The Opelousas courier., 1905-06-10
JOHN MARSTON'S
HOUSEKEEPER.
BY G.. V. MAITLAND.


Dare I take this placer said Mar
garet Lester to herself, as she pacet
up and down her small top room
with the morning newspaper crushed
In her hands.
She glanced, with care in the low
ing brown eyes, upon the little twi1
sisters who had been her ctarg1 fol
seven years, since her parents cnt
theirs had died.
Pacing up and down the floor, Mar
Earet went over in her mind all those
long seven years, in which she had
worked for them with willing hands
yet had only been able, after all, tc
Just keep the gaunt wolf from the
door. And now how could she dc
even that?
The fine needlework and embroid.
cry which had barred him out these
seven years. she could do no more of,
for her sight was failing--the doctor
safi OF overworh.
She had advertised in vain for a
situation as governess; she had adj
Syertised and applied for all sorts Of
places. And never an answer had
come to her until the one in that
mornings newsp paper.
She smoothed 1t out again, and read
for the third time:
"f A. B., who has been advertising
in this paper, has not found a situa-
ton as housekeeper, she may do so
by calling between five and eight
o'clock at Z Washington place."
She dropped the paper, and was
leaning On the dressing table, look
Ing into the mirror-looking there
s%oarchingly, wistfully; and presently
she drew out her comb, and shook
the soft brown mass OF hair low on
ter cheeks. And then she sighed,
halt sorry, half relieved, and pushed
it back again.
NO, no! the nine long years have
done their work." she said, half
aloud to the pale, worn face in the
mirror. There's nothing left of the
Madge Lester he once knew. The
gold and the curl are gone from the
hair, the merriment and careless
laughter from the eyes, the color and
he %roundneSs from the cheeks.
What nonsense to have feared that
twenty-six could be like seventeen!
Besides, I've grown So much since he
and l last met-nine years ago. Lit
tie Madge Lester has gone forever,
and in her stead, tall A. B.-let me
see--Anne Brown; yes, that will do"
All the time she was thinking thus
her busy hands smoothing down the
hair about her face, arranging it in
close bonds to the temples, anG put.
tin git away behind her ears-a pref
ty, classic style enough, but one
upon which only an elder person
venture. 1t makes the pale
face look older, and less like, as Mar
garet knows, the young Madge Les
ter in the floating cloud of sunny
hair.
But when she takes down her hat !
she is dissatisfied. She stands
for a moment, then turns
aside to a chest, from which she
draws a close Grape bonnet and veil,
Ind puts them on, with tender, lin
touch, for they were once her
Mothers.
She has dragged something else
nut in the folds of the Grape veil.
Only a pair of spectacles-some relic
which her mother kept. Margaret is
abuot to put them back when a sud-
len thought strikes her. She goes to
he mirror, and puts them on instead.
And Bessy looks up from her doll
lpon the hearthrug, and claps her
hands.
"Look, Lubbock! Sister Margie's
SO old"
Margaret Stops down to the two
title ones and kisses them. Yes, sis
er Margie has, grown old, has put
way all her sweet youth for them.
Then she hurries down, and out CT
She has slipped her spectacles
nto ser pocket, on leaving her room,
nd she walks on without them in the
altering dusk. She has no need of
hem, but she puts them on again, al
hough they blind her a little as to
eight and number Of steps, when she
ees, looking up in the dim light, that
his Is z Washington place, and she