THE BEHAVIOUR OF MRS. BROOKS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11505, 11 February 1903, Page 4

THE BEHAVIOUR OF MRS. BROOKS.

♦ Bt \T. *sn BiM*. < .-.y (Author ot " Moid Kntty," •*•) It's all very well to cay that n<»» of us girls ought to have stayed oe,:but irtJen you come to think of it, .it fen't every how where you can do just as you like. Besides, the wages were good and the place was close to Hyde Parlc-that i* no. P*f ticulair catch though in the winter «wo*M —and there were several families we were acquainted with in the We were aft taken over withthe iu>iwe,ijne and cook and Matthew* and Wilhelm. Mw Brooks 4rove up in a four-wheeler, with her husband, and the driver told Wijhelm that he had brought them from Peckbun. I had never heaTd of the place before, because, being tall and arather a good figure, aa figures go, I have always been in houses in the West End, but cook had •«**« living sear there, end she said It we* tomewhere 'm ti» «outh-east yart of London. Dresdful place, evidently. "I shall want to see all you servant* d'rectly," said Mm Brooks. Matthew* helped her with her fore as she stood in end Wiihelm took Mr Brooke'* new eilk hat.and OTerooat. "I want give you all a good talking'to the very first thdng. Eh, Jainee?" , "You're Tight, my dear," - agreed her husband. ■•; ■' . :' ' ■-. ' - ■-'*■' : ;.- "As we begin," said the old lady, "«o we must' go on. I know what servants axe, and what is wanted in ruling over them is a glove Of'steel under—Eh, James?" "Bome'ißg^ike-that,' , said Mr Brook*. "Gently with that new topper of mine, my hid; I don't want the nap rubbed the wrong way first thing." "Madam," remarked Wilhelm, "loonch he is refcty." - 'Xunchl" exclaimed Mr Brooks, "why feh» i> my dinner hower." "L<>pnoh," «aid Wilhelm, "at one. Dinner, he arrive at eight." • V "The German chap T e quite tight, Junes," said the' old lady. "You're putting both feet in it already. We must be prepared to eat- twice as much as we've been in the 'abit of doing." "I'd iorgot," said, her husband apologetically. ' "Remind me, Maria, if you see me makingi any little elipe, and I'll remind you. "I ah«U have my work cut oat," she said. ' - ■ . . Wilhelm waited at lunch and I helped; you would have found it difficult to keep a straight face to see the .old couple from Peckham, one seated at each end, and calling out to each other and saying what they thought of the food. They were very much puzzled over Che cutlery at the side of their plates and the general rale that they worked on seemed to be to use a fork when a knife was wanted, to take a knife when a fork was required, and in momenta of difficulty to fall back on. a spoon; watching the old fellow chasing food all over his plate with a g>iece of bread was as good as looking at a musichall turn. When lunch was over we all had to go tip into the'dining-room and stand in, a line; cook was against this, bat we persuaded her to fall in just for the lark of the thing. "Now," eaid old Mm Broota, rubbing her nose with the serviette, "I want to twk to you. I want to make everything quite clear so that there shall be no sort of misunderstanding. James, you mustn't light up yet, and when you <k> light up it , * got to be a cigar." ' Her husband sighed and replaced hi* briar pipe in ha pocket.. "Mβ end Mr Brook*," she went on, "have been 'ard working people all °v* Te "» **"* wjien we began we hadn't more than about thirtytfve shillings in the savings bask to bless ourselves yjitib" "Thirty-five and nine," said her husband from the other end of the table. "But we made up our minds that come what might we'd always work ■honldir to shoulder. We've had mie-worde nor and again, but it's always been vj fwdt" "Or mine," he renericed. "Be that as it may, we both.wtßt at it, 'worn, foot and utiltarr, v you nay ny,

