Middletown transcript., 1904-01-09

ton as soon as she could be ready. She
received an official letter, signed by God
frey Standard, appointing her as Mrs.
Standards companion, but her employer
she did not see. The girl stayed with the
Richards for few days while she bought
such things as were necessary, and the
modest shopping expeditions in company
with Mary were heartily appreciated by
both.
Custance was genuinely sorry to part
with her new friends, and it was with a
great effort that she smiled from the win
dow Of the railway carriage when Mary
saw her off.
l seemed to have known you quite
long time, she said-and | have so few
friends. Don't quite forget me, will your
You silly child! Mary calculated, smil-
ing pleasantly. We are not going to for
get you, and you must write to US. And
when you take holiday, you are to come
to us. John and l are agreed on that
point.
Custance shook her head.
I shall not take holiday for a long
time, she answered. 1t will be year or
so before l have worked off that fifty
pounds.
Well? queried Mrs. Richards.
Well, l rather wish l had seen MIR.
Standard. 1t seems so curious never to
have seen your employer.
He is very busy. Just consider how his
time is taken up. However, l dare say
you will see him at the Park, as he often
runs down to stay with his mother.
Custance found Mrs. Standard beau
tiful white-haired old lady, whose sight
less eyes were as serenely blue as ever,
for her misfortune had not affected their
appearance. She reminded the girl OF
Quaker, with her plain, black, silk gowns
relieved by exquisitely snowy bands Of
white linen. 1t seemed impossible that
dirt or untidiness could exist near Mrs.
Standard. She moved in quiet atmos
phere of her own, so fresh, sweet, and
sanity that to live under the same roof
with her-so Custance wrote to Mrs.
Richards-made one feel the better.
l do not wonder at Mr.. Standards de-
votion to his mother, wrote Miss Madl-
son. She is 60 perfectly lovable. l do
not, as rule, like sanity people, but
Mrs. Standard contrives to humanize her
goodness, SO to speak. She is not by any
means an unsympathetic person, whose
thoughts are always fixed on Heaven, so
that she has no time to do good on earth.
On the contrary, she is always interested
in the world around her and has great
sense of humor.
On the day after Custance's arrival Mrs.
Standard pointed out to her the picture
of the late master of the house.
If you look on the wall behind you,
Miss Madison, she said, you will see
portrait Of my husband. 1t was taken
late in life and is an excellent likeness
and the old lady turned her pathetic-look
ing eyes in the direction Of the picture as
though memory were stronger than ply
steal sight.
lie had very powerful face, Custance
remarked.
To her mind the great inventor looked
hard man. The straight brows, the
keen eyes SO closely set, the compressed
lips, the firm chin did not betoken gen
erous nature. A doubt flashed through
Custance's mind whether. If she had had
to deal with John Standard irl>trsl,! nf li>
son, she would have met with the assist
ance that she had.
Is the present Mr.. Standard like thai?
the girl ventured to ask.
No. Godfrey is more like me, replied
the old lady, with tender look.
Custance looked at the sweet old face
and smiled back at it instinctively. She
felt glad that Godfrey Standard had not
taken after his father.
Mrs. Standards health prevented her
rising until twelve o'clock each day, and
after luncheon she rested for am hour or
SO. 1t was at tea-time that Gu tance felt
that her real duties began. She waited
on the old lady and looked after her guests
if any one called; between tea and dinner
time she read to her, and in the evening
she sang or played. Mrs. Standard was
excessively fond of music-a taste which
her son had inherited, she told Custance
Godfrey will enjoy your singing SO
much, she declared.
TO BE Continued