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Edith Wharton (c. 1895) |
The Lady's Maid's Bell is a 1902 short story, the first ghost story written by Edith Wharton. The story takes place beginning in October. You can read it online here. It begins with this,
It was the autumn after I had the typhoid. I'd been three months in hospital, and when I came out I looked so weak and tottery that the two or three ladies I applied to were afraid to engage me. Most of my money was gone, and after I'd boarded for two months, hanging about the employment-agencies, and answering any advertisement that looked any way respectable, I pretty nearly lost heart, for fretting hadn't made me fatter, and I didn't see why my luck should ever turn. It did though—or I thought so at the time. A Mrs. Railton, a friend of the lady that first brought me out to the States, met me one day and stopped to speak to me: she was one that had always a friendly way with her. She asked me what ailed me to look so white, and when I told her, "Why, Hartley," says she, "I believe I've got the very place for you. Come in to-morrow and we'll talk about it."You can have it read to you:
The next day, when I called, she told me the lady she'd in mind was a niece of hers, a Mrs. Brympton, a youngish lady, but something of an invalid, who lived all the year round at her country-place on the Hudson, owing to not being able to stand the fatigue of town life.
"Now, Hartley," Mrs. Railton said, in that cheery way that always made me feel things must be going to take a turn for the better—"now understand me; it's not a cheerful place i'm sending you to. The house is big and gloomy; my niece is nervous, vaporish; her husband—well, he's generally away; and the two children are dead.
sounds like an interesting read-thanks
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday Kathy
I like her work.
DeleteEdith Wharton is a great storyteller. I love her writing. I'm a BIG fan. I'll be listening to this one later today, at least that's the plan.
ReplyDeleteShe's a marvel. If I knew she wrote short stories I'd forgotten it. I have a renewed appreciation for short stories.
DeleteI haven't read this story but I have liked the ones by Edith Wharton that I have read. I wish there was more classics by women from that time, but maybe I just haven't looked hard enough to find them. Happy weekend. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteIt was certainly harder for a woman to get published back in the day.
DeleteThank you for sharing the story. I read it rather than listened to it. It seemed rather strange that it was narrated by a man.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend,
Lisca
I didn't even think of that lol. There are probably female narrators for this story, but I didn't look...
DeleteHmmm, not a very satisfying ending.
ReplyDeleteThe plight of the servant, to stand in the place where a satisfying ending should be...
DeleteI know the story but will listen to it again soon. Valerie
ReplyDeleteIt was completely new to me.
Delete