The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-17
THE PRESS.
The Nursery G0yerness.
Saturday Night.

lone, lOfll leHldIeS. mo, really uOH l see
my way clear to any method of helping
them"
Aud he pushed aside the piteous letter
signed "Horatia Wendall," which had so
graphically depicted the wants and woes OF
the bankrupt merchants family.
As he did so the door opened, and his
aunt, Mrs. Barnabas Bennington, came in
a plump, oYergrown matron, with rose pink
cap ribbons, dead gold jewelry, and silk
dress that trailed full quarter of yard on
the floor.
''Kenneth' said Mrs. bennington, ''this
can't go on any longer"
''What can't go Oh any longer?" said Mr..
Murray.
''Ths domestic uproar," said Mrs. Bon
nington, with every ribbon loop on her cap
uuivering with excitement. ''Fhis general
lawlessness-this utter lack of anything like
order and discipline i'll your householder
Mr. Murray smiled and shrugged his
shoulders.
''Is it the children again?" said he.
''It's the children again." said Mrs. Bon
nington.
''And what have they been doing this
timer" questioned Mr. Murray with an air
of mild resignation.
''What haue1St they been doing?" said
Mrs. bennington, elev;.ting both her hancs.
''They have harnessed up the Eastlake
drawing-room chairs for four-horse stage
coach; they have broken the great Persian
jar, with the medallion paintings on it; they
have cut out all the plates in the 'Encyclo-
pedia Brittanlca, to daub up with their hor
rid little paint boxes, and worst of all,
Betsey CHANGED to go up stairs a little while
ago, and found them all playing tag on the
roof If the house."
''This must be put stop to- said Mr..
Murray.
Gust what l say myself declared Mrs.
bennington, tanning herself vehemently
''But how?' queried Mr.. Murray, with
troubled expression of countenance.
Engage governess," said Mrs. Booming
ton-"a nursery governess, now-some nice,
unassuming, substantial person, who"
1.-THE very thingn' said Mr.. Murray, in
stinctively laying his hand upon the half
open letter that was still ON the desk.
''Harold Wendall's orphan daughter has
Just written to me to tell me of the destitu-
ton that they are in, and to ask me to help
them in some way. I'll offer her the situa-
ton"
sShe won't take it." said Mrs. Booming
ton.
"Why shouldn't she?' said Mr. Murray.
Reduced gentry are deal too proud to
stoop to work for living said the lady.
''Then they must reconcile themselves to
starve," said the rich man, with an ncipient
frown gathering between his level black
brows.
'And besides,' added the rich mans
aunt. II don't at all relish the idea of a
naughty slip of a thing like that domineer-
ing over my dead niece's children, and TAX
ing offense at every look and word"
''She won't domineer. And | don't be-
lieve she'll take offense," asserted Mr.. Muir
ray. "At all events, mean to make the
trial. Don't you see, my dear aunt, it's a
clear pointing of the finger of Providence?
three noisy children that want a governess
and a young woman that stands in need of a
situation"
''My DEAR" said Mrs. Wendell, dssolving
into tears, Il couldn't listen to such propo-
sition. 1t would be an insult to your poor
dead papas memory"
''But, mamma" said Horatia Wendell, II
don't see why"
eff Mr.. Murray had the soul of gentle
man." said Mrs. Wendell, behind her black
bordered pocket handkerchief, she would
have sent us check for thousand dol
lars''
mamma as if we could have taken itr'
''Why not?" Whimpered the widow.
''We are not-beggarsw
''That wouldn't be begging" said Mrs.
Wendall. ''Your papa always banked at
Mr.. Murray's establishment when he had
money to bank with; and Mr.. Murray owes
it to us not to insult us with an offer of $25
a month and board, in the capacity of me-
NAL drudge"
"a nursery governess is no mental drudge,
mamma" spoke up Horatia, with some dig
nifty; "and l shall write to Mr.. Murray, at
once, accepting his offer with the sincerest
of thanks
At this Mrs. Wendal burst into fresh
tears.
sob, dear! oh dearr' she bewailed her
self. "Why wasn't l, too, taken out of this
world Of humiliation and sorrow, when your
dear papa was torn away from me?"
horatia wrote the letter of acceptance,
and went out herself to put it in the near
est letter-boX; and coming back, in great
hurry to prepare her mothers MONDAY cup
of tea, she made mis-step at the curb stone
and sprained her ankle so that she fell
fainting TO the ground.
'Don't be alarmed, Mrs. Wendall," said
CHEEKY little Jenny Ford, the daughter of
the baker and confectioner who occupied
the first floor of the house where the Wen
dalls lived, ''It's only sprain-she'll be
better soon.''
eyes," said Horatia, lifting up her great
dark eyes, dim and hollow with pain; Il
shall be better soon, but l shall lose my sit
uation.''
''What situation?" said Jenny Ford, who
was bandaging the swollen ankle with fan
mel cloths dipped in hot water.
Horatia told her all about it.
SIS that all?' said Jenny. "Bltss me!
I'll take it for you and keep it until yon are
able to assume it yourself
''Youp echoed Horatia.
Eyes, i" said Jenny. why not? Pm
not so very accomplished, to be sure, but
Pve had good common school education
and [ dare say | can manage to hold
my own"
''But, Jenny, do you really think you
camp" hesitated Horatia.
II have not the least doubt in the world
of it," valiaEtly asserted Jenny.
Mr.. Murray had taken his aunt Booming
ton down to the seashore for a few
days, and old Mrs. Kesler, the housekeeper,
was in charge of the uproarous young house
hold, when Jenny Ford arrived at the state
ly mansion in Cheswold street.
Il am the nursery goyerness," said she.
Sand you've come just in time, and do
believe" cried Mrs. Kesler. with infinite re-
lief, ito prevent those children from killing
themselves and everybody else. Pray walk
in, miss, They're in the dining-room,
climbing on the table, to reach down the
crystal drops of the chandelier, and playing
ball among the masters engraved wine
glasses as is worth their weight in COLO, and
more. Please make haste, miss, for Pm re-
sponsible-worse luck-for the, silver and
glass and chinan'
Jenny Ford advanced into the dining-room
like female Napoleon upon the battle. field
of modern Austerlitz.
Children" srid she, ''what are you do
ing? / can't have such an uproar as this"
In five minutes the three young barbarians
were listening courteously to most unpar-
alleled fairy tale that had three giants, seven
ogres and distressed damsel.
When at the end of three days, Mr.. Muir
ray returned, the children were all willing
subjects of the new empress. Peace and
order were restored, daily lessons were Or
gained in the school-room, and blessed
calm had settled upon the turbulent nurse
ny at last.
''She's treasure, Kennethr' said Mrs.
bennington. "Let Inc advise you to double
her wages at once"
''She is very unlike Harold Wendall,"
said Mr. Murray. ''He was tall and dark; she
is fair and small, with great blue eyes like a
baby, and hair of genuine gold. l don't
wonder the children like her. j almost
wished, this morning, to be child myself,
and listen to the end of that marvellous sto-
ry about the Green Princess and the Drag
onr'