evidently hadn't.
Mrs. Hawkhurst looked arOun,
somewhat discouraged by the form
idable array of rivals.
"There's no hope for me-" sh
thought despairingly, and was JUS
about to turn away with the timi,
Juliet clinging to her hand, whel
Harry Avenel advanced.
"Do you wish to see my uncle
ma'am 2" hc a>kod courtcousIy.
"I-I called about thG-housekoeT
er's situation," mcokly murmure
the widow.
And Harry showed her in Il
once.
The fat and the tail, the German
and the Scoth, the sour and th
sweet went. Avenel decided to en-
gage Mrs. Hawkhurst as his house
keeper, with permission to keep JJ
liet with her.
" She is all have, sir" said th
housckcepCfJ dpOloSCjlCdtiyJ an
she will try to be useful about tn
house."
, GLOW old is she p asked Nh
Avencl.
Fifteen, sir"
" Well, let her stay" said the wiC
over good humoredly. "She'Il ca
no more than a chicken, and l dar
! say she can do great many cd
things about the place."
Mrs. Hawkhurst proved herse
T an executive oficercss of the grea
r ly ability. Gradually the "chaC
f and old night" of Avenel place WI
reduced to system and order. Tt
, | wheels of housekeeping revolved :
softestthat no one knew they mo7
ed, yet these were the results. Yo
t scarce ever saw the hOusekeeps
: glide about the halls, yet the Sc
G wants declared her omnipresen
e Mr.. Avencl found himself actuall
/ the inhabitant of n house once MOI
as the years slowly passed away.