Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-07-07
THE HOUsEKEEPER' s DAUGHTER.

Il never did see such sight before in
my life," Quoth Mrs. Marley, elevating
her two rheumatism-twisted old hands in
I, { air-'Dust on them beautiful carpets,
glass in the conservatory windows all bro
ken, chickens scratching up the geraniums
| on the front lawn, and servants dawdling
away their precious time; while poor, dear
Mr.. Avenel and Harry don't know any
more about what 3 going on than if they
were boarders. Says I, Dear heart alive,
Mr.. Avenel, this is enough to make your
poor wife turn in her grave. Says he-
you know his pleasant way-"We ell I know
it isp' It just right, Mrs. Marley, but what
can do?' And answers. says 1, Sect a
housekeeper. Says he whereof Says l, 'Ad-
vertse. Says he. Mrs. Marley, you've hit
the nail on the head: I'll advertise to-mor-
row. And that's how that paragraph hap
pered to be in the papers,
Here Mrs. Marley stopped to take breath,
and nodded emphatically at her auditor, a
pale woman dressed in deep mourning with
the unbecoming framework of widow 8
cap around her face.
"And do you think should suit the gen.
tlemanp" the latter asked timidly.
"You can but try" was Mrs. Marley 8
encouraging re'ponse. "Mr. Avenel's
AS easy as lamb, and not one O. them as
10 everlastingly checking off bills and
counting nickels and pennies, and Harry 8
dreadful pleasant tempered. Anyway, il
| was you Mrs. Hawkhulst. I'd go up and
see."
And Mrs. Hawkhnrst, holding her pref
| ty little daughter by the hand, went up ac-
cordingly to the handsome stone house on
| the hill.
There she found Mr.. Ayenel in state
of temporary siege, for others besides her
self had seen the advertisement and made
haste to answer it. There were fat women
and lean, tall women and short, Scotch
women. and trim. sharp-vlsaged women;
women who had seen better days. and wn-
men who evidently had not.
Mrs. Hawkhurst looked around some
what discouraged by the formidable array
of rivals.
''There is no hope for me.'' she thought
despairingly. and was just about to turn
with timid Juliet clinging to her hand,
when Harry Avenel advanced:
| DO you wish to see my uncle?" be ask
ed courteously.
I'll called about the housekeep-
| rs situation" meekly murmured the
| widow.
Aud Harry bowed her in at once.
| The fat and the lean, the German and
he Scotch, the sour and the sweet, went
away disappointed that day, for Mr.. Av-
as his housekeeper with permission to
keep Juliet with her.
"She is all have ST." said the widow,
alphabetically, ''and she will try to be USE
full about the house."
SHOW old is she?" asked Mr.. Avenel.
| ssFifteen. SIR"
"Well, let her stav," said the widow
er, good humoredly. "She will eat no
more than chicken, and l dare say she
can do great many odd things about the
place."
Mrs. Hawkhurst proved herself an exec
utive otficeress of the greatest ability
Gradually the ''chaos and the old night" Of
Avenel Place was reduced to system and
order. The wheels of housekeeping re-
volved so softly that no one knew they
| moved, yet there were the results. You
scarce ever saw the housekeeper gliding
about the halls, yet the servants declared
she was omnlpresent. Mr.. Avenel found
himself actually the inhabitant of
home once more as the years slowly passed
away.
He was sitting on the piazza one day
smoking his cigar and watching the
graceful movements Of juliet Hawk
hurst as she was planting trailing vines
In marble vase that occupied the
center of the lawn, when Mrs. Marley
came out. Z
IA nice evening, Sir" said Mrs. Marley
-"Oh, here she is ~
"Who?" Mr.. Avenel asked
why, that foolish child ,Juliet!'' answer
ed Mrs. Marley, sharply. II ha'n't no pa
tlsnce with her, ss.@
s.What has she beea doing now ?''
asked the widower with an amused
face.
"Why she's refused Ben Nicholas eldest
son, as likely and forehanded young Teller as
there is in the country"
"Ben Nicholas? Why, Mrs. Marley, she's
only child.''
''She's seventeen next week. nodded
Mrs. Marley. ''and high time she thought