The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-08-05
AN ELDERLY PERSON.
Why Little Mrs. Sphinx Deceived
the Good Doctor.

little body, as she peered through her
glasses at the d~oor-plate, and from it to
a newspaper clipping which she held in
her hand. As she awaited the answer
to her modest knock, her thoughts ran
very much in this wise:
What a pity! Such a nice garden as
it could be made" her eyes taking in
the tangled mass of weeds that flour
ished on either side of the broad tagged
path leading down to the high stone
wall and iron gate, that shut out the
dusty road beyond. Then, as her glance
wandered to an awry blind and the tar
nished door-plate, she exclaimed, half
aloud:
.sPoor man! 1t looks as if he needed
somebody to put things to rights. The
advertisement says a nice, quiet, elderly
person."
Here a dimple stole into view and
played h~ide-and-seek about this little
body's sweet mouth, for there was no
~gainsaying the fact that her lips pos
sessed a dainty curve, revealing, as she
smiled, a glimpse of unusually pretty
teeth for a lady of her apparent age. In
a moment, however, the dlmple van
ished, and her mouth assumed its before
demure expression as she sighed:
.sOh! l do SO hope | will suit. Ihave
tried so hard, and-and / know l could
make things look SO different, if he isn't
frumpy and will let me-"
Ibid you knock, ma'm?"
This from a slip-shod girl, who stood
good-naturedly eyeing the 'tknock"
from her post on the door mat. With
u start, as if caught doing something
she ought not to be doing, this rather
Misunderstanding little lady ans
wered:
Eyes; isis Doctor Nathaniel Reed
IMP"
..Yes, nam; the master, he's in. If
you're a patient, master says as you're
to go in the library"
ssOh! no, =. Tell your master
Icalled about the advertisement"
No sooner had the servant, with a
nod of her untidy head. departed,
after bidding the lady stake a chair"
in a half-darkened room off the hall,
than that small body with a quick
look around, darted across the room to
a mirror. After a careful survey OF
herself, with q nod of satisfaction, she
resumed her seat to await the doctors
coming. Not a minute too soon. fol
Just then a voice outside the room re-
marked:
I'm the sitting-room. did you say,
Janep"
Then the handle turned, and a gen
tleman of apparently about thirty enter.
ed the room. An exclamation escaped
the lady as she half arose from her seat,
and in a confused, hurried sort of a way
murmured:
II thinkAyou will excuse me. There
is a mistake. l wished called to see
Doctor Reed"
mo mistake at all ma'am, 1 assure
you. I am Doctor Nathaniel Reed. ]
understood the girl say that you called
about the advertisement / inserted in tine
paper. She is rather stupid, so perhaps
the mistake is on her side"
Seating himself, the doctor awaited a
reply, thinking ''poor, little woman, a
trifle nervou about stating her capabil.
tiles" All at once the trim little figure
opposite him seemed to become more
erect as in clear, sedate tones its owner
answered.:
mo, your servant was quite right.
1t is concerning the advertisement tina,
/ have called"
well, I am glad. Jane was right
this time, for she has a decided talent
for making blunders. Still, the girl is
g~ood-hearted and honest, and / would
like to give her as fair a chance as l can.
Her mother, poor woman, is a widow,
with four other children to provide for
i do not know exactly where the fault
is, but of course / can see that things dc
not work as they should do, and so il
occurred to me that if Icould meet with
a nice, motherly little body (was the
little an artful compliment on the doc
tors partly who would undertake to sci
every thing straight, why it would be 6
great relief to me-"
Il would try to do my best. 1 an
sure, SIR" was the rather faint re,
Spouse.
..Not a doubt of it." was the hearty
rejoinder; then striding across the
room the doctor rather energetically
drew up a blind, remarking: II hope
you do not believe in the saving of car.
pets, Mrs. -"
Sphinx" after a brief pause, sup.
piled the lady, slightly edging away
from the dazzling sunshine as it streamec
in upon them.
do you know l have become pos
sessed with the idea that all good house
keepers abhor the sun on account of it:
fading propensitiesP But I am afraid
should be rather obstinate in my re
quirements of light and air. Sunshine
is a glorious benefactor. 1t has cureG
many an i'll, and is oftentimes more eff
fective than a Doctors prescription
This latter with a genial smile, as
glancing at his watch, he added: ''WeIl
then, Mrs. Sphinx, if you think WE
could agree as 10 plenty of air and SUI
-. Oh! by-the-by, l am forgetting
n of the most important items. The
recompense l could offer would not bt
large-perhaps two dollars and a half
payable monthly-would not be salts
factory to you?
''Oh, yes!' was the somewhat cage
reply. Il should be quite satisfied will
that; but / must tell you that-that
can not give you a reference. Yours
would be my first situation, and l am {
stranger (this last a trifle fattering'
..in the city"
ICICICuCc' hC IOpoducu, Will
comical look. ITO tell you the truth,
never thought of Them" Then courte
ously he added: 81 feel sure that il
your case they are quite unnecessary
So shall we say this day week for 20,
to enter upon your dutiesP"
How kind you are!' came impulsive
ly from the little woman's lips.
..Not at all; not at all, L assure you
madam" answered the doctor, his col
or rising slightly.
Then, as he cordially shook his flu
turc housekeeper by the hand. his quicl
eyes noted her shabby little cottol
gloves, SO carefully darned at the en'
Of each shabby finger, and once again
be remarked pleasantly, ~ he eseerts'
Ass re- tbs aeeEi