Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-12

CHAPTER vI.-THE ORDER OF THE DISHES.
When Miss hoffman assumed the
rost of housekeeper in Lady Loring's
service, she was accurately described as
ga competent and respectable person."
and was praised, with perfect truth,
for her incorruptible devotion to the
interests of her employers. On its
weaker side her character was repre-
sented by the wearing of a youthful
wig, and the erroneous conviction that
she still possessed fine figure. The
ruling idea in her narrow little mind
vas the idea of her own dignity. Any
sascnse offered in this direction op-
pressed her memory for days together,
and found its way outward in speech
to any human being whose attention
she could secure.
At five o'clock on the day which fol-
lowed his introduction to Romayne,
Father Benwell sat drinking his coffee
in the housekeeper's room-to all ap-
pearance as much at his ease as if he had
known Miss hoffman from the remote
days of her childhood. A new contribu-
tion to the housekeepers little library
of devotional works lay on the table,
and bore silent witness to the means by
which he had mad those first advances
which had won him his present position.
Miss Notman's sense of dignity was
doubly flattered. She had priest for
a guest, and new book with the rev.
erend gentleman's authograph inscribed
on the title-pGge.
"Is your coffee to your liking,
Fathcr?"
"a little more sugar if you please"
Miss Notman was proud of her hand,
viewed as one of the meritoriou5 details
of her figure. She took up the sugar.
tongs with suavity and grace; she
dropped the sugar into the cup, with a
youthful pleasure in ministering to the
minor desires of her illustrious guest
sit is SO good ofyou, Father, to honor
me in this way" she said with the ap-
pearance of sixteen superinduced upon
the reality of sixty.
Father Benwell was an adept at moral
disguises of all kinds. On this occasion
he wore the disguise OF pastoral sim
plicity.
81 am an idle old man at this hour
OF the afternoon" he said. "I hope 1
am not keeping you from any household
duties ?"
81 generally enjoy my duties," Miss
hoffman answered. "To-day they have
not been so agreeable as usual; it is a
relief to me to have done with them.
Even my humble position has its
trials"
Persons acquainted with Miss Not
mans character, hearing these words,
would have at once changed the subject.
When she spoke of "her humble posi-
tion," she invariably referred to some
offense offered to her dignity, and she
vas invariably ready to state the griev-
.auce at full length. Ignorant of this
popularity Father Benwell committed
fatal error. He inquired, with court
eous interest, what the housokeepers
trials" might be.
"Oh, sir, they are beneath your
notice~ said Miss Notman, modestly.
cat the same time, should feel it an
honor to have the benefit of your opin-
ion-T should so like to know that you
did not altogether disapprove of my
conduct, under some provocation. You
see, Fa her, the whole responsibility of
ordering the dinners falls on me. And,
when there is company, as there is this
evening, the responsibility is particu-
larly trying to a timid person like my
self"
"a largo dinner-party, Miss Not
man%
sob, dear, no! Quite the reverse.
Only one gentleman--Mr. Romayne."
Father Benwell set down his cup Of
coffee, half way 20 his lips. He at once
drew the correct conclusion that the in
Vitation to Romayne must have been
given and accepted after he had left the
picture gallery. That the object was
to bring Romayne and Stella together,
under circumstances which would
rapidly improve their acquaintance,
was as plain to him as if he had heard
it confessed in so many words. If he
had only remained in the gallery he
might have become acquainted with the
form of persuasion used to induce q
saan SO unsocial as Romayne to accept