Year: 1877

'liere you CO." cried she, "blushing
like iifteen-you are as bad as John Moul-
toni Bless us, I'll warrant me that my
young woman, whom my namesake has
stolen, would not blush so furiously at
every trile.'


1t might be easy enough for her to in
dulge in badinage, whether proper OF i'm
proper. but to me (settng aside all no
tlons OF decorum,) it was rather difficult,
when remembered that l was without a
situation, and had barely money enough
to pay weeks lodging and board, after
returning to New York. could not waste
time; l must take some action at once.
| tried to say this, but my hostess CT call
her that since / could not call her my en-
ployer, being under her roof by mistake. }
stopped me with the startling abruptness
which, short as my acquaintance with her
was, had already discovered to be one OF
her strongest characteristics.


81 know what you mean" said she.
Now see here-do yoe think you could
endure me for few months Take time
tell the truth-though You are woman.
and moralists. Q mean misanthropists.
the male ones,) say that we cannot. While
you laugh. l Twill explain the case. have
told you what and whom expected; here
| really am obliged to remain, partly ON
account OF my health, partly on account
OF my health, partly law. suit, till Octo-
ber; then am going to Europe"


| tried again to speak. but once more
she checked me.


You have not finished thinking" said
she. Now during the summer we shall
have oceans of leisure to see about bet
ter place for you. 1t shall be my duty to
make sure when | go, that you are pro-
vided for in such a way that you will have
no reason to regret the delay"


o.


"One moment more About the duties.
If you will read me to sleep afternoon and
night-play the piano sometimes in the
evening, and take care that | do not ty-
rannize over poor John till be becomes a
mummy, that is all you will be expected
to do. should like you stay. and would
not have believed could SO quickly have
taken fancy to any feminine creature
past twenty-now do try to tolerate me
and stop.' ei
1t did not take me great while to make
up my mind; decided to remain, at least
| till such time as could find permanent
situation.


Before the week was out, Mrs. Lothrop
had one of her bad attacks-I think She
suffered from some internal disease.--and
she kept me and the whole household busy
| enough. She was very exacting and
sometimes very cross, but almost always
in whimsical fashion, which made her
words pardonable. and l do believe,--it
was wrong, OF course-but do believe
she would have jested and been sarcastic
on the brink OF the grave. aii


Much as she tyrannized over him. she
was fond of her brother. He liked So
ciety, she said, though he was bashful,
and she insisted upon my taking my meals
with him, driving out with him, and play
ing the piano for his benefit in the even
ing, Tor he was devoted to music and
played the flute in really marvellous
fashion.
Mr.. Moulton and l were thrown so
much together it seemed unavoidable, l
thought it would be foolish to vex myself
about any questions of impropriety--that
we gradually got acquainted, and he
quite recovery from his shyness. He was.
discovered, a very cultivated man, fond
of books. especially metaphysical works,
and. as liked the same authors, we al
ways had plenty to talk about. He owned
large farm, and was enthusiastic over
that; had my duties. my pleasures; chief
among these latter, permission to work in
the flower-garden, and | found myself
happier, more content, than had been in
long time.


The weeks went by much faster than
was aware, for in the quiet of my life, /
took less note of the flight of time than
ought, as sensible and methodical per-
son, to have done.


am bound to say that l found Mrs. Lo-
throp-after l grew accustomed to her
peculiarities-a much easier person to live
with than had expected She liked her
own way-indeed she would have it-she
was masterful and tyrannical, but never
petty or generous-and after all, If
person is free from those vices, you can
always manage to get on. Even after her
recovery, l was thrown a great deal into
MIR. Moulton's society, and found it very
pleasant, as we grew perfectly at ease
with one another-pleasanter perhaps,
than was exactly wise considering our
mutual relations.


have no time to tell YOU story, and I
have no story to relate, if had both lei
sure and talent for the task. The summer
went by. l had known from the first, that
in the autumn l must lose my present sit


NsioHI %'AiS hothiOP Hdu uo uccu VI uc-
sire to take companion about with ber.
During the earlier weeks of my sojourn in
the house, she and l had often talked.of
the matter-she was so confident that l
should find a a place among or through
some of her numerous acquaintances-
was so very decided about it-that perhaps
was more inactive than ought 10 have
been-though must say, in self-defence,
that | did not fail tn usa everv v,naoua In
my power. only they were very small.


As for Mrs. Lothrop. the weeks grew
into months and she talked less frequently
about the matter. thought perhaps she
was weary of my old maidish anxieties,
and | ceased to disturb her by mentioning
them, Indeed she and her brother made
my residence under their roof so pleas
ant that often | forgot the future myself.
and foated on in q more dreamy. inconse-
quent fashion than was wise or right.
Now and then woke up to remember