The Garden Party

The whole family of Samuel Josephs was there already with their lady-help, who sat on a camp-stool and kept order with a whistle that she wore tied round her neck, and a small cane with which she directed operations. She always made them feel they were taking part in some drama. “Tell mother and Miss Laura to come here at once. When that family was sold up she went as “help” to a doctor’s house, and after two years there, on the run from morning till night, she married her husband. At last she was inside, and while she lay there panting, there sounded from above a long, soft whispering, as though some one was gently, gently rustling among tissue paper to find something.