The Argosy — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

154 Was tt a Ghost? It so happened that I never went to Leachester by train again tl! three years later; and then alas! under very different circumstances. My father had died leaving me penniless. I had no mother, no relations and, it then appeared, no friends; except, indeed, Mr. and Mrs. Barton our clergyman and his wife. They most kindly insisted on my making my home with them till such time as I could find some means of earning my bread. How difficult that was you can hardly imagine if you have never tried to find paid employment for a woman who has been brought up only to bea lady. I could do several things a little; nothing as well as the people with whom I had to compete. One day, fairly out of heart, I sat half weeping, alone, by the draw- ing-room fire, when Eliza, the parlourmaid came in with some tea for me. She looked wistfully at me as she put down the tray, and said : ‘‘T beg your pardon, miss, but I heard yesterday that Mrs. Mantell at Leachester wanted a nursery-governess for her two little grand- ehildren. I don’t know as that sort of place would be good enough for you, but if it was, you’d be very happy there, for Mrs. Mantell 1s such a kind, nice lady. I was housemaid there before I come here. She was such a good lady ; anybody couldn’t help liking her ! ” ‘‘T should be too glad to get sucha place,” Isaid. ‘And I will try and go to Leachester to-morrow. How shall I get to the station, I wonder?” For it was six miles off, and Mr. and Mrs. Barton kept no carriage. Eliza timidly suggested that Farmer Edwards would be going into Leachester next day by an afternoon train, and would give me a lift to and from the station, if I would accept it. ‘‘ And where does Mrs. Mantell live, Eliza?” was my last question. ** I don’t know, miss, exactly. She’s changed her address since | lived with her, but you can easily find out, you know. She’s the doctor’s wife. Anyone will tell you where Doctor Mantell lives.” Accordingly next day I went to Leachester. The whole way there I could not refrain from mournfully contrasting my present and my last journey. The one point of resemblance was that on both occa- sions I travelled in a third-class carriage. Otherwise the difference was complete and depressing between that glowing June morning and this moody November afternoon; between the crowds of pleasure- seekers who then thronged the stations and their dull work-a-day aspect to-day ; above all between my then smiling future and my now over-clouded fate. If only the sun would have come out, I thought, I could have felt more hopeful; but not a gleam played on the tall cathedral-spire, or the scattered roofs and gardens of Lea- chester as we steamed in. I walked slowly from the station to the more inhabited part of the town and entered the first chemist’s shop I saw. ‘ Will you please tell me,” I asked the man behind the counter, “where Doctor Man- tell lives ?” ECOMiCcOOolkKS —_— (CO