American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-10-02
VOL. XIV.

hhON AL
you will please go to- morrow, Mrs. Frank
lin, or the next day. shall not come til
! the middle of next week, and probabl
bring friend or two with me. Have til
chambers in the center and wings pre-
pared, if you please. The housekeepe
there now will not leave until Saturday
She will show you round"
is Mrs.-is your wife there, or to g
soonS'
He laughed.
Mrs. Edward Daytons No, she is no
there, and do not know of her going a
present" Adding, more seriously: Z"
have not the pleasure, Mrs. Franklin, o
having a wife," with slight stress OIL
pleasure.
A vivid color came into the brown
cheek of the hOusekeeper, and her man
ner showed evident embarrassment.
Fl thought believe-I cannot" ant
stopped.
+ He did not notice it, His mind had al
ready turned to other things. He rose.
It's all settled, believe. By the way,
his eyes falling on the rusty black dress
:. you may like an advance, as an evidenc,
of the bargain. 1t is quite customary,
believe, to do So"
fifty dollars that he gave her, and tn,
words she would have said were left unut
tered. She moved to the door. He opened
it for her, courteously.
Good morning, madam"
Good morning." she replied.
l cannot starve. ] must go. / car
keep up my disguise" she murmured.
Mr.. Dayton, accompanied by friend
arrived at his country house the middle o
the ensuing week. Everything within ant
without the house was in perfect order. Il
the new housekeeper had made a few mis-
takes at first, they were soon rectified
Every room that she had touched showed
a magical change.
Her predecessor had been one of the
kind who believed in the sunlight never
entering a room for fear of fading the
carpets.
Mr.. Dayton felt the change without
knowing the reason for it. He looked
around him with satisfied air.
1t was not possible to find fault with the
variety and quality OF the food placed be
fore them, nor the manner of its being
served; and the table appointments were
perfect; and Dayton congratulated himself
upon having such a jewel of a housewife.
The weeks passed and holiday came.
Mr.. Dayton had gone to town the day pre-.
vious to remain the rest of the week. The
housekeeper had given permission to the
servants to go also. She felt welcome
relief to have the house and the day to
herself. She locked the doors carefully
after the last servant. She would have no
dinner Only lunch. She had almost
forgotten her real character in that which
she assumed; but to-day she could be her
self without fear of intrusion or discovery.
She laid aside her cap and gray dresses,
washed the stain from her skin, and ar
ranged her luxurious hair in becoming
,I
which fitted well the slight, graceful
figure. This done, She entered the parlor
and stood before the morror, as attractive
a figure as one wouldsnot often see.
"Truly, have forgotten my own looks
I am Kate Franklin, after alp she said.
Removed from her long restraint, he
spirits rebOulded. She felt gay, light
hearted, and like committing any foolish
ness.
Miss franklin, !" she said, in the mine
ing, affected tones of an exquisite, it
would be inexpressible pleasure to hear
the music Of that long silent voice"
1t would be great pity TO deprive you
of it, then" she answered, in her natural
voice, " and myself also, " she added and
going to the piano she opened it and
played few pieces with exquisite taste
and skill, and then she sang song after
song in q sweet, clear, cultivated voice
She chose at first the brilliant and tri-
umphant, then the sad and plaintive sue
ceeded. There were tears in her ewes
when she rose. But today her moods
were capEicious. 1
Ms. Franklin. who is playing on the
piano ?" she asked, in an excellent imita-
ton of Mr.. Dayton's voice.
1t is only 1, sir, busting the keys.
They need busting so often," she replied,
in Mrs. Franklin's meager tones and she
busted them vigorously with her pocket
handkerchief.
"Ah, me-" she said. CHOW what 9TH
er foolish thing shall do to prove to my
self that l am not an elderly housekeeper,
age, should be gay, by right of birth
wealthy and of consideration, visited and
visiting, as Mr.. Dayton's lady visits and
is visited He is noble, good and hand
some,' she said, with a sigh. +" She will
be happy. Hew gracefully she danced
here at the party the other evening, when
the old housekeeper was permitted to
look ON. She looks good and amiable,
too. Mr.. Dayton danced With her three
times. l wonder if have forgotten how
to dancer and humming an air she
hoated gracefully about the room.
She stopped breathless, her cheeks
brilliant from the exercise, her splendid
hair disarranged.
Franklin, with whom dancing doesn't
agree"
One more song by that heavenly voice,
Miss Franklin, and shall go away dream
ing have heard angels sing" in the lu-
dicrously affected voice she had before
initiated.
'4Ah," she laughed, yet half sadly, "the
compliments poor old hOusekeeper Frank
lin receives 1 hope won't quite spoil her,
and turn her silly old head"
She sat down at the piano and sang
f" Home Sweet Home" and then played
one of Beethoven's grandest, most solemn
pieces.
She rose and closed the piano.
1.-THE carnival is ended. Kate Frank
lin disappears from the scene and Mime.
Franklin enters"
Neither Mr.. Dayton nor the servants
would have suspected from the placid and
dignified department of the housekeeper
when they returned at evening of what
strange freaks she had been guilty. The
as usual, when Mr.. Dayton
was alone, sat at the table. 1t had COM
menced to rain violently and the weather
had grown suddenly cold.
Mr.. Dayton, as he had done occasional
ly, invited her to the library, where
fire burned in the CRATE He
read the letters and papers which he had
brought with him from town while she
knitted
An hour or more passed in silence; in
deed, the housckeeper seldom spoke ex-
cept when asked question. AT length
Mr.. Dayton looked up to her and said alb
ruptly:
l. I4A aIx
If it is not painful subject, may l ask
boxx- Iopo since Won lost your husband ~,