Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
DISGUISED AS A WAITING MAID.
Young Woman Has n Queer Expert.
ence I'm Alfred Tenny.on's Homemade.

ence In Alfred Tennyson.s Bou.ehola
Some OF the difficulties OF living up TO q
disguise are illustrated in an old stor, re-
Gently printed in Rlackwoods Naxazins N
Is part of a lady's journal kept in the wear
1889 and tells her experience In visiting the
Tennyson family in the guise of a lady-s
maid. Her friend, Mrs. Neville. who Ma.
invited TO make the visit. could not afford a
maid or a nurse for her little girl. SO the
young woman volunteered to act In tina,
capacity under the name OF Marion Ian.
glais." They both belonged to the same lit
erary club, which included Mary and Emily
Tennyson, but as she had never met them
she considered herself safe from suspicion.
She arranged her pretty tresses under a
coarse black wig. and quite transformed
herself into a conventional lady's maid
As soon as they arrived at the poets
house her troubles began. She was expected
10 sleep with the housemaid, and aside from
her unwelcome company she found IL avg
ward TO dispose Of her black wig. and had
TO walt for the wondering girl 10 fan aslsep
before she could settle herself for the night
After few days she was called upon TO an
pear In the dining room as waitress ana
had her first glimpse OF the poet Her jour
raj says: Il was to wait at the table ana
my heart beat so fast as / went In that I
could hear nothing else for a few minutes
for on entering the room j saw Alfred Ten
Tyson at last! ana FREDERICK, HOratio.
Emily. Mary and the mother. Was II a de-
fusion that 1 stood there behind them.
changing their plates. helping them. ana
they so little dreaming of my identity with
the servant Marion? Was / asleep when
The maid of all work thrust a handful OF
dirty forks into my hand and bid me Cut
and wash 'em quick and bring 'em upr 1
did do. all this many times before dinner
was over, and though did IL very well my
hand shook so the first time j took Alfred
Tennyson's plate that thought Il must be
seen. The romance Of the AFFAIR rushed
over me-"
The poet began to observe her very closely
after this, and she became 50 nervous that
she nearly forgot her part. One day as she
was passing the open door OF his room.
where he lay smoking and reading. he call
ed her in and asked her to bring him a
book from down stairs. He attempted to
describe IL, but IL was a German work and
he thought she could not read IT. II know"
she saio, and quickly went down and
brought IL to him. 80 you understand
German" he said, and she gave an evasive
reply and left the room. That evening at
dinner Tennyson could not draw cork
from a beer bottle. and after every one had
tried and failed he said TO Mrs Neville:
Where is your Marion? She can do IL; she
can do everything. from reading German to
waiting at table Let her try" Marion
came. and. amid a chorus OF apologies and
explanations, she drew the cork. Another
day at dinner she was summoned TO the Ia
BILE for some trivial reason. and II was
found out afterward that Il was to settle q
dispute about the color OF her eyes. Event
rally her identity was revealed and the
family took the trick all in good part.