The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-02-17
TAKING A SITUATION.

"Well, girls" said my uncle Barnabas,
''and now what do you purpose to do about
it,"
We sat around the fire in disconsolate
semi-circle that dreary, drizzling May night,
when the rain battered against the window
panes and the poor little daffodils in the
borders shook and shivered as if they would
tuin hide their golden heads once more in
the mother-soil. My mother, Eleanor and
l. The first pale and pretty, and silver
haired, with the widows cap and her
dress Of black bombazine and Grape the
sweetest looking old lady think I ever
saw. Eleanor sat beside her, looking, as
she always did, like a princess, with a large,
| dark eyes, Diana-like features, and hair
twisted in a sort of coronal around her
queenly head. While l, plain, home-spun
Susana-commonly called, ''for short,
| Susy-crouched upon foot-stool in the
corner, my elbows on my knees and my
| chin in my hands.
| Uncle Barnabas Berkelin, sat in the mid
die Of the circle, erect, stiff and rather
! grim. He was stout and short, with q
grizzled mustache little round, bald spot
the crown of his head, and two glittering
black eyes that were always sending their
dusky lightnings in the direction least ex-
pected. Uncle Barnabas was rich and we
were very poor Uncle Barnabas was wise
in the ways of the world, and we were in
experienced. Uncle Barnabas was pros
porous in all he did, while if there was a
bad bargain to be made we were pretty
sure to be the ones to make it. Conse-
quently, and as a matter Of course, we look
ed up to Uncle Barnabas, and reverenced
| his opinions.
"What do we propose to do about it p
Eleanor slowly repeated. lifting her beau
tiful jetty brows.
Yes, that's exactly it." said my mother
nervousl y; because, Brother Bernabas,
we don't pretend to be business women,
and its certain We cannot live comfortably
on our present income. Something has cot
to be done"
My mother leaned back in her chair with
troubled face.
Yes" said Uncle Barnabas, "some-
thing has got to be done but who's to do
it?
Another dead silence succeeded.
Il suppose you girls are educated, said
Uncle Barnabas Il know | found enough
old schOol-bills when | was looking over
my brothers papers
"Of course" said my mother, with evi-
dent pride 'their education has been most
expensive. Music, drawing, use of the
globes"
"Yes, yes, of course" interrupted I'm
Gle Barnabas. 'But is it practical? Can
they teach ?"
Eleanor looked dubious I was quite
certain that l could not. Mine. Lcnoir,
among all her list of accom- plishments, had
not included the art of practical tuition.
"Humph - grunted Uncle Barnabas.
"Queer thing, this modern idea of educa-
ton. Well, if you can teach you can sure
ly do something, What do you say, Flea
nor, to situation p
"a situation ?'
The color futtered in Eleanors cheeks
like pink and white apple blossoms.
II spoke plain enough, didn't p said
Unlce Barnabas, dryly. "Yes, a situa-
ton"
"What sort of situation, Uncle Barna-
bas ?"
"Well, [ can't hardly say Part serv-
ant, part companion to an elderly lady"
explained the old gentleman
80, Uncle Barnabas, | couldn't do that. p"
''Not do it ? And why not p
cts too much-too much, whispered
Eleanor, losing her legal dignity in the
pressure of the emergency, "like going out
to service.
F'And that is precisely what it is re-
torted Uncle Barnabas, nodding his head.
Service Why, we're all out to service,
in one way or another, in this world"
"Oh, yes, know" faltered poor Eleanor,
who between her distaste for the proposed
plan and her anxiety not to offend Uncle
Barnabas Berkelin, didn' quite know what
to say "but 1--we always been educated
to be lady"
$50 you won't take the situation eh ?"
said Uncle Barnabas, staring up at little
wishy -washy water-colOr drawing Of Cupid
and Psyche, an "exhibtion-piece Of poor
Eleanor's" which hung above the chimney
piece.
II couldn't indeed, sir"
"Wages twenty-five dollars month, "
mechanically repeated Uncle Barnabas, as
if he were saying off a leason. "Drive out
every day in the carriage with the missus,
cat and canary to take of, modern house
with all the mprovements.-Sunday after
moons to yourself, and two weeks, spring
and fall to visit your mother"
"No, Uncle Barnabas, no p said Flea
nor, with little shudder. 81 am true
Berkelin, and | cannot stoop to menial
duties"
Uncle Barnabas gave such a prolonged
sniff as to suggest the idea of a very bad
fold in his head indeed.
''Sorry," said he. Heaven hel elps those
who help themselves, and you can't expect
to ha .nv noora liberal min1ad than heaven