Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-08-07
A BIT OF DIPLOMACY.
BY JOHN II. RAFTERY.

Jane, SAID Mr.. HurlDut to his house
keeper, as he rose from the dining table,
I'D like to see you in the library about
nine o'clock, or as soon as the children have
gone to bed"
She was standing in the doorway in
answer to his call and when she said, Yes,
sir to his kindly-spoken instruction, her
hands fell to her sides and a scared, help
ess look came upon her comely face. She
rat down then to wait for the two children
to finish their prattle, staring out the
darkening window into the garden and fun
bling the napkin in her hands. Jane came
to the 1urlbut house year before its mis-
tress died. From her capacity as nurse
to the two children she passed easily and
properly to that Of companion and con-
fidante of the lady of the house. Jane War
ing was a woman of 80 perhaps, sweet
faced low-voced, silent woman who loved
children and was beloved of 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 employer.
Modest she was in dress and demeanor
but yet so admirably poised. cool in
her earnestness and so intense in her dill
gence to duty, that the master of the house
came gradually to understand that he
couldn't get along without her. To be
sure, the household was not a large one
There were himself, Flora, who was u;
Harry. who was eight; the cook the coach
man and-Jane He was rich and might
have maintained many servants but Jane
managed all that. In an odd, unobtrusive
way, she even managed the coachman-
Peters-who was the only 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. lie
had a vague idea that Jane had been
trained nurse, but what hospital she had
come from, or where Mrs. Hurlbut had
picked her up, he didn't know or care. She
had been pet with his wife, the children
idolized her. and--but that comes later on
When Mrs Hurbut 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 to
dismiss the coachman, for he was addicted
to periodical sprees and had landed in the
police court more than once. a ruftian IL
his cups and an illterate, self-willed vul-
garan when sober, he was yet a master
of horses, a perfect whip and as expert in
the stable as could be wished Mrs. Hurl
but had set her heart upon reforming him,
and it was for this reason, doubtless, that
s.e babe her husband keep him.
rs for the cooks, they came and went as
rapidly and so irregularly, that Hurlbut
had no idea what sort of an agency was pre-
pairing his food 1t was always good, Jane
saw to that as she saw to everything. Some
times there had been days when new
cook" became a temporary impossibihty
Then it was that Jane Warng, dainty,
l.. IL, !
tucked up sleeves and prepared such meals
a. no woman ever made before.
Hurlbut himself didn't know when he be-
gan to look upon this housekeeper with
other than an employers eyes. 1t must
have been some time in those long, rainy
summer evenings when his house seemed sc
utterly lonesome He had noticed her one
evening, sitting on wicker bench in the
veranda with Flora and Harry, with one
arm about the girl and a queer wistful.
loving light in her great brown eyes. She
had worn some fim>y 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 noticed him. Yes, he
had seen the tiny foot peeping from beneath
her skirts and the hand, the strong, shapely
white hand that dropped across his daugn-
ter's shoulder, it was very pretty, very
unctuous aud warm looking
Sometimes, when he came home quite
early, he would hear her playing the old
piano in the nursery, while Flora sang some
old-fashoned songs her mother had taught
her. Once of twice he had stolen up the
stairs to catch them and to watch her in
the unconscious grace and beauty Of these
unguarded moments, but when she knew he
was about she always stood SHY up, made
some excuses Of duty and left his presence,
And so, being woman, very sensitive "a
we'll as sensible woman, when Mr.. Hurbut
told her TO come to the library after the
children were abed, Jane Waring guessed
what he meant to say to her
"Sit down, Jane" he said softly, when
she came into the dimly lighted library and
stood hestating in the doorway. But she
only came step nearer and remained
standing. "Jane, Pm going to close up the
house" he began.
"Quit housekeeping, sir?" she asked, with
a scared tremor in her sweet voice.
Eyes, Jane. Please sit down; have
lot of things to say, Jane"
but the children" she interrupted, with
an excitement he had never known in her
before. Where will the children 60,
SIR"
Boarding school, Jane. They must 60
sooner or later, and, well, the truth is"
But Peters, sir; Peters, the coachman?"
He stared at her in momentary astonish
ment These interruptions, these exclama
tions, almost gasped; this evident desire to
dodge or defect the subject that was up.
pemost in his mind surprised him.
"Peters?' he said slowly, and turning
the student lamp so that he could see her
face better. 81 can't take Peters to hotels
with me- Pm going TO sell my horses and
perhaps all this stuff This horrible lone
, illness is killing me, Jane ! must get away
| must travel If you say so III take Flora
and Harry with us, but"
I'D hate to see Peters lose his place. sir, -
she said with utter irrelevancy, but yet
with a stern note that frightened him.
!, peters," he exclaimed, jumping up and
taking two steps nearer to her, what
. the deuce, excuse me, Jane, but what on