Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-02-24
A DEVISOR.

| huoWluS unab ner circumstances were
straitened, besought her to stay with them
until s'she had had time to look round, d
which phrase, 1T must be admitted, was
translated by some of these ladies into the
securing of substitute for the departed
major in the shape of second and more
lovable husband
The looking round process was, how
ever, unattended by any great success, not
on account of any lack of applicants for
the position lately occupied by the major,
but because of Mrs. ELVES. At this juno
ture in her affairs the very timely death of
arelative relieved the young widow of any
anxiety with regard to the future, from a
monetary point of view, and also obliged
her to leave India for home at moments
notice. Among the many offerings which
she bore away in remembrance of those
friends she was leaving behind, was the
address of really honest, faithful, truth
full servant, who had been in Charlie Dav-
enant's family, if not for centuries, at all
| events decades.
1t was the only gift of Davenant's that
she had accepted, although he pressed upon
her his heart and a considerable fortune.
When Mrs. ELVES arrived in London, she
interviewed the prodigy of domestic vir-
tues, and, having secured her services,
utilized her first as maid and then when
she took the fiat in which we now, on a
dark January afternoon in this year 1898
of, grace, find her, installed her as house
maid and domestic tyrant.
The door opened and Susan in tones of
conscious pride announced master
Charles.
Captain Dayenant," exclaimed Mrs.
ELVES rising. this is
Most unexpected, Of course" said the
| visitor. "You see, when I had sufficiently
recovered to travel, the surgeon was nat
urally more anxious to have my room than
my company, and as an Afridi and thu.
fates brought my military career to q
| premature close, saw no particular in
ducement in India to remain there as an
onlooker, and SO here am. How well you
are looking!'
"We were dreadfully sorry-Susan and
Ito hear of your wound and the loss Of
| your arm. You will tell me all about it,
won't you?"
'Well, no-the war correspondents re-
| ported the incident in a manner rejecting
most highly on their good natured appre-
citation of me, and would rather not spoil
the impression they may have created in
the minds of my friends. You should have
been at our production Of The Geisha, the
colonel as
"At first they reported you as killed, and
Susan
"Good old soul, Susan, how have you
found her?'
A domestic treasure, but in the even
Ing papers the report was contradicted
1t seems that with your usual impetuosity
you
You rounded On mo once before, Mrs
ELVES, on that score, but can assure you
that am now the most methodical of in
dividuals. have planned out an existence
that precludes mpetuosity-be besides, the
disadvantage under which now labor
places an effeotual bar to it,
But it is in your nature to be impetu-
GUS. 1t was that that made you''-
have never ceased to regret it."
i And yet some men would give both
arms to obtain it, and
i 90 would have given everything had
In the world, but did not obtain it. If
I had only waited instead of being in such
a hurry to show you"-
\ "Me-what have to do with your v.
i CIR"
"Oh, was talking of something else
the night of the Gillespie's ball. A ST.
lence
"But besides pleasure I am here on
business, Mrs. Elves"
Indeed! What is the nature of it?''
"WelL hope you won't be very angry,
but want to beg Susan back. think Of
Il going home to Heathermere, qualifying as
a local magistrate, and ending my days as
q country squire, and, of course, 7 shall
want Susan as housekeeper. With little
shooting and hunting, some fishing and
cricket-I suppose fraction of a man can
umpire, at all events-I hope to pass the
remainder of my days in Quiet content
ment when / get accustomed to it,
i Must you really take Susan? I don't
know how shall get on without her. /
have no right to keep her from you, how
ever"
81 must have somebody can TRUST as
Il housek eeper, and Susan
II "Yes, know, but when you marry, as
I suppose you will, let me warn you that
your wife won't want an old family serv-
ant such as Susan to patronize her. Then
perhaps you will let her return to me-
81 am afraid there is but little chance Of
Susan returning to you, Mrs. Elwes-at
least, not for the reason you suggest.
may have had "a certain amount of cheek
In the past, but-well, hardly think I
shall ever have the impertinence to offer
the remnant of my former self for any
lady's acceptance in the future"
Captain Dayenant2"
"Mrs Elwes?"
J, "Does go into 1872"
!, "Four-ls2 believe four goes four
times and'-
"Thank you SO much thought it did.
; and-well-Susan is such q treasure and
so nvaluable-indeed, don't know how
I could get on without her. So you re sure
goes into 1872"
Certainly, four times and
SWELL, I think, if you insist on taking
Susan, that shall have to come too"
And when heard the awful news that
you were killed, dear, p
Tainted, poor darling. heard all
| about it..
, "All about it?''
eyes, erything-Susan wrote regular.
ly every week."
"Oh. the deoeitful, horrid, dear old
thing, I'll never for
"What?"
"Forget her share in securing me my
!, happiness, though if it had not been lear
year
Leap year?'