LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3949, 14 December 1880, Page 4

LITERATURE.

IAE STBANGER THAN EICTION. (landon Society). (Continued.) . It is well mothers want no wages, or some of us could never even begin to pay them what we owe ! When she bent over me I could not speak ; I could only take her hand and rub it against my cheek. " Poor Nell — poor girl !" said tho unselfid'i old soul Eoftly. "You wanted something, did you not, dear ?" I was still bo weak that I could not well speak for a minute. I motioned her back to her seat, and, after she had taken tho basin into her lap and & fresh handful of beans out of the basket, I asked the question I wanted to put before. II How aro we going to live, mother ?" bhe looked up surprised ; then answered, "Somehow, please Gcd, Nell. What you have to do now is to got strong, and nob" to trouble your head about monoy and suchlike." If a man had come in thon to rob or wreck the place, I could not havo found strength enough even to tay him nay ; so I lay back in my chair and looked ot the flowers, and thought — no, what I dil could scarcely be called thinking. "If it ia any comfort to you," said my mother at last, pausing with a bean in her haid to turn towards mo, "we havo not wanted for anything yet, and I don't think it likely we shall. Mr Stancard came down here and gave me five sovereigns with hia own hand ; thoy got up a subscription among tho men, and the gentry were not behindhand cither. Ben was buried as I thought you would like him to be. After a fashion, no gentleman could havo been bettor seen to. I wanted to pay Dr Banger ; but he would not take a halfpenny, fie said yon and Een paid him honest while you could pay, and he was not going to charge you anything. Beef tea has been sent from tho Chacs, and thero is not a farthing of rent owing ; so rest' content, girl." Ah, mother, mother! and you in your bitterest extremity had no subscription — no man helped you — you paid your doctor. And I — O, what a poor weak creature I seemed ! It might ha™ v>«— L — . a v» -« k — •- 1 -- ..«■■ „.„ uU uiea the conversation. She began it. "Noll!" "Yes, mother." I was ever so much better. "You remember asking how we were to live ?" I nodded assent. " Do you think you are well enough to talk about that now ?" . "I think ao. I feel quite strong — that is, I am getting to feel Btronger." "I know, dear. Well, the way things stand is this t I think I must try to keep a home together, and j on take a place." All the blood in my body seemed to drop back into my heart aa she spoke. You see, ladies and gentlemen, " home is home, be it ever so homely/' and I had lovad my home — not so much aa I had loved my husband, but very truly also. " Can't we manage anyhow ?" I gasped out. " I am afraid not, dear," said my mother. 11 All tho little moßoy you had by you, all the little money I had by me, is gone. Thero is rent to pay, there are four small children to keep. The family is leaving the Chace, and the people who are coming will keep a laun-dry-maid. Thon, though lam hearty now, I may not be hearty for ever. While I have my health we might manage ; but when you get strong, I think we ought to look tho worst in the face." I could not say a word. Indeed, I don'fc think I hsd a word to say. " You see, Nell," wont on my mother, " I am willing to do all I can, and more ; but if tho work Bto/is — and it is stopping, for the family at tho Grange far more than paid my rent — what are wo to do ? It is hard upon you, I know, girl ; still—" I put out my hand nnd stepped her saying any more. II Mother, it was only for a minute. I w^ll do whatever you think best." All my life I had done what she thought beat, and I was not going to grieve 1 her loving heart with objecting now. "That's my bravo Nell," Bho said; and she got up and kissed me, which was quito a rare thing for mother to do. "Mrs Warford nnd I have been talking tho matter <Ker" (Mrs Warford was housekeeper at tho Ohaco) II and she says what you must do is to get to know where your laat mistress ia living now, so that you may refer to her. Of courso as to character, anybody about here would speak to that ; but if you go as maid, it is not likely a lady would take you unless she knew what \ou could da She thinks Mrs Hume'a sister, Lady Poplett, wants a maid, and she would speak for you." My eyes travelled round the garden. Ah, mo ah, mo " I want to say something moro to yo:'," went on my mother. "It is jutt the ?am« to me whether I keep on this houso or my own ; which shall it bo, Noll ? " There comes a timo when women aro unselfish ; but it in never towards their mothers, I think. At any rato I wa3 not unselfish then towards mine. She loved her little trim cottage, and I know she did ; and yet I stretched out my hands towards her deprecatingly. " He laid tho water on to tho beds," I s .id, II and it is only ten shillings a year the ( iinal people charge us ; and he planted tho rceetrees and all the bushes — " "I could not go on ; if I had been able, thero was no need. Sho just cropt round my chair and said ; " Poor Nell, poor girl ! Tho good God will help my child ! " She had boon through much rougher waters, and yet come safe to land ; so she know. Chapter 11. STILL MKB CALCKY. Whilo I^was single I lived ;§ osr.i m: id 1 with a lady of the name of Mason. Before I

went to her I was serva~t to her mother, and called " parlour-maid ; " but indeed I did moat of the work of the house, for we had novor, to say, a regular cook till a few inonthß before Miss Emily's wedding. I cannot say I over was much, attached to either my mistress or her daughttr. Tho first, Mrs Wi'kins, was a mean, clever, managing, manoeuvring woman ; sho could make a 'sixpence go further than any person I over saw ; and there was not a shift of economy but she knew and practised. The reason wo had no regular cook was because there chanced to be so little to cook. Miss could not have dressed so well, and missus could not have afforded her stiff black silks, if the larder had been i'uirly well fiUcrl. I^o one would credit upon how little money that house was kept. I could tell stories about tho meals there, which would almoat, to those unaccustomed to such scroping and pinching, seem incredible. Why did I stop, you want to know. Well, I was young, and I never cared much about eatiDg. As for beer, I could not bear the sight or smell of it at that time. For my age, vny wages wero good. I had known at home many a time what it was to go hungry to bed ; and the money I got was such a help to mother. My clothea did. not cost me much, for Miss Emily cave mo many a dress she had cast off. * Besides, Mrs Wilkins taught me everything I know : lu^r to vrait at table ; how to answer the door pv. perly, and announce visitors ; how to make gcod coffee and salads, and toss up little dishes; for I had gone to her from a farmhouse, where I learned no more than my moth ;r had instructed me to do at home. So, although I was not, to eay, fond of either Mra Wilkins or Mis3 Emily, I should have folt it hard to go to another situation j and when one morning my mistress said she infant to have a woman in to do the rough work, I could only managa to get out. that I was vei'y willing to do everything she wanted, and I hoped she had no reason to find fault with me. " No, no, Briart,' ; she answered (my maiden name was Briart, and they never called me Kllen). " I atn going to try to do better for you if I can. You are clever with youi needle, and I want you to take a few lessons in millinery and hairdreseing, so that if some day Misa Emily should want a lady's maid you can fill the situation. You have been a very good girl, and you bavo seen shortness with us ; and if better times come, it is only fair you should share in them." I did not know what she meant then, but before many days were over I began to suspect she hoped to get Miss Emily married. (To be continued.)