Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-28
MORNING LEADER.
wonderful HOUSemaid.
ny ms. CAROLINE A soULE.

] QoaA uahusOlleI tuau sac, tAelluleu LUX
Nell Summers ina lively tone, as she tossed
her building blocks into basket, pell.mell,
and climbed into the lap Of her uncle Herbert
Miss Kate 0dell can't begin TO be as beautiful
as our Ellen" 1F L gEf.f....I.tl..
"And who Is 'Our Ellen Y asked Mr..
Lincoln, as he tOyed with the child's sunny
curls; sand how came little Miss Nell to
know what her mother and ! were talking
abOut2 We thought you were toe busy with
your fairy castles to listen to US.
F" And If l was busy, couldn't heart II
takes ewes and hands to build castles, not ears
don't YOU know that Mr.. Uncle2n
uIf didn't do now; and he roguishly
pinehed the small snowy ones that lay hidden
behind the long ringlets. But tell me; little
niece, where and who is that beautiful creature
that rivals the belle of the season In charms,
according to you2
"Why, its Ellen, our Ellen, and she's up
stairs, suppose"
But who's Ellen, and what does she
herep a.a 81.
Why, Ellen's the maid, and she sweeps
and dusts aud lays the table, and waits on
il, too, and does everything that maids always
/ do, and great deal besides, for mamma never
I has W tltAlh any AAOANt anu NSoA6 ~ anu a
don't have to cry over our lessons"
"A wonderful maid, indeed" said Uncle
Herbert, in an incredulous tone )" l fancy Miss
0dell Would't be scared if she knew who
her beautiful rival was. But how came she
here2"
"Why, mamma hired her, as she does all
her maids, and unless she gets married, We
shall always have her, forI know she'll never
do anything bad
a paragon, truly-this Ellen; pray ex-
plain, mamma; and Mr.. Lincoln turned to
his sister,
al cannot" said she. al can only cor
roborate what Nell has told you. Ellen is
maid who has lived with me fortnight only,
and vet in that time has won my heart COM
pleiely. In person-but as you stop to tea,
you will see her, and you can judge yourself
ifshe does not rival, and fairly, too, with the
brilliant belle of the winter. In manners,
she is perfect lady; she has, too exquisite
taste and a tact in the management of house
hold affairs that never saw equalled-"
Tell him how sWeetly she sings, inter-
rupted the little daughter. "She sings me to
sleep every night, and l always feel, when l
shut my eyes; as i'll were going right up to
heaven T.
Bravo, Nell A very angel of house
maid she must be. long TO see her. and
he laughed in that peculiar tone which seems
to say, "yOH're telling me but humbug
story"
"You'll laugh the other side ofyour mouth,
said Nell, earnestly, "won't he, mamma, when
he comes TO see her ?h
al shouldn't wonder" answered heI
mother, gaily; indeed, if he had not as good
as owned that he had lost his heart to Miss
Odell, l shouldn't care to give so young and
enthusiastic man glimpse Of my pretty
maid. But list, hear her gentle tread
The door OF the sitting-room was opened
and there glided into the room, with step
light IS a fairy S, ayoung, slender, but texquis-
itely graceful female. The single glance
which Herbert directed towards her, as she
entered, filed his soul with a wondrOus vision,
for beauty sat enthroned upon every feature
Of the blushing face. The fair oval forehead,
the soft dark eye with itslong dropping lashes,
the delieately ehiseIled nose, the rose tinted
cheeks, the full scarlet lips, each items of
loveliness were blended in so perfect and COM
plete a union, that one felt, as he gazed upon
the countenance, as does the florist when he
plucks halEbloEn moss roSe-Heayen might
have made it more beauteOus still, but this
sufices.
There was a little embarrassment visible
in her attitude, as she found herself unexpect-
edly in the presence Of company, but only
for an instant did she yield to it. Recovering
herself hastily, she said to Mrs. Summers:
" Did you decide, ma'am, to have tea an
hour earlier than usual7n
1t was a simple question, but the accents
thrilled the young mans heart, and he thought
to himself if there be so much music in her
voice when she speaks only as a servant to her
mistress, how heavenlyit might he in alOFer's
ear; and from that time he did not wonder at
little Nell's remark kabouther songs of lullaby.
We did, Ellen and you may lay the
cloth at once. Ny brother viii stop with
US"
Intuitively delicate, Herbert seemed all the
while busy with bis little neice, and did not
once look towards the beautiful domestic
during the moments that elapsed ere the tea
was ready, yet be stole many flrtive glance
at her through the golden curls of his little
playmate, and when she glided from the room,
he felt as though the sunshine was driven
from hispath.
Isn't she more beautiful than Miss 0dell,
say uuIAE " Whispered NELlr tL1 luG uOUI GlOSCu
on her Didn't tell the truth when said
l knew somebody that was handsomer than
she2"
'Indeed you did, said Mr.. Lincoln, ear
nestly. "She is nearly perfect"
II wish you could see her With her hair
curled, uncle. Once or twice, when we were
up stairs alone, she has let me take out her
comb, and such long silky ringlets as 1 made
by just twisting it over my fngers-Oh,
don't believe you ever saw any so beautiful
in all your hfel teased her to wear it so
all tho time, but she shook her head and
combed them up into braids again, and said
curls and housemaids didn't look well togeth
er; and when I asked why not, she said Id
know when l grew older, and then two or
three great tears stood in her eyes, and do
believe, uncle, she cries some nights all the
time, for her eyes look so red some mornings.
Amt it too bad that such handsome girl
should have to be a maid p
ayes, by my soul it is, said the young
man warmly. "Do tell me, sister her story.
There must be seme romance in it. She has
not been a menial all her life
'iWhat know, l can tel in few words,
Herbert. When Bessie, my last maid, gave
netice of leaving, she said she could recon-
mend a substitute, and mot being very well,
thought I would sooner trust her than run
the risk of going day after day to the intel
hgence Office. She said young, girl who,
with a widowed mother, lived on the same
floor with some Of her friends, had applied to
her for aid in obtaining a situation as maid,
and she thought, from what she had seen and
knew of her, che would snit me exactly. ]
was sornayrbat startled whom I sav her f,r
though Bessie had told me how beautiful and
ladylike she was l was not prepared for the
vision that met me, and, to tell the truth, in