NEW ZEALAND STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 127, 29 May 1914, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND STORY.

; WANTED—A LADY HELP. 'By C. E. McLDip , I

i -Mv roiifiii Ursula was getting quite j disheartened. It wa« Kriiibitioii time — I visitors were nmunp fo r Christmas: call- ■ '■ crs wore frequent: her husband hail ; t'nro,. nwte' holiday, ami she wanted to I go out with hini. and still she could find j I lvi one tv replace her good I hi if nurse ; I companion who had left t.-n days before, I tv In- murri.-.1. Ceruiinh then- »ac i >li*-t '.1-.11HT5..11. in,, yniiii/ lady who i , acted ;us cook-companion, and Mrs. llarIWttle. who undertook llif week-ly wash- ; ing. i-ould lie relied upon to <ri\." an ex'trii.l«\ iiowand then. 1 r-.u!.i'.- home was | well ordered and !.,mui ifuil v appointed. What .ithiTH i-iiul.| n«.t, or did not do j jshe did ii.TM-lf, iiiiil .~o it ejme a.bont i that when I h.i,l hj-eii staring with them j jthrpo »wk» I In- situation wiiri becoming | 'unite. 1 v.-ii -ii f tho-e handy adjuncts ' . found ill most families of any size—a j J maiden .unit. It i.- a-itonii-hing how often i Emergencies • n.;> up in ihe" besi. rejrul.iie.i r.f household... and lhi-n brofhers-in-l.iw, cousins-in-law, all ~f mankind in the Tem<*i.--t degree related to a maiden iiunt, say with alacrity "Send fur Jam-," an 1 .Jam-- the maiden uintt j - is iMuilv. lint not always, quite I pleased t..i fill a gap aihl assist in turn I as mir.-p. manager, secretary, teacher or ] what not. till the stress is over, and then .~li.- usually, but n<>t always, knows ju»it the right moment to sip away into ob--curiiv strain. J am not, thank heaven, .l.;n-ml.-nt on thew- " in-laws." and ii i, 1.ur.1.v optional wlu-th.-r or not 1 respond to tin; urgent telegram or tin- hurritd note. 1 have vii.it i- a.mmonlj called "a littlp money.' , and am independent, lint 1 have also all a woman's natural heart hunger. I long sometime* for the 'in .v Sensation of indi-penfa-bleniMK— the longing ami the sensation tliat keeps many of my sc\ in oUu-rwisp impossible places, I'.u't on this oc-anion I was not acting Dip role of maiden aunt at all. 1 iia,l been invited by my (Viu-in Ursula lo rami' and spend'a real holiday with her -whi-n everything was in pood going order, ami I Hilly appreciated the situation. Thvn. a" "suddenly. Miss lUpley, the nurM'-companion. decided to marry | before Christmas, and though she (stayed ' on awhile in the hope of a successor "bein_ r found, t-he )md Iroen gone now len days, and. .v- 1 have --aid. tilings see-nx-d t.. bp netting acute. The week preceding ClirixtmiLs found L rsiila anxiously ~ranniiii '1.,, .olunuv <.f the " Star' , for rni-tsibli- "aids to houwh<ild comfort." I was ijuitc pleasrd .-it the prospect of Win- able to help Utmil.i. for she is -mc whom it is .1 privily. t,i help -- t'lat finesu of all Nature's handiwork. .1 S.i I ulTered i-oansweranv advcrtisemen'ithnl were to lie .-eon in the papers. 1 drafted an answer, and reud it over to mv enin-in, and the approved of it. It ran thin: - •• Mrs. "Reynolds, ni Crawford Avenue. Auckland, wi!| l>,. pleasexl to oomniunicate with (the adverlisiTl re y*->siti"n Icrvic-w is desirable, .Ihh 'phone r>o4l or a iettrr will be attended 10. <Hhe r help iskr.pt. No wa.-liins:. Wnjim IT/ii." Almost every Jar one or two likely .iilvertifinmi'nls a-ppeare.l in the onlunvw of the daily |..i.per-i, and ] an>nv,-red ra.-h •in,, and i-arrioil the lvtti-re to the piKar-b-ix :it the end ,->f the avenue. \\> eonfiilemly looked i"r applicant*, and meantime my cousin nnii; up al! the registry ollices. the matrons of the <;irls' Fri<'n<lly and Hie Ynunjr 'Women's iliri-."