> and the shop would'aever here prospered if lie hadn't took off tea coat and H 1 hadn't rolled up my sleeves." Matthew* intimated that abe was Shocked. ' -' "You must take something for thai cough of jama, my girl," said the old lady, look. ing at her pointedly. "I had an aunt once who neglected t> cold, and "he's in Honor Park cemetery and a very nice funeral it was too. I was asked and my aiater wain't. You remember, James?' , ♦H3«t on with y«mr eermon, ,, he eqggcated from the other end of the table. "Now my 'usband'e elder Iwotber," si» said, holding a dessert knife impressively, "went out to Australia., wherever that may "It'a on the map twnewbere," remarked her husband. " . "And he eeems to have made money and we've come into it. See? It'e no credit to us, but at the same tame it's no fault of ours. Now you've all been mad to good families, and I daresay you'll find that me and Mr Brook*—him especially—will W»r and again behave as though we're not exactly to the manner born. See?" Cook, on behalf of tSie rest of us, nodded. "But I'm not going to have him laughed at, and Brooke is not going to let anybody eneer at me, so I want yon to understand, all of you. that we're going to fill our new position as well a* we can, and we shall learn gradually all the tricks of the tr'aole, but meanwhile"—here ehe pointed the dessert knife at us separately and individually —''meanwhile, no larEs, if you please. You'll all go jest as you did under the late management, so to speak, and there's going to be no taking advantage of us if we have 'itherto been what you may call ordinary people. See?" Cook made an appropriate repfiy, and when she finished Mrs Brooks said, "Earear," and we marched out of the. room. I would have given my Savings Bank book to have been able to laugh whilst I was in the room; I made up for it when I got downsUira "Don't let anybody talk of giving notice," I recommended. "We're going to have rate larka with these two old dodderers." . ; And rare larks, believe me, or believe me not, rare larks we (had. Matthews is one of those girls that can never originate anything, but she can act on idteaa once tiny are given to her, and the way we induced the old lady to dress up when she went omt witxh her husband for a drive waa enough to thaw the ice an the' Serpentine. She look* eJ like something off a Twelfth Cake. When I told her how to behave at the table she always pretended that she had known quite well but*bad forgotten; I believe if I had suggested ehe should take her soup with a fork she would have tried Jt, for the poor old soul waa quite willing to believe that whatever was difficult was right. Mr Brooks used to go into.tin library, and pretend to read books, but I noticed that when I went in he smuggled away a copy of "Tst Bits" rather hurriedly; he confessed one morning at breakfast that he could never get on with tb* 'Times," and his wife told bun rather eharply that be would have to learn. Owe day I found on a writing-desk a lot of bill-beads he had filled up, just, I suppose, to occupy his time. "Bo't of T. W. Brooke and Co," they were beaded, "Cash .drapers. The oldest establishment in South London." "Beg your panfcm, sir," I said, "but did you want these, kept?" "Oh no, my girl," he replied, taking them and tearing fenem in pieces. He' seemed very much confused. . "I've , only—«mly been having a little game of shops. Don't cay anything to her about it." : I said nothing to Mts Brooks, but I naturally told than downstairs, and cook said, if you were to ask (her, she should judge that the old chap was unhappy at having to give up business, and probably wished himself, times out of mind, back again in Peckham. They arranged for a dinner party, and Matthews wrote out tb* cards of invitation— ' •Tm not very 'andy with, m* pan," explained the old lady. And when the evening cam* not one of the gueeta arrived; it turned out afterwards that some had objected to being patronised, •ad others had taken offence at, the letters R.S.V.P. Old Mrs Brooks cried that nigOit, and her hasbaod came up from bbc other end of the long dinner table to pat her hand and comfort her, and eh* threw her arms round hie neck an deried. "Ob, 'James! This is a rough world for people who've got too much money t" She hunted all through tb*. aous* lor booJts on etijuette, but, of course, our late people did not want book* to toll them anything on this subject, and ehe had to send Wifhelm along into Oxford street. Wilhelm brought back one on "The Sins of Society," which the old lady after looking at threw, into the fire; the other called, "You nraen'tl" aba studied until she seemed to be quite dazed at the number of things which one was not allowed to do. She bought the weekly fashion