Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-25
NO. $50.
Calls and Sketehes.
From Appleton's Journal.
Betty's Story.
[coNcLuDED FROM YEsTEEDAr.1

hSkPu leave OF MIS-. DdFLQGl, Oh
course, telling her the circumstances.
"Will you not fail?" the old lady in-
quired.
l smiled a negative.
why, | never knew you were musical
You never touched the piano"
1T is not the business OF house maids
to play on their mistresses' pianos
Every good; but you have been some
thing more than servant here. Will you
let me hear you sing now?'
My fingers had been long itching to
touch that piano, which was kept regular
! ly in tune, though never used, and sat
down to it willingly. | was out of prac-
tice, my fingers were stiff; but the excite
ment more than made up tor it. suppose,
for had never played better, and my
voice was in excellent order.
Il foresee you will get the place per
manently.''
ooh, no; Miss Patten will be well di-
rectly."
"No, no! / see this is your turning
point, and | shall lose YOU
s'You shall not lose me, Mrs. Dartnell,"
| said for the old lady betrayed in her
voice that she would really be sorry if
went.
My singing that afternoon was sue
cess. Mrs. Dartnell was right about Miss
Patten. She never returned the choir.
She had ruptured q blood-vessel, was sent
to Florida, remained there some months.
and came back to die. / was engaged in
her place at salary of five hundred dol
lars a year-;l little fortune to me; but |
did not lose my place in the house, which
l liked, and did not find one occupation to
ntefere with the other. To my surprise,
Mrs. Dartnell engaged another house
maid, and put her under my supervision,
thus promoting ne to kind OF house
keeper. did nor demur to this, but in
sisted on serving without pay; and it was
settled on that basis The old lady. whose
confidence in me was unbounded, gave
me the keys and we always took our meals
together. / was quite happy, though
somewhat uneasy about my brother, from
whom had heard nothing all this while,
though my address had been sent to our
old rector with request to forward any
letters that might come.
One evening q letter came to Mrs. Dart
nell.
Betty. my dear" she said, Fred is
below in the bay, and is coming to-nlor-
row to pay me a visit. He has promised
to stay week, and we must have the
| 'front.' room aUONt YOU iOI NM
every good" was the reply.
Fred" was her nephew, Mr.. Drury,
very rich. rather eccentric, and quite dis
| tingushed as naturalist. | had heard
enough of him, his merits and peculiari-
ties being a standing subject.
Next day he came. | could hear his
noisy greeting up stairs from where was
in the kitchen, experimenting prepara-
tions for dinner; but it was "none Of my
funeral" as they say, and | calmly pro-
ceeded with my duties.
Mrs. Dartnell came down after a while.
"Why don't You dress for dinner2" she
asked.
Il? thought after so long an absence
you'd want to monopolize him." said |.
giving pudding mixture its final stir.
"Oh, III see enough of him before his
visit is over" she replied; land | want
you to like him
Good gracious" | exclaimed. "You
don't expect him to fall in love with the
housemaid.'
"'Dont 90, Betty, for to put ME in
passion" she cried, quoting an old play,
and upstairs she went in high spirits.
just before dinner was ready, after Civ
ing final directions to FRANCHISE, my Swiss
| lieutenant, | ran up stairs and freshened
myself up Il bit. was anxious to see this
paragon OF nephews, and determined he
should not see me at my worst. | made
nv appearance in the parlor few minutes
before we were called to the dining room,
and there Mrs Dartnell Good out, in her
soft way: Miss Norman, this is my
nephew, Mr.. Drury"
| bowed, raised my eyes, and 10. there
stood the bug hunter whom | had seen
nearly year before
| But what shock to my vanity! He
had not apparently carried away any
vague picture printed by the look he had
| given me then, for he did not seem 70
recognize me
| OF course, | sat at the table to listen.
He had Il great deal to say, for his aunt
piled him with questions. He had been
up the Amazon river and its tributaries
and had come home with boxes OF birds
and insects, and all kinds of oddities,
enough to stock museum.
The reason | did not write to you OF
late" he said, in reply to aquestion, 'was
that l was away from all mails for six
months, locked up in the forests, and with
savage people. lcame near staying there
entirely"
How was that?"
- got lnto scrdpe WIN .he halNes-
offended one of their chiefs, innocently
enough too-and but for the influence of
an American engineer there, engaged by
an English company to survey grant
they had, should have Jared badly. He
is fine fellow and expects 10 be home in
month. He had only heard OF his fathers
death when he came down the river with
me, and | have letter from him for his
sister, who, according to him, is such a
piece of perfection that | tremble to meet
her l know the village where she lives
at least know all the beetles and but
terflies in that quarter-and must 90 and
hunt her up
MAY ask the engineers name, Mr.,
Drury?"
Certainly; Grey-Victor Grey"
SO he had letter from my brother,
who was coming home.
"Mr. Drury. you will not find the per-
son you seek. She has left Sealsford.'
l.. IL. -