MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 83 



*' Think of a number ; double it ; add seven to it ; take 

 away the number you first thought of, and " 



Well, at all events, after much research twelve letters were 

 set aside for further consideration. 



Amidst the variety of qualifications Miss Badsworth lost 

 sight of the matter in hand, viz., the provision of a good 

 accountant. A presentable person seemed necessary, rather 

 than a useful one ; the vision of the overbearing manner of 

 Mrs. Richardson stood out as a sort of beacon giving timely 

 warning of shoals and rocks. Of course this ought not to 

 have been the case, but every one else will allow, and Miss 

 Badsworth was apparently of the number which is conse- 

 quently unanimous, that it makes all the difference whether 

 a person has to dwell in your house or be foisted on to a 

 public meeting which is capable of recuperating its common- 

 sense subsequently in God's free air. 



The one individual who began in the third person and 

 concluded in the first would in all probability have been the 

 most efficient of the lot, but her letter, poor soul, went into 

 the waste-paper basket at once. 



When the second post proved indisputably that the appli- 

 cants had power to add to their number. Miss Badsworth 

 sat down and sympathised with the patriarch when he saw 

 the Egyptian waggons. So great appeared the work of 

 cleansing the Augean stable, that the lady who was used to 

 gladden her followers by sweeping away the obstacles of 

 prejudice, leant her head upon her hand and gave way to 

 the heretical doubt that after all Mr. Morgan had something 

 on his side. She would have given worlds for a committee 

 to whom the matter might be referred. 



She was a long way ofT, " hull down," as mariners say, 

 with only her topmasts, pinnacles of glory, peering out of 

 the hazy mists of reminiscence ; she had lost her identity 

 in a measure, and was noting how the spirit (non-alcoholic) 

 of her influence had stimulated to vigour some of her follow- 

 ing. It may be presumed that she was seeking to obviate 



a sort of vote of " want of confidence " in herself which 



6 * 