papers and spelt out the rales-in th* Deportment Column about leaving carde; I heard her tell Mr Brooks once that she would as lief try to learn whiat, and when the old gentlemen advised her! not to- trouble about it, afe* fired up and told him that it waa their duty to live up to the new position, and as he did nothing in this way it was necessary for her to do all the move. * -' ■ <- . "I don't know, my dear," he said, 'Tve given up my pipe." r "But you ha'ten't karat to «Mk» afars/l she retorted. "And I wear a silk hat week days." "It comes right down on your ears." "I drew for dinner every evening." "And a pretty guy you look/ said the old Jady, crossly. .VBetnini* me of nothmuch as (he waiters in Tea Pot Bow, close to Greenwich Park." "It will all dry straight, my dear," he urged. /'Everytbtog does in this world if you oily give it tune." • I wish to goodness someone had gives your brother time, and prevented him leaving hie money to us. We were 'appy enough as w» wer*." - "The servants are listenin'." "See what nice Christmases -we used to 'aye at Peckham! See how friendly •veryone used to be, sending us bjts of their plum pudding and what not, and me •ending back a bit of mine in exchange. ' See how we used to ait up on our fint-ooor after the company had gone, and have our little drop of something, and l talk - jvbovb- old times! If you were 'alf a man, James, you'd take the blessed money, and tbrow it all over Westminster Bridge into' the river," "A man," «aid Mr Brooks, in a «tolid way, "has got to do the best he can m the station that it pleases Providence. to call him. Same thing , may be said of a woman—to a certain extent." I asked tbem about Christmas. They were not going anywhere, they said* they would be at home alf day, but the old lady told me that we were to do just what we had been in the lfcb.it of doing, and if it was customary for Uβ to ask a few friends in, and have a sort of party, why we were to do so this time. I told her this wa* toe usual thing, and downttaitti Cook and me made all the necessary arrangement*. "My idea," said Cook, "under all the circumetance* i*.simply this:.No stint." We were «o much our own meetem and our own mattresses that we did, I admit, make rather generous preparation*. Matthews axked her young man, who wae an inspector on the underground. Cook asked her eiater, and her •star , * two daughters and their young men. Wilhelm invited a German clerk in the city, who had ooine over with him from Ktrawburg, and 1 should have asked a certain young gentleman, only that he was under the imp m> ■ ■ion that I was in independent circumstances, and it would never have done tor hidl to come near the house. Cook arranged lor a person to come in on Otai«tmas night and play for us to dance, and a chap I never oared for (akbougk at one time he was very keen on me), whi served in a music shop Netting HUI way, arranged to lend a. pianoforte on tbf; understanding that we paid for the cartage. Old Mr* Brooke took a gn** interest in *U these preparations, and X never went'into the room, but «be aaked how everything was going on. She bought some holly and •took it about the ixsam of « «hedining-roon»: Matthew* toidbertba* wae rather bad fom; but the old lady said that had or good form «h» wu going to ke*p Christmas somehow; both she and Mr Brooks hid been strict Werieyani, and if they ignored, Christmas they might Just v w«a ignore everything. ■ • I talked it over rath*r aexkwsly with

Cook, because I personally had neveJisfS fore been with a family which either Church of England or nt*bia*ii Cook said that try atom iwdd onesSli found a place you could call ejbsolut4rrfusi| feet, and annoying as it might be ■*(£&&& in service under Dissenters, her to eimply moke light of it. . , i$M There was fog about thai" GhriatmaaMil remember, the.post deliveries w*M.a&jgra| trains delayed, and w* lad to ligb*?s*r 1 gas in the kitchen to see to decorate 2ra place. We had. " Welcome"'jusl ebo#t'j| the duet covers and " Goodwill'to all &Een'£f near the area window; Cook said tKfcra would please the gentlemen. When Wi&l helm and I took up lunch the old couplfe were standing at the window looking eu§| at nothing, their arms around eaoh ettatai waists; I think Mrs Brooks hod beeacrjsp ing, I couldn't help feeling sorry . fctfj: them; they seemed so lonely, and irbta-ifl banded her the fiah I »aid that all «t.t«)'4 downstairs ventured to wish her a Mttrj% Christmas. .: .