----into personal touch with .possihle helps, fhe attendivl to the 'phone Jirrwf'.f. She wa H infornml by all labour agent* that ehp w-.if not likely to pet anyone before the .-i-.-ond week in January. This information caused us to look out. e\en more keenly than before, for answers to our letters ;,i advertisers. Days went by and nothinp ha.ppeno,l, except that t"n=nla refused all invit.itioirs, ami never went far from home ifnr tear of mfe-nng a mcssiue f> n the 'phone. .Tim. my oousininl.iw, on her luvonipanying him β-imetinie* in the evening to iu-ar the r.-iyal Artillery Hiiinl. and once she went with him to an orjiin recital. As miffht have been oxpi-etod. a n.e--s ; i.-e came while she was imiv, The " rin- " was ansuere.l by- Mi.-vi Bnierwin. the remajhinjl help. >oiueone who would frivv no name wiehel lo sneak immediately with Mrs Ueynnidv It w.is impn:t.mt. an<l no .-.niM !n- left. When inf./rmed that Mrs. llrvnolds wn« out. the speaker bi-i-ame very eriw-, aii.l she ha.l come acro««»*the harbour at sreat inconvenience and she would not ring up ansvin I'Tftuisi was quite sad when she heart how n-ear <hv may liavf boen to oi.ninin- wlval she wished, and she did tin; )ci\r the Vmsi , for ten daw. ( hristmilF and New Year pa.->ed. and HtHl mv constant overtures to advertiser* remained unanswered. Irsula asked mc to alter the wording a little, so 1 added. •■Charwoman enjrajied to do heaviivt *«rk. tJoml home. Wafffd ,Cl." 'l"he. second .wißok in lanuary was approaeliiii-r. and the registry-olliefi people wen- more hopnful. At la»t something hup;wncd. One morning, about ten ii'fluek. a litl-l rim; at the side do-.r .-aiwed mc pwipilatelv tv leave my llo.ver vane.- and answer, l'.aby was asleep, and the loud rinpinif mitfht I waken him. 1 thoiurht it »a- the man with the i--e for the chest: hut hj!w. to mv di-lii'ht. a "miiMle-a£t\l fiirl." who I .--aid t-he'had com,- from a rr-j.-try ollieto see a.brmt the ptteition hi companion. i My iinpulr-e was lo seize Ju>r by U'ie arm and lead her triumphantly into I r.iula-fl v-til-ed. and. .stenily reprftrSinp the signs of a.L-itation in my voice, 1 aski-d her in. ! Kven the advent of eomeor.e willing lv : ho!]) with housework dnl not fluster :l"rt>-iila. She aJways <*a'.m and ali ways ready, "rta.s closeted with the lady more than an hour. I left the ! room to pet refreshment!-, and when 1 I returned 1 was struck by the masterly manner in whicii the applicant was! teaching I'rsula how to manage little children. When I had serv.-,) morning I tea 1 retired, ui.,l lat-r vient in t . carry ' injj I wn'a "h.nus on pi-nernl lu>u«s.'k.-pp-'r.'z. and Ir-'iilii was i : court eiiii-!y. H.it th"re wa- a twinkle in her ■ y.-< "a> she a.-Ued m.- to brirv baby. and. a- I pla- d ihe .....;!,- r<»- i>.i 1 on | Ilk. mother".-, kn- . I h-:i!.| Hi- appii- | "I fhoul-l re.|,: r. ~ : ar-e roo:n .i i lo j j.-t-ai m>111!! ;i --t iiγ-tv • . . \i--i y-i i . aiwayv .(o;ild y.i i " ■trhatica^ly. -hut 1 thini vc chould not caen other. A poeition of house-j

! keeper wonld meet your requirement* ' I better. 1 wi!l certainly let you know ' definitely about it to-morrow." I ! As the lady left the Imuse. she said: ! I "I forgot to mention my mufiie. Mrs ' Reynolds. 1 have a great deaJ. and' practise fccveral hours ft day. You would not object to my having the use oif the piano, would you"'' "Not at all. except when we need it oiißfJw," eaid Ursula. •■T'.ut I will eertaJniy let you know to-morrow. I 'Meantime do not count <m the position." I In the afternoon another young woman presented herself. l"ivula answered tlndoor. ■'Have you any family?" asked the j visitor, almost before I'ivula had tirae 'to say "<;o«d mominjr." ••Why, yes!' , answered Ursula in her i tolerant fashion. "I have four children, ■or I should not require help in the nursery." "Oh. then, 1 nevd not trouble you ari to particulars. 