The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-08-06

L discovered that tie coal was all gone.
l hated to call him down, for he had
worked hard all day, SO ! took the scuttle
and went down in the cellar myself,
laughing to think how he would scold
when he knew it. | am wee woman, and
not very strong, but [ filled the big scut-
tie, and tugsing away with both hands,
started up stairs. [ was at the top, my
labor nearly over, wien somehow, cannot
tell how, I lost my balance. l reeled
over, and the heavy thing came with me,
down to the bottom of the stairs, l felt
il crushing my foot. | heard Harry's
call, and rush down stairs, and then L
tainted. I know now, though l did not
then, how he lifted me in his strong arms
and carried me up stairs, and the touch OF
the cold water which he poured over me
is the next thing [ remember. AS soon
as [ was conscious, and able to speak, L
let him 90 for doctor, lamenting that
mother and Lou were both out of town for
the summer.
Well, well /. it was weary night; no
time to scold, Harry said, SO he petted,
nursed and tended me, till my heart
ached with its fulness of love and graft
tude. Morning found me, my fractured
ankle in box, lying helpless in bed, and
Harry promised to send me a girl imme-
dately. SO after all this long prelude, L
come to "our gal" Oh, l must tell you
how Harry made me slice of buttered
toast for breakfast, by buttering the bread
on both sides, and then toasting it.
1t was about nine o'clock when my new
girl came. Harry had given her dead
latch key, so she entered and came up to
nv door. Her knock was the first pecul-
iarity that startled me. One rap, loud as
a pistol shot, and as abrupt.
"Comc in ~ cried.
With sweep the door flew back, and
in the space stood my new acquisition.
Stop moment. l must describe her. She
was very tall, very robust, and very ugly.
Her thick black hair grew low on her fore
head, and her complexion was uniform
red Her features were very large, and
her mouth full Of Cher only beauty white
even teeth The mouth, though large,
was flexible and expressive, and he big
ewes promised intelligence. But oh, how
can 1 describe her "ways," as Harry calls
them. She stood for an instant perfectly
motionless, then she swept down in low
and really not ungracefui courtesy.
"Madam," she said, in a deep voice,
"your most obedient"
"You are L said, questioningly.
"Your humble servant"
This was not "getting on" bit, so |
said-aare you the girl Mr.. Harvey sent
from the Intelligence Office !'
81 am that woman, she said with a
flourish OF her shawl; sand here" she
added, .sis my certificate Of merit" and
she took paper from her pocket. Ad-
rancing with long step, stop, another
step, and stop, till she reached my bedside,
she handed me the paper with low bow,
and then stepping back three steps, she
stood waiting for me to read it, with her
hands clasped and dropping, and her head
bent, as if it were her death warrant.
1t was a we'll written, properly worded
note from her former mistress, certifying
that she was honest and capable, and /
really had no choice but to keep her, so L
told her to find her room, lay of her bon
net. and then come to me again. l was
half afraid of her. She was not drunk,
with those clear black eyes shining SO
brightly, but her manner actually savored
of insanity. However, [ was helpless, and
then Harry would come as early as he
could, and | could endure to wait.
"Tell me your name," l said, as she
came in with the stride and stop.
"My name is Mary" she said, IN tone
so deep that it seemed to come from the
very toes Of her slippers.
swell, Mary, first put the room in or
der before the doctor comes"
Oh, if words could only picture that
scene! Fancy this tall, large, ugly we-
man, armed (I use the word in its full
sense) with duster, charging at the
furniture as if she were stabbing ber
MOI. .al enemy to the heart. She stuck
the comb into the brush as if she were
saying s'Die, traitorr' aud piled up the
books as if they were fagots for funeral
flame. She gave the curtains sweep
with her hand as if she were putting back
tapestry for royal procession, and dashed
the chairs down in their places like a
magnificent bandit spurning tyrant In
his power.
But when she came to the invalid she
was gentle, almost caressingin her natural
manner, propping me up comfortably,
making the bed at once easy and hand
some, and arranging my hair and dress
with perfect perception of my sore
condition. And when she dashed out CT
the room, I torgave the air with winch
she returned and presented a tray to me,
for the Aka Of its contcuts. Socn deli