Smyrna times., 1875-08-25
N CSC eI/0M e OuS.
A Curious Companion.

uttSDdIluS absence IN INDIA. liberal
salary will be given, with every home com.
fort, to any one suitable. Apply, per
sonally, if possible, at No. 24O Upper
Berkeley street, W."
The foregoing advertisement was dis
patched by me after considerable cogita-
ton, and l awaited the result of it with
some anxiety.
My husband, Major Conyers had been
suddenly ordered to India; and having no
sister or any available cousin whom could
invite to stay with me during his absence.
thought companion was the best thing
with which | could provide myself; accord
ngly, | indited my small paragraph,
which had the satisfaction of seeing placed
IN a very conspicuous part of the paper on
th" morning after | sent it. | lived in
London, consequently, felt certain that the
personal interview would lccaSily managed: /:
hut had committed an error in not
naming amy particular hour, as from eleven
IN the forenoon until quite late in the dav
the applications for a personal interview
with my unfortunate self never ceased.
lh" first arrival was a very handsomely
dressed lady of about fifty, who came, cvi-
IDENTITY, quite prepared to enter upon her
duties at once, and quite overpoweled me
with series OF questions and statements.
without giving me the finte>t chance. of
making amy inquiries myself She had
lived with Lady This and the Honorable
Mrs. That. and one and all had treated her
like sister-she felt certain should do
the same-indeed, She quite knew me
already. Home comforts were exactly
what she cared for as to salary. it was no
object to her-a hundred Il year was all She
asked, though dear Lady Golding had said
she was never to take less than two.
9 | am afraid" put in at this juncture,
" that even one hundred is beyond what |
intend to give, and live 50 quietly -
:" We won't quarrel about salary" in
terrupted my wouldbe companion; "and
as to quietness, it is just what | want"
A peal at the door bell cmboldened me
to still greater determination, so replied. |
very resolutely for me, I" do not think we
should suit; | am sorry you have had the
trouble of coming
" So am H. she rejoined dryly "but one
ought not to trust to advertisements"
" Hardly noticing my good-morning,"
she got up and tlounccd downstairs, cvi- |
IDENTITY i'll great wrath at her rejection.
Another lady to see you, ma'am,"
announced my parlor maid.
\ very quiet, sweet-looking little person
came forward and at the first glance I
iancied had found a suitable companion.
But alas her story was a sad one. and
there were reasons which rendered it i'm.
possible for me to avail myself Of her society.
She was married. Her husband was a
hopeless invalid, and they were very poor.
She had not been educated highly enough
to be gOverncss, and when She saw nv
advertisement, she fancied, if the salary
was good, she might be my companion bv
day, and return at night to her own home,
which was at no great distance from my
house. She looked so thin and SO i'll that
was almost tempted to make some
arrangement with her, but as | intended
leaving town occasionally, second thoughts
showed me it was out of the question
Besides, could not have borne to think
that while she was with me she would
always be in an agony to be with her hus-
band-which, had | engaged her. would
most naturally have followed | told her
50 as kindly as possible, and, after making
4o1- Il, e
which latter | saw her furtively convey to
her pocket, for the sick husband, SUP.
posod-she gave me her direction and took
her departure. | afterwards went to see
her, and her tale was sadly verified. But
to proceed.
My next visitor was a most pert damsel,
without any pretensiOns to being a lady,
who informed me that her pa was dead, and
as there were so many of them at home,
her ma wanted her to do for herself had
not much difficulty in dismissing her. And
Of the legion that followed | cannot attempt
detailed description. BY the afternoon
was thoroughly exhausted, and had made
up my mind to see no more, when, lust as
it was getting dusk, my servent came up to
the drawing-room and informed me that
such niee-looking young lady was in the
dining-room; quite the incest that had
been yet
"Ask her to come up stairs, then, Ellis
but do not admit any one else" | replied;
and the next minute the drawingroom
door was thrown open by Ellis, and Miss
Burke " announced.
She was dressed in mourning, and even
in the dim light was, could see, pale
faced, rather handsome girl Of apparently
about four-and-twenty. Her height was over
the average, but seemed greater from her
extreme thinncss, which struck me as
almost startling. "Good evening"" she
said, in low and rather pleasant voice.
" / am afraid am very late it was so kind
of you to see met