* *$;B "Now that is kind of you," she oieJ'C thankfully. "Jatnee, do you hear that?J. ; f| "Very nice indeed," said the old gei*j| tleman from the other end of the tahfcs ''Very thoughtful, I must cay." j , !^ "Was there any post this morning?" sWk asked. ■ , ifßa ",Not for you, ma'am," I said. < Utl She sigbed and took up the wrong and fork. I put her. right, and she «ighfci!| again. j-,^j "Letters ao often go astray, my dear, f| remarked old Mr Brooke. : ' ,|| "Not if people dont write them, -fes should have thought somebody at would have rememered-—" ,« "Shall I light up, ma'am?" I aiked. ?p. "No," she void, in a desolate sort o@ way. "We never have lit up for. mas yet, and we won't begin now. did you say grace?" l?^ "Slipped me memory, my love," ted her husband. ~ ,'S "Oh dear, oh dear," she wailed, "what'! are we coming to, Christmas day and aUT^S 'Tor what we are about to said the»old gentleman bending his head/t*; "Lord make us truly thankful for "\ ?$ "'"Amen," eaid Mrs Brooks. "Thitiiifj many « poor soul would be glad of food M«HI this, James." I "Wiah they'd oome and eat my ' then. I used to.be a pretty good 'and wittl! , the knife and fork in the old days." > "JM \ "Everything's changed," said his *mM ' sadly, "everything's changed since th* <isfjt days." . '"" ~=^ "Cheer op old girl," he urged, "ohctr , Be merry and bright," here hia voios ered, "be merry and bright like I am. it was a fine day, we'd have the out and take a nice drive round Pwkgi ' ham." ' •' - "t Jμ 1 "But it isn't a fine day.". J."|§ "Fog's bound t» clear ofl," be atla wM i couragutgly, "sooner or later." . > It was unfortunate io far as our ptrra| i downstairs waa concerned, because evetj|| 1 body who did oome was' late, and.fiWS. of long account* of their adveoturas intl||; fog, and Matthew's young man, the ground Inspector, never came at "fU - B|f cause of some ailly accident on tba \m.?s Then just as we began our first rille—we were rather unfashionable. the troth-, and started at five—<liere cwnri ? ring at the door, and Wilhelm bad to Jb;| up and answer. . ?| \ "Who was it?" we asked, when twaed, and <we prepared to makt X i*Hg ■tert. » , * *v~. % is| "Gentlemans from .the City," ! halm. ' . -^"^njsiit " Nonsense," X said. " OenUeuwo go to th* city, and they don't ' the city on Ohrktanas Day-" ' - L, N'^ "I don't know someeing ab«A it," vM 1 plied Wilhehn. "I only know,is eay,,fa§| wish, Mr Brooks to Me on B«n. Ec would have been already only the train he was hour./' *• .. ' ,^|| "Whatevtr can it be?" said, Codui «'Pon me word, it's quit* upswing. t SEB do wish people would b»v* *WU xml tact.",. , ■-. \v7s3m We were trying to make up s> a*i'if«| torn Lanoers (it's very awkward wfea mf| are not enough gentlemen to go ihsb when, a tap came *t the Mopped and Cook opened it. * Old •)&% Brooka stood thiatw, more; otmrl&imm Wh* bad ever looked since the Un*' r ji|| into the house. -•* ■> ' t "Don't let m* disturb you,-jar/ aheaaid brightly.' "W«'v* let the man out, and James and I would all like to? beer the good n«v»>M^ Cook waa alwayi dead agaiaetcoming into her lutoban, Itxtikan exception In this cue,':^ H Brooks whftber ab* just lor a moment. -- Mnr M to ha husband, waiting on the atail*,'' and;, h> Wm M wo was looking Ilk* rtm^V^P^jjpS M Qo«i with your dantinfe 1 !, old woman, cheerfnlly.--to teU you wm tbattiie/v* grown-up new* over in Melbou*i*CTg§|| Brooke's poor brother wouldni. notice of feer after she. Warned paper man—and we're go»£ to the money over to her »M ■■ I "* ,^!3l W|| back to Peckham.. Ain't w*, '*T'" Di ?Wg^^ "M you gueased again," said Hr'OiMio "you'd be wag." •.-?. ..JSI Cook , * opinion wa« that the t/intf mgM with.most people whan tt*ybad-fo#|iMi the obab Oi«t mitftd Uiejn bet/ it wm a -pity dm if anything to disturb tbtm., Cook saki } tbsrf 4 use in being ambiUJoca just for «>*JlMg of bring amWttow, and f&/9*fa&g&B persuade themselvwt tb*y ware tfcsy were not happy, .Cook elated she. was-sorry w* bsA'«f fun of tb* old couple, and Cook would be a better world and a if everyone were as honest ana '"* k t*?£illß etraightforrard as Mr and Mr*^B,»oki^| 'vs£m