Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-01-03
MY CURIOUS COMPANION.

her husbands absence IN INDIA. A
liberal salary will be given, with every
home comfort, to any one suitable. APP
ply, personally. if possible, at No. 24O
Upper Berkeley street. w"
The foregoing advertisement was dis
patched by me after considerable cOgita-
ton and | waited the results with some
anxiety.
My husband, Major Coneyers, had
been suddenly ordered to India; and
having no sister or any available cousin
whom / could invite to stay with me
during his absence, thought COM
panion was the best thing with which |
could provide myself; accordingly, [ in
dited my small paragraph which [ had
the satisfaction of seeing placed in q
very conspicuous part of the paper on
the morning after | sent it. | lived in
London, consequently felt certain that
the personal interview would be easily
managed; but had committed an error
i'll not naming particular hour, as
from II in the forenoon until quite late
in the day the applications for a per-
sOnal interview with my unfortunate
self never ceased. The first arrival
was q very handsomely dressed lady of
about 80, who came, evidently, quite
prepared to enter upon her duties at
once, and quite overpoWered me with
a series of questions and statements,
without giving me the faintest chance
of making any inquiries myself. She
had lived with Lady This and Honor
able Mrs. That, and one and all had
treated her like sister-she felt GER
tain that | would do the same-indeed,
she quite knew me already. Home
comforts were exactly what she cared
for as to salary it was no object to her
"A hundred a year was all she asked,
though dear Lady Golding had said she
was never to take less than two.
| am afraid, [ put in at this juno
ture, " that even one hundred is beyond
what | intend to give, and l live so
quietly
We won't quarrel about salary"
interrupted my would-be-companion,
and as to quietness, it is just what [
want"
A peal at the door-bell embroidered
me to still greater determination, so [
replied very resolutely for me: Q do
not think we should suit | am sorry
you have had the trouble of coming"
So am |, she reioined dryly; but
one ought not to trust to advertise
ments."
Hardly noticing my . good morning, 3"
she got up, and founced down stairs,
evidently in great wrath at her rejec-
ton
Another lady to see you, ma am,
announced my parlor maid.
A very quiet sweet-loolzing, little per-
son came forward, and at the first
glance | fancied | had found suitable
companion. But alas lhher story was q
sad one, and there were reasons which
rendered it impossible for me to avail
myself of her society. She was mar
rled. Her husband was hopeless in
valid, and they were very poor. She
had not been educated highly enough
to be q governess, and when she saw
advertisement, she fancied, if the
salary was good, she might be my COM
panion by day, and return at night to
her own home, which was at no great
distance from my house. She looked
50 thin and so i'll that | was almost
tempted to make some arrangement
with her, but as | intended leaving
town occasionally, second thought
showed me it was out of the question.
Besides, could not have borne to
think that while she was with me, she
would always be in agony to be with
her husband-which, had | engaged
her, would most naturally have fol-
lowed. | told her so as kindly as posi-
bic, and, after making her take q glass
of wine and some cake-which latter |
saw her furtively convey to her pocket
for her sick husband, l supposed she
gave me her direction, and took her de-
parture. | afterward went to see her,
and her tale was sadly verified. But to
proceed.
My next visitor was a most pert dam
sci, without any professions to being a
lady, who informed me that her pa was
dead, and as there were so many of
them at home, her ma wanted her to
do for herself | had not much diff
Guilty in dismissing her. And of the
legions that followed, / cannot attempt
a detailed description. BY the after
noon, | was thoroughly exhausted, and
made up my mind to see no more.
when, just as it was getting dusk, my
servant came UP to the drawing-room
and Informed me that such a nice-look-
ing young lady was in the dining-room
quite the incest that had been vet.
" Ask her to come up stairs. then.
Ellis, but do not admit any one else
replied; and the next minute the
drawing-room door was thrown open
by Ellis, and Miss Burke" was an
nounced.
She was dressed i'll mourning, and
even in the dim light, was, L could see,
4 pale-faced, rather handsome Girl of
apparently about four and twenty. Her
height was over the average, butseemed
greater from her extreme thinness
which struck me as almost striking.
GOOD evening"" she said, in low and
rather pleasant voice Il am afraid [
am very late; it was so kind of you to
see me-"
9 1t is late" Iassented, % but that does
not matter"
Thank you" responded my visitor,
L came about your advertisements
saw you wanted companion, and [
kind
. have had so many applications to-
day" | answered, for want of some
thing better to say.
All! l can quite fancy it." returned
Miss Burke. | lear | am too iate?"
No." | replied; 81 have seen no one
yet to suit me-"
eff you would only try me, should
do my utmost to please YOU she said
almost pleadingly. II have already
been companion, and can give YOU