LADY HELPS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 175, 13 December 1876, Page 4

LADY HELPS.

Tue usually quiet district of Foresthill has been the scene of much excitement during the last few days, owing to an advertisement which appeared in a morning paper of Tuesday last stating that a domesticated' young lady was ■wanted “to assist a lady in her household to take the place of a lost- niece, and receive all her advantages of salary, marriage portion, and future provision in life, with a comfortable home. Apply personally,” &c. The first Intimation of any thing out of the usual course of business was the arrival, by ten o'clock train from Victoria, of some SO to -JO elegantly dressed young women, nearly all travelling, with first-class tickets, who made anxious inquiries for the place indicated in the advertisement—a villa way station, occupied by an aged couple, reported to be of somewhat eccentric habits, and who until recently were assisted in their ' household affairs by a middle-aged person, who is now stated to have been their niece. In a few minutes the majority of the travellers had returned to the railway station, much annoyed at finding that they had been duped into applying for the situation of a maid-of-all-w'ork. Before they could leave the station on their return they had the grim satisfaction of seeing other dupes arrive, both from Londoii-bridgc and Victoria. Throughout the day, every train from London Bridge, Victoria, and Croydon brought fresh candidates for the prize of the marriage portion, who crowded the road m which the villa is situated to such an extent that it might have been supposed that a fancy fair or flower show was being bold in the vicinity. The number of applicants for the situation during the day was estimated at upwards of 500. It is also stated that on the following morning the first post brought the advertiser upwards of ISO letters. By ten o’clock the pilgrimage to the villa recommenced, although the number of arrivals was less than- on the previous day . —Mommy Post.