1 never fro where there [are children- they cause so much inconvenience, (mod aJ'ternoon." ' The next morning one of the registry |Oflic<'s rang up to say thai a young woman would he out to see Mrs Reynolds ;at 11. and che awaited Instructions ao | ito the way to the house. Now Ursula's jhouse in in one of the healthiest loeali-It.i-s in ~nd. ami stands <.n a *mall hill. ithviousiv, to get to the top of a hill one must climb up to it. and Choster'eigh, my cousin's house, was not more than ten minutes' -walk from the oar. Ursula eaid that the youn<» lady had tietter <-ome by ear to the 00.-ner of Crawford Avenue, and someone would niei't her there. J was deputed to go at once and eer-ort the young lady to the house. 1 was just in time to see a very smart young person alight and look about her. l" approached and found she was the lady 1 had come to meet. We turned up ihe avenue, -walking brisjdy and .-hatting the while. We had just pa*-ed the pillar-box, and were about to ascend the incline when my companion stopped and. frowningly, eyed the roail ahead. "How far is \tV she demanded. " Vbout three minute*, nvrn." 1 answered, humbly. "That ia the house with the white 'gates and turret." ••Have we to climb this hill?'' asked the able-bodied girl. "Yoa . but it is really nothing: the is extremely easy." ~ -Tin nol going any further, that's certain. Those who "like it may take ! it —but not 1." She turned and walked swiftly away, and I plodded homeward to tell Ursula of mv discomfiture. To my eurprise she -at down and laujrhed more immoderately than 1 had ever heard her laugh. ■Really:" she said, presently, "this is serious We shall have to advertise thet a motor-ear is kept to bring them to the gate, and that an electric fan will be m constant uee to <-00l their burning oheek.s." Hut with all her hrano-ur and courage. Ursula looked a little troubled. ' /Lhat afte.nnxra a grey-haired Lilian. «iw to interview Ursula about the position. We were sitting in the morning room, sewing, and Ursula nodded to mc to remain. "1 dote on children:" declared the lady, eyeing little Ma-ieie critically. "Do Uiiw require much attention do they get dirtyV Ursula".* one defensive we&pnn is a gentle satire. She brought it to bear oil the questioner. "Oh, no! Never:" she said, emphatically, "lam and egg do not stick to my children's faces, and we hum anything that becomes in the lea«>t soiled — it lessens the labours of Madame Waterfrolic in the wash-house.' , "■lndeed." said the applicant in pleased surprtsw*. "'And the ironing?" "Oil. the little ones do that th«meelvns, while the rest of iw play tennis. Hut 1 need not detain you. I will let you out thde way —(opening a French window i—it will save you going round. G-ood afternoon!" The woman who ''doted on children" seemed unable to gather Ursula's exact mean-ing, but it woe plain that she was expected to depart, and «he departed forthwith. During the next forenoon another knock took Ursnla to the front door, and I, from the drawing room, where I was watering the palms, heard -what passed. A girlish voice inquired: "Ikiie Mrs Reynolds live here! And are you needing a lady help? And is your telephone number 6541 ?