The Argosy — page 328: what you’re looking at

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

310 Archibald Lester's Advertisement. ‘¢ You advertised for a housekeeper. I am the Mrs. Moreton who answered your advertisement.” ‘‘Oh, indeed! I suppose so.” “ey would go for a very small salary, if I might have my little girl with me.” ‘To be sure—to be sure. Half a dozen, if you like.” There was a silence as in a Quakers’ meeting. She was considering . him with a nervous twitching of her features, while he was looking at his hat and stick. ‘“‘T can give no references, but I would do my best,” she continued, at last. “The best is always good enough for me,” he said, darting up a twinkling glance, and letting down his lids again. What did he think of her? He thought she looked old for thirty, but so must he as he was nearly forty. Yet he was not displeased with what he saw. She was a gentle, ladylike-looking woman, with pale face, soft grey eyes, and pensive mouth. But then she had perfectly grey hair! He knew that men worried their brains until their hair turned grey before its time, but he had not remarked this sign of a fast age in women. Indeed, he knew little of the sex. She was dressed in faded grey silk, and had faded mbbons on her head. Her hands were tightly clasped on her lap, and they were very white. Archibald thought she seemed as frightened as himself, and wondered what sort of wife she would make. He continued to stammer out the words “ I advertised—in short I advertised for ” but could get no further. She assented mildly and waited hopelessly. At last, she took courage to say, that she believed she could give him satisfaction, for she had been accustomed to superintend an establishment, and was willing to take any position he desired. He thought this was to the point, and wondered whether she would propose for him. If so, should he accept her? He certainly wanted a wife and not a housekeeper, yet he could not exactly assure himself that he had fallen in love at first sight, as he somehow expected todo. At last he said boldly, “ Madam, I advertised for——as you area widow, you should under- stand.” ‘Sir, I am not a widow. I trust my husband is alive.” ‘Oh, indeed !” Archibald was much relieved, for he had not calculated on the difficulty of the work he had intended to perform. He grew more at his ease, and by degrees confided to Mrs. Moreton, that having lost his mother, he really had wanted awife. That lady said, rather indignantly, “Then you should not have advertised for a housekeeper, sir. Itisa sad disappointment to me.” Conscious of wrong-doing, Archibald requested permission) to recon- sider the matter and it was agreed that he should return to Martins- COMIC OOOKS. EO in —_)