Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-09-11
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| herring and a half for three half pence
riddle. It's q mystery to me yet. Tell
me at once"
Rachel told, her secret in whisper.
"Whatr' shouted Mrs. Challinor,
"why on earth did you not say so at
first? You might have been Rachel
Benn now. He is always In difficult
ties with his servants-he is in difficult
ties now. He was telling me about it
last evening while you were playing
that wedding march from Lohengrin.
When did you Learnt"
Last year, when began to grow
desperate. I did it on purpose and
worked very hard. thought it might
be my most deadly weapon sometime.
I kept it to the last, because when q
man of Mr.. Benn's stamp knows his
wife can cook he generally expects her
to live in tile kitchen and to read
nothing but cookery books. So I want
ed to show 1 could do other things as
well and was not mere domestic
drudge. I hoped to succeed without
bringing 1t In at oil, but I'm afraid
must"
"NIy dear, your fortune is made.
How very sensible you are! 1t is a
pity other girls don't do the same
thing. You must promise now to put
yourself in my hands. will see you
don't fail"
She summoned Mr. Benn that even
Ing and asked him if his domestic diff
6culties were at an end"
"Alas, no." he said. 81 am in chaos.
The housemaid won't stay and the
housekeeper won't go. She says she
knows n good place when she finds
one md she is not going to leave me to
myself. In the meantime she cooks
abominably. have not had com,
Portable meal in my own house for
nearly fortnight and her eXtrava-
gance is beyond all bounds. Her
weekly bills simply make my hair
stand on end"
II think can help you. heard of
housekeeper the other day who, be-
lieve would just suit you. If you will
get rid Of yours or give me authority
to do so I will see il can get the per-
son 1 spoke of to come"
He thanked her profusely, agreed to
everything she proposed and left the
matter In her hands.
She was at his house when he came
home on the following evening.
"Mrs. Jones has gone," she said. 81
have persuaded the housemaid to stay
and I have interviewed the house
keeper I told you Of. She is willing to
come but cannot do so until to-mor-
row. I could not persuade cook to do
anything for you, but she has cery
kindly allowed the kitchen maid to
come down and she is getting dinner
for you now. Cook has not much
opinion of her, but hope she will be
able to manage something"
The dinner was uneatable and poor
Mr.. Benn almost cried with disgust
during the evening. He went up to
the Challinors before bedtime and they,
sympathized with him. 1t appeared
the new housekeeper had promised to
come In plenty Of time to cook the din
ner the next evening and she had the
very highest credentials. Rachel sang
"Home, Sweet Home" and looked very
pretty. If Mr.. Benn's mind had only
been free from those miserable DOM
este worries he could not have failed
to see how exceedingly charming sho
was.
Mrs. Challinor met him at his own
door again the following evening. She
said the housekeeper had come, but
had asked us favor that she should
not see Mr.. Benn for week. She was
lady by birth and had never before
taken such position. She felt, there
fore, little shy ut first and was not
sure If she would stay.
Again Mr.. Benn almost shed tears
over his dinner, but this time they
were tears of delight. Never since he
had lost his first housekeeper, who had
married butler and set up q private
hotel, had he enjoyed such dinner,
either in his own house or any other.
1t went on for week. More than
once he wanted to see his new guar.
dian angel and to thank her personal.
ly, but Mrs. Challinor forbade it. She
said 1t would be resented as an intru.
sion and the housekeeper would pack
up and go. Such breakfasts and din.
pers, such light, savory suppers he had
hitherto only dreamed about. A rum.
or reached him that she intended to
stay only q month, and he determined
to see her and hear upon what terms
she would consent to remain. She must
be secured. cost what it might.
Without any warning h. letrated
into the kitchen one day little before
dinner time, and discovered Rachel II
full activity. An explanation followed
on both sides, and the question Of the
housekeeper remaining was catisfac-
torily settled.
They were married almost ct once,
though how they got on afterward I
can't pretend to say. When people ere
determined to have what they want,
cost what it may, they must be pre-
pared to run some risks.-Waverley
Magazine.
What Boy Did in One Week.
Monday-Had to dig bait for dad to
go a-fishin'. He 1ished all day, and
two men brought him home bout sup
per time.
Tuesday-Club tree to get birds