Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-17

| Schoolmlstress making conditions, and &C
cepting such an enormous salary, as if she
were comforting favor.
| The Vicar said it was the result of COM
petition, the supply not being equal to the
demand; but thought it might be indi-
rectly referred to strikes and unions,
though / did not exactly see how; but
when there are SO many dreadful things
going on in the country, they work into
each other in dreadful manner.
ut is comfort that we are to have a
widow" l remarked to Mr.. Ambrose.
1'She will be staid and respectable, and
not such responsibility as ayoung girl"
"Oh, don't know" sighed Mrs. Am
brose, piteously; 81 think I would rather
have young person, even if she did wear
chignons and feathers. Widows are
So"
She stopped suddenly, remembering
that | was a widow, and went on to a
fresh sentence; but l wondered what she
was going to say.
81 know l shall be afraid of her." she
said. "And she is going to play the or
gan and manage the choir. She will be
sure to want her own way in everything,
it used to be. And then, my dear, she is
SSi tdih w NC HultC y ouHS nv
person would have taken the trouble to
train herself, even if she had the clever
ness, which isn't likely. Depend upon it,
she will be young and pretty, and all the
shopmen will be falling in love with her,
and the people will talk scandal, and
there will be unpleasantness."
81 don't see that it follows" [ said,
rather sharply; but did not like the way
she spoke of widows. 1t is very odd but
women whose husbands are alive always
give themselves airs about us. | think it
is because they are jealous of our power
of marrying again, having, as it were, two
chances 10 their one; at least, | cannot
discover any other reason, but, of course,
( there may be one that do not know of.
CHAPTER III.
In fortnight Mrs. Henry arrived. 1t
was long Journey from Hatley to st.
Bridgets, and the last four miles had to
be done by road in an omnibus that jolted
tired when they reached the town. Mr..
Ambrose, like the courly old gentleman
he was, went down to meet the new mis-
tress at the Silver Fish, where the omni-
bus always stopped.
II dare say she will like to go straight
home, but you had better invite her to
come here TO tea" said his wife, as he went
away. And l, hearing the invitation
given, and being very curious to see Mrs.
! Henry, thought that it would be unkind
to leave Mrs Ambrose alone during the
interval of expectation.
"Now they are coming" cried the poor
lady, as we heard the gate door open. ~
shan't know what to say to her, Mrs Ac-
ton; wish hadn't asked her to come"
''It's no matter, for the Vicar is Alone"
l replied, looking out of the window,
whence could see that gentleman APP
preaching the house.
He came straight into us, but his face
wore an expression of dismay.
"Wellw we cried, as he entered. Then,
seeing his face, his wife exclaimed, ooh,
Justin, what is it? Is she so very bad?"
"Bad" cried the Vicar standing in
front of us. "What the Dickens could
Dobson send her here for? wrote for a
schoolmistress, did't /, Mrs. Acton?"
II believe So" | replied, meekly;
'hasn't he sent one?"
ooh, do tell us what she is" entrcated
Mrs. Ambrose wringing her little white
| fingers ''Do tell us what she isl
"My dear, she is lady," said the Vicar
and then he sat down and looked at us,
and we looked at him.
For few moments we were too much
astonished to speak.
"a lady! what shall we do with herr"
gasped Mrs. Ambrose, presently, as all
the social complications Of the position
rose before her.
"That's the bother of it; | foresee all
| sorts of difficulties" sighed the Vicar
'but it can't be helped" he added, bright
ening, land perhaps other people won't
| find it out if we don't tell them"
GLOW is she dressed?" l asked, eagerly.
"All in black, looking small and
straight, somehow"
us she pretty9"
mo"
"Then they won't find her out" / said,
| emphatcally. "If woman isn't pretty
and well dressed, and does not call herself
lady, she will only be found out by her
own class"
"How can you knows" said the Vicar,
looking at me-
"Never mind howl know; and if we
and Mrs. Henry are wise enough to keep
our own council and our own places, it
will be all right"
"But won't she expect to be treated as
a lady-asked to dinner and all that?"
asked Mrs Ambrose, doubtfully.
Il think not" said the Vicar; 'and if
she does we can't help it. If she is a
lady, she will recognize her position and
accept it,"
Hadn't you better write to Mr.. Dob
SOM"
"Perhaps I had" and he went away
and did it.
Before the answer came had seen Mrs.
Henry at her work in the school, and at
once gave in to the Wears decision.
She was lady, without any manner of
doubt. The tone of voice, the graceful
bow, the quiet hands, the selfpossessed
dignity of her manner, made her seem to
my poor old eyes very fine lady indeed.
But she was dressed in common black
stuff dress, with little folds Of black Grape
round the throat and wrists, and quaint
sort of cap that covered nearly all her
hair. There was not speck of brightness
or single detail ofprettiness in her whole
appearance.
could not tell how old she was. She
might have been thirty; she might have
been fve-andforty. l used to watch her
Il <t<.tf II.