Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-06-24
DISGUISED AS A WAITING MAID.
A Young Woman Has Queer Experience
in Alfred TennySon's Household.


A Young Woman Has a Queer Experience
in Alfred TennySon's Household
Some OF the difficulties OF living up
to a disguise are illustrated in an Old
story recently printed in BldcklcoodS
Magazine. 1t is part OF lady's jour
nal kept in the year 1889, and tells of
Ter experience in visiting the TenDyson
family in the guiSe Of lady's maid. Her
friend, Mrs. Neville, who WAS invited
TO make the visit, conld not afford a
maid or a nurse for her little girl, so
the young woman volunteered to act In
that capacity under the name OF
Marion Langlas." They both belong
ed to the same literary CLUB, which In
cluded Mary and Emily Tennyson, but
as she had never met them she conS'd-
cred herself safe from Suspicion She
arranged her pretty tresSes under
coarse black wig, and quite transform
ed herself into conventional lady'S
maid.
As soon as they arrived at the poets
house her troubles began. Sue was eX-
pected to sleep with the hOusemaid, and
aside from her unwecOme company,
black wig, and had 10 wait for the
wondering girl 10 TALL asleep before she
could settle herself for the night. After
a Jew DAYS she was called upon 10 Gp-
pear in the DINING room as waitress,
and had her first glimpse Of the poet.
Her journal says:-"I was 10 wait at
the table, and my heart beat so fast as
went in that | could hear nothing else
for a few minutes, far on entering the
room l saw Alfred Tennyson at last.
And Frederick, HOratlo, Emily, Mary
and the mother. Was il q deluSion
that stood there behind them, chang
ing their plates, helping them, and they
so little dreaming OF my identity with
the servant 'Maron?' Was l 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 upm l did this many
times before dinner was over and
though did it very well my hand shook
so the first time | took Alfred Tenny-
sons plate that | thought 1t must be
seen. The romance Of the affair rushed
over me"
The poet began to observe her very
closely after this, and she became Sc
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 called her in and asked
her 10 bring him book from down
stairs. He attempted to describe II, but
IL was a German work, and ne thought
she could not read il. II know" she
said, aud quickly went down and
brought it to him. $50 you understand
German?" he said, and she gave an
evasive reply and left the room. That
evening Tennyson could not draw a
cork from beer bottle, and after every
one had tried and failed, be said to Mrs.
Neville, "Where is your Marion? She
can do it. She can do everything, from
reading German to waiting at table.
Let her try" Marion came and amid
chorus of apologies and explanations she
drew the cork. Another day at dinner
she was summoned to the table for some
trivial reason, aud il was found out
afterward that it was 10 settle dis
pute about the color Of her eyes. Even
tually her identity was revealed, and
the family took the trick all in good
part.