Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-12-06

/ pStlo iilc seat IlINSeAE. Suu IOr some Gllli-
utes WAS left alone. 1 think nearly =
| quarter OF an hour elapsed before he re-
| appeared with the message that his mis-
! tress was now disengsged and would see
me- followed the man as closely as |
| could through the long hall and up the
wide staircase; not for worlds would I
| have owned that a certain shortnesS of
| breath, unusual in youth seemed to impede
ME. At the top l found myself in hand
| some corridor, communicating with two
| drawins-rooms of noble dimensions as
| they call them in advertisements, and
| certainly it was princely apartment that
| l entered. A lady was writing busily at q
| small table at the further end of the room
AS the man spoke to her she did not at
| once raise her head or turn round she
was evidently finishing = note A minute
later she laid aside her pen and came to-
| ward me.
81 am sorry that could not attend to
! you at once, and yet you were very punct-
ual," she began, in a pleasant. well-modu-
lated voice, and then she stopped and re-
| gartied me with unfeigned surprise
| She was very lovely young woman,
| with an Understandable matronly air about
| her that spoke of the mother She would
have been really quite beautiful but for a
| certain worn look, often seen in women OF
fashion; and when she spoke there was a
sweetness and simplicity of manner that
| was most winning.
! Pardon me" with shade OF perplexi-
ty in her eyes. but l suppose my servant
| was right in stating that you had come by
! appointment i'll answer to my advertise
ment?"
Yes, madame 1 returned, readily; for
her slight nervousness put me at my ease.
| Il have your letter here"
And you are really applying for the
nurses situaton-the upper nurse,
mean; for, Of course, there is an under
nurse kept. / hope" (coloring little)
! that you will not think me rude If I say
that | was not prepared for the sort of
| person l was to see.''
| l could have groaned as I thought of my
note. Was it possible that I had spelled
advertisement" wrongly? And yet /
had the paper before me: my handwriting
was neat and legible; but evidently Mrs.
| Morton was drawing some comparison be-
| tween my letter and appearance. and did
not doubt that the former had not prepos
sessed her i'll my favor.
| became confused in my turn.
| II hope to prove to you." began, in q
| very small voice, that | am fit person
TO apply for your situation. l am very
fond of children: | never lose my patience
with them, as other people do, or think
anything trouble; wish to take up this
| work from love as well as necessity
mean,' correcting myself, for she looked
| still more astonished, that though / am
obliged to work for my living, | would
rather be nurse than anything else"
"Will you answer few questionsp
| and, as though BY an after-thought, "will
you sit down9" for she had been standing
to keep me company, out of Difference to
my superior appearance.
Il will answer any question you like to
| put to me, madame"
! You have never been in service, you
tell me in your letter. Have you ever
| filled any kind of situation"
! shook my head.
You are quite young, | should sayr
'Two- -and-twenty last Christmas"
II should hardly have thought von g
old. Will you ohlige me with your
name?"
Merle Fenton"
A half smile crossed her beautiful
| mouth. 1t was evident that she found the
name somewhat incongruous, and then
| she continued little hastily, "If you have
never filled any sort of situation, it will
be somewhat difficult to judge of your ca
| pacity. OF course you have good refer
| ences; can you tell me a little about your
self and your circumstances"
| was fast losing my nervousness by this
| time. In a few minutes | had given heI
a concise account of myself and my be
| longings. Once or twice she interrupted
me b7 question, such as, for example
when | spoke of Aunt Agatha, she asked
the names of the families where she had
| lived as governess; and once she looked
q little surprised at my answer.
81 knew the CurzonS before I was mar,
ried," she observed, quietly; they have
| often talked to me of their old governeSS,
Miss Fenton; her name is Keith now, you
| say; she was a great favorite with her pu-
! pills. Well, is it not pity that you should
not follow your aunt's example? If you
are not clever. would not the situation OF
nursery goyerness be more fitting for
| you? Forgive me; am only speaking for
| your good; one feels a little uncomfortable
at seeing gentlewoman desert the ranks
! to which she belongs"
Ny face was burning by this time; OF
course it must all come out-that misera-
BILE defect of mine, and everything else
but raising my eyes at that moment
| saw such a kind look on Mrs. Morton's
| face, such quietly expressed sympathy fol
my very evident confusion, that in a mo-
ment my reserve broke down. | do not
know what | said, but | believe / must
| have been very eloquent. l could hear
! her say TO herself, How very strange
! what misfortune" when / frankly men
toned nv inability to spell; but did not
| hnger long on this point.
Warmed by her strong interest, / de
| tailed boldly what j called my theory.
| told her of my love for little children, my
/ longing to work. among them, how deeply
| felt that this would indeed be gentIewo
| mans work, that 1 did not fear my want
! of experience. | told her that once l had
| stayed for some weeks at the house of one
| of my school-fellows, and that every night
| and morning had gone up to the nursery
to help the nurse wash and dress the ba
| bies, and that at the end OF a week / had
| learned to do it as well as the woman
herself, and that she had told my school
| fellow that she had never seen any young
| lady so handy and patient with children
and that they were happier with me thar
WIFI IntlE oNI
1.-The second child had the Group one
! night" | continued, 1.-The mother was
| away, and nurse was too frightened to bt
| of any use When the doctor came he
| praised her very much for her prompt
| remedies: be said they had probably saved
the bows life, as the attack was a severe
one. Nurse cried when ne said that, and
owned it was not she who had thought oi
ever thing. but Miss Fenton. ! tell yoJ
this continued, that you may un
derstand that am reliable. ! was only
| nineteen then, and now / am two-and
| twenty"
She looked at me again in e gentle
| scrutiHizing way; / could feel that ! wal
making way in her good opinion. HeI
/ curiosity was piqued; her interest strongly
! excited. She made no attempted to checs
me as launched out into further defense
Of my uheory: but she only smiled. and
said, VERY true, agree with you there,
| as spoke of the advantage Of having al
/ educated person TO superinteDd the nurs-
| cry Indeed, found myself retailing all
my pet arguments in perfectly fearless
/ way. until looked up and saw there wert
| tears in her beautiful brown eyes.
''how well you talkI'' she said, with q
/ sort OF sigh. You have thought it all
/ out, can see. i wonder what my hus
band would say. He is member Of Par
| lament, YOU know, and we are very busy
| people, and society has such claims On Us
| that / cannot be much with my children.
have only swo: JORGE is three years old