*" "1 am Mrs Reynold*." said Ursula, "and 1 do need help, but the telephone number is 5041." "That accounts for my awful blunder, then." resumed the. voice. "I've been trying to get on to you for hours, and finally 1 arrived at the A.A. Insurance ollicc. and " the. voice was lost in a -break of delicious laughter. Ursulas heart was won. "Come in and tell mc all about it." she said. "There has been a mistake somewhere.'" I hurritvl into the hall. It was plain to mc that J had all along been uiving the wrong telephone number, "Ursula!" I said aghast. "Isn't voin number Ii.VJ I *"' "\o. mv dear girl, it it. ,"n)4l. No wonder we have been waiting in vain ' for replies." said mv etvnsln. as nearly! vexed as I had ever seen her. "<>h. Ursula!" I began, but the fir! ' with the infectious laugh interrupted j mc. j "Vrver mind. 'All', well that end.*! well.' I am here now. and I am sure : you did not mean mc to lie -ent to face a group of young fellows, who. when in desperation, i a-«ked if any ~f them knew anything about an advertisement for h : lady-help, went oIT into shouts of laughter. Fortunately one of thi-ni was a' young gentleman, and he came to the rescue by telling mc that his office had i been rung up repeatedly dimri? the i a st ' fortnight asking if a companion or ladyhelp were wanted. This morning he was answering a-i usual in the negaliw. but was suddenly cut oil" and hi* reply- was inarticulate. That, of course. ai-cJiinletl ' or a, - v mistake. 1 just started off at once, for 1 wish to get a place as « o ori :a.s possible. 1 could not make out why there seemesd to be no privat- entrance ! The gentleman, who ie t:,e manage, I helped mc by aakiug what name aceompanitsd the number in the i,tt-r U" i,-,, 1 mentioned Mrs llevnoijs. ( rawfor.l Avenue. In- looke.l up t:,e |;st n, h. ;s ,]i r( .,.. : the (inures had bwii iran.'pn'cd." ' ! The girl laughed ajrain. j J Sometime , laugh help.. A *;t, la ti,-, n jiu-.re than an.vi.in/ Use ,-oulH. \ ! al i C (i ■ t.,.. oft-., r ,\..,U character. Ursula S^, , " , ".-:•" i "^ h •'— - !-ii ; -:al -n, aniav,-, \ ...--, t", jhr:ng th.-m morninjt lia and n . hpn ] rji , : urnr.l 1 r.s:,la intrrvrin,-ed mc to M-μ jilemininsr? as her nwrne-companion ,<he the position etraiffhtway and Jnhoned for her l nev » to" U-bJ^J?

out. She proved t.. be exactly what Ursula required--a Udy and a he-ji. Though \oun£, -hf :iad a natural win , [tathv, and km.» tJiat Uie mi*t de\otod nuithrr i* rather worn <>ut by attending a rvKtlitv iiaby aii rnjfht. Sin , was always up shortly after i> a.m.. : m.l in a few niinuti-n I'raula was i'tiju\.n« tiip woman's balm in (lilead—a uup >>i delicious tea — while Miss Ilejtrmini:-* iarried off baby, and kept him long i-noujrh for the mothiT ttfjrutthe ""forty winks." never co delifrhful a" at pettin*: up t'liiu , . No matter what thi> wpathiT otitmdi , lie - past wind, north wind, north-oa.-t or muitli—the weather itwidc tin' hou«o to genial and bright: one suntxMun, in the person of Mi*? Hemmiiigw. v.Aii always present. (►ne evening, j'.int .before nvy vj-:t ended, Jim came home accompanied by a youn;r fri'Dtlrnian. whom he had met at Liedertafel. and who had aekexi him \i Mrs KeyiKilds had succeeded in petnns ;a lady-help, and relating lie- he had had the pleasure .if sending a i>.innie It i> said that ail food women (are matchmakers at heart, but it wax •Tim. not irKula, who brought <"lydp Must to the houtie, knowing that Cupid I was almost Hire to take a hand in the I game. All tint* huppene.l six monthe ago. In a letter I rweivrd from Ursula thw morn in? >he tells mc tliat Mies Hemminfre and I Mr. JiLst jre to he married in the spring, and that she is once more looking out for a nurse-<ompanion. But, after all. it is I who have brought about this happy union. I am not pood at figures, certainly, but as MWw H«-m----mings remarked, "Allri well that ends well," an<l if Ir.-ula asks mc to yo to stay fill she replaces her \adv help. 1 shall not make the sume mistake apiin. I mufit not forget, that the telephone number is ti.)l4.