The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-06-10

interfere with the other. 10 my surprise,
Mrs. Dartnel engaged another house
maid, and put her under my supervision,
thus promoting me to be kind of house
keeper | did not 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 a request to forward any
letters that might come.
One evening letter came to Mrs. Dart
nell
Betty, my dear she said, Erred is
below in the bay. and is coming to-mor-
row to pay me a visit. He has promised
to stay week, and we must have the
tront-room above got ready for him.
cry good" was the reply.
''Fred'' was her nephew, Mr. Drury,
very rich, rather eccentric, and quite dis
tlngulshed as a naturalist. had heard
enough Of him, his merits ana peculiar-
ties being a standard subject.
Next day he came. | could hear his
noisy greeting p-stairs from where was
in the kitchen, experimenting prepare
tions tor dinner; but it was none OF my
funeral" as they say. and | calmly pro-
ceeded with my duties
Mrs Dartnell came down after Il while
why don't you dress for dinner ?" she
asked
Il thought after 50 long an absence
you'd want to monopolize him. said Z,
giving a pudding its final stir.
''Oh, III see enough OF him before his
visit is over She replied "And | want
YOU to like him.
Good gracious" :" | exclaimed. s'Iou
don't expect him to fall in love with the
house-mald.'
. Don't 60, Betty, for to put me in a
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 Francoise, my Swiss
lieutenant, | ran upstairs and treshened
myself up bit. | was anxious to see
this paragon Of nephews, and determined
he should not see me at my worst |
made my appearance in the parlor few
minutes before we We're called to the dim
ing room, and there Mrs Dartnell cooed
out. in her soft way: ''Miss Norman, this
is my nephew, Mr.. Drury.N
bowed, raised my eyes and To- 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 to
recognize me.
Of course, sat at the table to listen.
lie had u great deal to say tor 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 a museum
The reason did not write to YOU Of
late" he said, in reply to u question,
six months, locked up in Tie forest, and
with savage people | came near staying
there entirely.'
"lIow was that ?'
II got into 4 scrape Nith the natives
offended one Of their chiefs. innocently
enough, too-und but for the influence OF
an American engineer there, engaged by
an English company to survey grant
they had, should have tared badly He
is a fine fellow, and expects to be home in
a month. lie had only heard of his faith
er's death when lie came down the river
with me, and have letter from him for
his sister, who, according to him, is such
Il piece of perfection that | trembIe to
meet her | know the village where she
lives-at least know all the beetles and
butterflies in that quarter-and must 90
and hunt her up
''May | ask the engineers name, Mr..
Dnlv P"
"Certanly; Grey-Nictor Grey
so he had a letter from my brother, who
was coming home.
''Alr Drury. you will moi find the per-
son yuu seek She has left Sealsford'
tAh, YOU know where she is. per
haps?"
II can find her; and, if YOU will intrust
the letter to me, | Will take care she re-
ceives it,
Il am very much obliged, and it would
save me some trouble; but then, You see,
wish to deliver it in person. should
like to make her acquaintance
"1o on Will find her a very ordinary per-
son, probably"
Then she is very unlike her brother. |
can tell you, who is one OF the best they
make nowadays However, | shall know
her when he comes home, if not before :;
and you can deliver the letter, if you will
be 50 kind
After dinner Mrs Dartnell. who was
anxious to show off one Of her pets to the
other, made me play for Frederick, and in
the evening got me to sing. | soon found
that Mr. Drury had highly cultivated
barytone voice, and we tried duets togeth
er to the great delight Of his aunt, who
would have kept up the ex-tempore con-
cert till midnight if had not rebelled.
The nephew's visit extended from
week to two, and then another, and final
y i month, during which he coaNed out
his domestic aunt to divers places Of
amusement. and into deal OF unusual
and harmless dissipation | was always
one of the party, and it was very pleasant
especially when reelected that | had en-
tered the parlor by way Of the kitchen.
1t seemed like a dream. and | wondered
what was to come next
We were expecting Victor home
though neither Mr.. Drury nor his aunt
knew our relationship - when one morn
ing our entomologist brought in some mu
sic from a new opera over which the town
was running wild just then, and we We're
practicing it at the piano, with the aunt
listening and knitting, when a carriage
stopped at the door.
/ started-could it possibly be Victor ?
The front door opened, and we heard Il
sharp voice in the halle
'Oh, stuff and non sense she is here,
know she is. Show me into the parlor,
and send her there right away"
But | tell you, madam
Stuff do as bid you :"
And the owner of the voice pushed open
the parlor door, and walked in on us.
She was an old lady, small, withered,
and with pinched up features. and twink
ling, black eyes
81 beg your pardon, madam, Mrs Dart
nell, l presume | learn you have my
niece here, and | wish to see her am
Miss Grey"
'Nlrs. Dartnell went forward, while
stood in an agony of modification. Tais,
then, was my eccentric aunt, whom | had
Il