The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-13
A BIT OF DOMESTIC DIPLOMACY

l NA4- was StGlI4uz III the NORWAY II
answer 10 his call. and when she said
y es. sir" 20 his Eindly-spoken instrUc-
| ton, her hands fell TO her sides and 4
| scared, helpless LOOK came upon her
| ccmely face She sat down then TO visit
Tor the two children to finish their pratt
tie. staring ont the gardening window in
L the garden and furlhling the napkin
| II: her hands Jane came 10 the Hurlbut
house year before its mistress died.
| From her capacity as nurse 10 the two
! children she passed easily and properly
! = that CT companion and c0nEdante o.
! the lady OF the house. Jane Wartng
| was a woman Of 80. perhaps. a sweet
faced, low-voiced. silent woman who
! loved children and was beloved by them.
She had ordered the affairs of the Hurl-
| but house with rare discretion and per
feet diplomacy. She seemed aware OF all
| the little, fine differences between her
| own position in life and that Of her EN-
ployer. Modest she was in dress and de-
meanor but yet so admirably poised. 50
! cool in her earnestness and 50 intense il
her diligence to duty. that the master Of
the house came gradually TO understand
/ that he couldn't set along without her.
TC be sure. the household WIS not a
| large one. There were himself, Flora
! who was z; Harry. who was s; The cook
/ the coachman and-Jare. He was rich
1 and might have maintained many serv-
| ants, but Jane managed all that. In an
/ odd, unobtrusiye way, she even managed
! the coachman-Peters. who was the only
I other servant who had remained since
Mrs. Hurlbut's death.
/ II you had asked Hurlbut where Peters
! came from. he couldn't have told you.
/ He had a vague idea that Jane had been
q trained nurse. but what hospital she
/ lad come from, or where Mrs. Hurlbut
/ had picked her Up. he didn't know or
! care. She had been a pet with his wife.
I the children idoiized her. and-but that
Genes later on. When Mrs. Hurlbut had
come TO realize that death was near she
had asked, among other things. that
Peters and Jane be kept. The WidoWer
| had often been tempted 10 dismiss the
&C achman, for he was addicted 10 peri
odical sprees and had landed in thebpolice
court more than once. A ruffian in his
cups and an illiterate, self-willed vulga-
rian when sober. he was yet a master
o. horses a perfect whip and as expert
in the stable as could be- wished. Mrs.
FUrlbut had set her heart upon reform
| ing him, and il was for this reason.
doubtless. that she bade her husband
keep him.
As for the cooks. they came and went
SO rapidly and irregulsrly that Hurlbut
had no idea what sort OF an agency was
preparing his food. 1t was always good.
thing Sometimes there had been days
vhen new cook became a temporary
inlpoSsibility. Then 1t was that Jane
Warning. dainty, nimble. accomplishing
woman. had herself tucked UP sleeves
and prepared such meals as no woman
ever made before.
Hurlbut himself didn't know when he
began TO look upon this housekeeper with
other than an employers eyes II must
have been some time in those long, rainy
SINNER evenings when his house seemed
SC utterly lonesome. He had noticed her
one evening, sitting on 4 wicker bench
in the verarda with Flora and Harry
with one arm about the girl and a queer,
WistfHl. loving light in her great brown
eyes. She had worn some fimsy lawn
dress that evening, a bit old-fashioned. he
thought, but very becoming He had
come across the lawn and was watching
her through the ratings before they no
ticed him. Yes. he had seen the tiny
cot peeping from beneath her skirts, and
the ,hand, the strong, shapely white hand
that dropped across his daughters Shout
Ger. it was very pretty. very unctious
and warm looking. And after that he
began 10 notice her moro narrowly. He
couldn't help it.
Sometimes when he came home quite
early he would hear her playing the old
piano in the nursery while Flora SANG
some ofd-fashioned songs her mother had
taught her. Once or twice he had stolen
vi the stairs 10 catch them ard TO watch
her in the unconscious grace and beauty
OF these unguarded moments but when
she knew ne was about she always stood
shy1y up, made some excuses Of duty and
left his presence. And so. being a wo-
man, a very sensitive IS we'll as sensible
v oman, when Mr.. Hurlbut told her to
come TO the library after the children
were sbed. Jane Warning guessed what
q meant TO say to her.
Sit down, Jane" he said. softly. when
she came into the dimly lighted library
and stood hesitating II the doorway. But
she only came a step nearer and re-
raained standing Jane I'm going 10
close up the house" he began.
Quit housekeeping. sir2' she asked
with a scared trenor IN her sweet voice
Yes. Jane Please sit down; I have a
lot % things to say, Jane"
But the children" she interrupted,
with an excitement he had never known (
in her before. Where VIII the children
60. sir7"
Boarding school. Jane. They mus go
sooner or later. and. well the truthN
is"
But Peters, sir; Peters. the coach /
man?"
He stared at her in nlomentary aston [
ishment- These Interruptions these eE-
CARNATIONS. almost gasped; this evide-t /
desire to dodge or defect the subject that
vas upperTost IN his mind surprised +
him
Peters" he said slowly. and turning 4
the student lamp 50 that he could see /
her face better. Il can't take Peters I
tc hotels With me. I'm going 10 sell mv
horses and perhaps ell this strr. This 4
horrible loneliness is killing ne. Jana. 7 I
must get away. I must travel. u you
say 50. III take Flora ard Harry with /
US but
I'd hate 10 see Peters lose his place. /
sir" sho said with utterly irreievancy.
but yet with stern note that frightened +
him.
peters, he exclaimed. jumping Up and
T. king two steps nearer 70 her. What
the deuce. excuse me. Jane. but what +
on earth interest have yop in Peters,
Interest. sir Why he's NJ husband
We've nzd such . hard tine refcrnirs
rim. sir hope you wont send US
away Your wife took such an interest 81
him. in Is. He made such a BAD name ss
wariag that we made him change IL 20
Peters. Ire police knew HIN. and
and
she burst into tears
Go n led. Jane. 90 t. bed, said Eurl-
hlst. softly. III think x over. Naybe
III change ny mind Maybe III 60 o.
living here just es re are
And he dld.-John n. Raftsry.
He Was Too Slow.
He reached out as Z he w0eld catch
hold II her but sire eisded his grasp.
Again n made - ecua1is' feeble attempt
and seafn she eludsd h--n. c-ce more
hs made a feeble attempt ard she raj ~
: Ti-ulty 81 escaping -H1s tirls she he-
anns indignant. almost -rrry
2 hat Do ynu mean. SIR she sx-