Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-11-04
Mr.. pAYToN's HousEKEEPER.

Mr.. DAyToN'S HouSEKEEpER.
| WANTED-A HoUsEKEEPKR--Noo ONE But
w elderly person, competent, and Of tn
| hours Of three and four, Thursday, April 9Th, .
| No.-Michigan Avenue.
Kate Franklin read this in the pa
per which lay on the counter IN the
little grocery while waiting to have al
ounce or two of tea done up and roll
of bakers bread.
She repeated the number Of the
house over to herself as she received
the change from the grocer.
She prepared the tea after she re
turned to the little attic, and ate hel
scarty meal mechanically. She forgot
how unsatisfied her appetite still was
in her busy thought.
A stranger in a strange place, suc'
cessively she had tried TO find situa>
ton as teacher, copyist, in a store,
sewing She had failed in the first
three, and was starving on the last.
She would apply for the place, but
she needed references. Only one per-
son she knew in the whole great city
of sufficient infuence-Mrs. Daven-
port, the rich, naughty step sister,
who had ill-treated her gentle mother
while she lived, and hated Kate herr
self.
Perhaps, Kate thought, she would
permit her to refer to her, because glad
to have her descend to mental employ
ment.
Kate was competent for the situation,
for during her mothers long illness
and her fathers absence she had entire
charge of their large family aud splen-
did house.
But an ''elderly woman" Now,
Kate was not an elderly woman, being
only twenty; but she remembered, with
sort of pleasure, that in private
theaticals, in happier days she had
initiated the voice and assumed the
character of an old woman with great
success. She knew how to stain the
skin to give an old and wrinkled ap.
pearance, and she had in the bottom of
box some false grey hair and a mus.
lin cap worn on these occasions. She
did not need to look so very old-only
to present a mature and matronly app
pearance.
Mr.. Edward Dayton waited at home
after his dinner to see the respondents
to his advertisement. lie was hand
some man, not yet thirty, with gay,
frank, good natured countenance.
He leaned back in nonchalant way
his feet in another chair.
ssrhere ought to be a Mrs. Dayton
to manage these housekeeping matters.
Well, there's time enough"
Two applicants were seen and dis
missed in Mr.. EDayton's gentle,nanly
way.
A third was ushered in. Mr.. Day.
ton instinctively laid aside his cigar
and placed chair for his visitor.
The ladylikeness and propriety Of
her manners pleased him at once.
"Fallen fortunes" he commented to
himself.
She answered his questions readily.
but in few words.
"a silent woman-a good thing
was his inward remark.
81 think you will suit me. Mrs.
what may l understand your name I"
s'Franklin.
Mrs. Franklin, you will be required
to 60 out of town, about seven miles
to my country house, Oak Grove-in
the town of Embey, on the Grand
Central Railroad. The salary that |
propose to pay is 5000 per annum. Do
my terms suit your
She answered, quietly, that they did.
.Then it 10 all settled. By the way,
suppose you have references, though
that is mere matter of form.
The name of Davenport was given.
davenport Robert Davenport
know them. If convenient, yon will
please 60 tomorrow, Mrs. Franklin
or the next day. shall not come til
the middle Of next week, and probably
bring friend Or two with me. Have
the chambers IN the centre and wings
r,v.o,or1 Is von n!oaec The hOuae-