"COBBLER" HORN ENGAGES A SECRETARY.
On his way home from the minister's house, "Cobbler" Horn was somewhat
exercised in his mind as to how he should tell his sister what he had
done. He could inform her, without hesitation, that the minister had
recommended a secretary; but how should he make known the fact that the
commended secretary was a lady? He was not afraid of his sister; but he
preferred that she should approve of his doings, and he wished to render
his approaching announcement as little distasteful to her as might be. But
the difficulty of doing this would be great. It would have been hard to
imagine a communication likely to prove more unwelcome to Miss Jemima than
the announcement that her brother contemplated the employment of a lady
secretary. Nor was the difficulty of the situation relieved by the fact
that the lady was young, and possibly attractive. It would have been as
easy to impart a delectable flavour to a dose of castor-oil, as to render
agreeable to his sister the announcement he must immediately make. Long
before he reached home, he relinquished all attempt to settle the
difficulty which was agitating his mind. He would begin by telling his
sister that the minister had recommended a secretary, and then trust to
the inspiration of the moment for the rest.
Miss Jemima, encompassed with a comprehensive brown apron, stood at the
table peeling the potatoes for dinner.
"You've been a long time gone, Thomas," she said complacently--for Miss
Jemima was in one of her most amiable moods.
"Yes; we found many things to talk about."
"Well, what did he say on the secretary question?"
"Oh, he has recommended one to me who, he thinks, will do first-rate."
"Ah! and who is the young man? For of course he is young; all secretaries
are."
"The person lives in Birmingham," was the guarded reply, "and goes by the
name of Owen."
Miss Jemima felt by instinct that her brother was keeping something back.
She shot at him a keen, swift glance, and then resumed the peeling of the
potato just then in hand, which operation she effected with such extreme
care, that it was a very attenuated strip of peeling which fell curling
from her knife into the brown water in the bowl beneath.
"What is this young man's other name?" she calmly asked.
"Well, now, I don't know," said "Cobbler" Horn, with a shrewd smile.
"Just like you men!" whipped out Miss Jemima, pausing in her work; "but I
suppose, as the minister recommends him, it will be all right."
There was nothing for it now but a straightforward declaration of the
dreadful truth.
"Jemima," said "Cobbler" Horn, "I mustn't mislead you. It's not a young
man at all."
Miss Jemima let fall into the water, with a sudden flop, the potato she
was peeling, and faced her brother, knife in hand, with a look of wild
astonishment in her eyes.
"Not a young man!" she almost shrieked, "What then?"
Her brother's emphasis had been on the word _man_, and not on the word
_young_.
"Well, my dear," he replied, "a young----in fact, a young lady."
Up went Miss Jemima's hands.
"Thomas!"
"Yes, Jemima; such is the minister's suggestion."
Miss Jemima, who had resumed her work, proceeded to dig out the eye of a
potato with unwonted prodigality.
"Mr. Durnford," resumed "Cobbler" Horn, "tells me it is a common thing for
young ladies to be secretaries now-a-days; and he very highly recommended
this one in particular."
Miss Jemima knew, that if her brother's mind was made up, it would be
useless to withstand his will.
"When is she coming?" was all she said.
"I don't know. Mr. Durnford promised to write and ask her to come and see
us first. You shall talk with her yourself, Jemima; and, believe me, if
there is any good reason to object to the arrangement, she shall not be
engaged."
Miss Jemima permitted herself just one other word.
"I am surprised at Mr. Durnford!" she said; and then the matter dropped.
Two days later, in prompt response to the minister's letter, Miss Owen
duly arrived. Mr. Durnford met her at the station, and conducted her to
the house of "Cobbler" Horn. He had sent her, in his letter, all needful
information concerning "Cobbler" Horn, and the circumstances which
rendered it necessary for him to engage a secretary.
"They reside at present," he said during the walk from the station, "in a
small house, but will soon remove to a larger one."
"Cobbler" Horn was busy in his workshop when they arrived; but Miss Jemima
was awaiting them in solitary state, in the front-room. The good lady had
meant to be forbidding and severe in her reception of the "forward minx,"
whom she had settled it in her mind the prospective secretary would prove
to be. But the moment her eyes beheld Miss Owen she was disarmed. The
dark-eyed, black-haired, modestly-attired, and even sober-looking girl,
who put out her hand with a very simple movement, and spoke, with
considerable self-possession truly, but certainly not with an impudent
air, bore but scant resemblance to the "brazen hussey" who had haunted
Miss Jemima's mind for the past two days.
"Cobbler" Horn came in from his workshop, and greeted the young girl with
an honest heartiness which placed her at her ease at once.
With almost a cordial air, Miss Jemima invited the visitors to sit down.
As Miss Owen glanced a second time around the room, a look of perplexity
came into her face.
"Do you know, Miss Horn," she said, "your house seems quite familiar to
me. I almost feel as if I had been here before. Of course I never have.
It's just one of those queer feelings everybody has sometimes, as if what
you are going through at the time had all taken place before."
She spoke out the thought of her mind with a simple impulsiveness which
had its own charm.
"No doubt," said Miss Jemima, with a start; but she was deterred from
further remark by Mr. Durnford's rising from his seat.
"I think I'll leave you," he said, "and call for Miss Owen in--say a
quarter of an hour. With your permission, Mr. Horn, she will sleep at
our house to-night."
"Don't go, sir," said "Cobbler" Horn. "Your presence will be a help to
us on both sides."
It needed no further pursuasion to induce the minister to remain: with
his assistance, "Cobbler" Horn soon came to terms with the young lady;
and, as, upon a hint conveyed in the letter she had received from the
minister, she had come to Cottonborough prepared, if necessary, to remain,
it was arranged that she should commence her duties on the following day.
"And would it not be as well for her to come to us to-night?" asked
"Cobbler" Horn. "The sooner she begins to get used to us the better. And
she can still spend the evening with you, Mr. Durnford."
The minister looked enquiringly at Miss Owen,
"What do you say, my dear?"
"I am entirely in your hands, sir, and those of Mr. Horn."
"Well," said Mr. Durnford, "if you really wish it. Mr. Horn, Miss Owen
shall come to you to-night."
And thus it was arranged.