"Cook, kitchen-maid, housemaid, and footman," I read. "My dear Rachel,

these servants are only wanted for a term--the term during which your

guardian has taken the house. We shall have great difficulty in finding

persons of character and capacity to accept a temporary engagement of

that sort, if we try in London. Has the house in Brighton been found

yet?"

"Yes. Godfrey has taken it; and persons in the house wanted him to hire

them as servants. He thought they would hardly do for us, and came back

having settled nothing."

"And you have no experience yourself in these matters, Rachel?"

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"None whatever."

"And Aunt Ablewhite won't exert herself?"

"No, poor dear. Don't blame her, Drusilla. I think she is the only

really happy woman I have ever met with."

"There are degrees in happiness, darling. We must have a little talk,

some day, on that subject. In the meantime I will undertake to meet

the difficulty about the servants. Your aunt will write a letter to the

people of the house----"

"She will sign a letter, if I write it for her, which comes to the same

thing."

"Quite the same thing. I shall get the letter, and I will go to Brighton

to-morrow."

"How extremely kind of you! We will join you as soon as you are ready

for us. And you will stay, I hope, as my guest. Brighton is so lively;

you are sure to enjoy it."

In those words the invitation was given, and the glorious prospect of

interference was opened before me.

It was then the middle of the week. By Saturday afternoon the house was

ready for them. In that short interval I had sifted, not the characters

only, but the religious views as well, of all the disengaged servants

who applied to me, and had succeeded in making a selection which my

conscience approved. I also discovered, and called on two serious

friends of mine, residents in the town, to whom I knew I could confide

the pious object which had brought me to Brighton. One of them--a

clerical friend--kindly helped me to take sittings for our little party

in the church in which he himself ministered. The other--a single lady,

like myself--placed the resources of her library (composed throughout of

precious publications) entirely at my disposal. I borrowed half-a-dozen

works, all carefully chosen with a view to Rachel. When these had been

judiciously distributed in the various rooms she would be likely to

occupy, I considered that my preparations were complete. Sound doctrine

in the servants who waited on her; sound doctrine in the minister who

preached to her; sound doctrine in the books that lay on her table--such

was the treble welcome which my zeal had prepared for the motherless

girl! A heavenly composure filled my mind, on that Saturday afternoon,

as I sat at the window waiting the arrival of my relatives. The giddy

throng passed and repassed before my eyes. Alas! how many of them felt

my exquisite sense of duty done? An awful question. Let us not pursue

it.




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