The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-08-05
OUR GAL.

E
| hailed her broad face and stout figure
with a most hearty welcome. Little did
! | realize-but to begin at the beginning.
was, am very young housekeeper,
yet theoretically do know something of
! the arts apd sciences thereunto appertain-
ing. I was married about two years ago !;
but have always boarded until now, and
when | started in ny pretty house, with
two good girls, and everything new, /
fancied that clock work would be a mere
wandering vagrant compared TO the reg
ularity Of T'y proceedings. ""Twas Oh a
Sunday morning" as the song says. that
my troubles began | was dressing for
church, when my chambermaid came up
with a rueful countenance.
'If you please, Mrs, Harvey, I'm
going"
"Going" I exclaimed. "Where!"
ITO leave, maam! Home! I've got
a spell Of neuralgia coming on, and I'm
going home to lay by"
"But you can lie down here, if you are
sick"
"Weu, ma'am, amt to say sick, ex-
sctly, but I'm fixing for turn"
"A turn ?"
! eyes; | have neuralgia in spells, and
| always feel 'em comm"
/ Words were vain. Go she would, and
20 she did I went into the kitchen to
explain to the cook that she must DO
double duty for time. She was a per
feet termagant, and to my utter amaze
ment she wheeled around with the cry
"Gore, Jane gone. viii you get
another girl"
. "CeItainly."
I "To-dayI'
Glow can I get a girl On Sunday"
/ And tomorrow wash day. In, not
going to stay to DO al the work. You'll
either get another girl early tomorrow
or I'll leave"
you'll leave now, in the shortest
space of time it takes 10 go from here TO
the door," cried Earry, from the sitting
room, where he could overhear US
With many iDsoient speeches she de-
parted, aud inconyeuient as it was | was
glad TO see her so.
/ Of course there vas no church, and I
began TO get dinner Harry. ike mas.
culine angel as he IS, took of bis coat and
came down to help me, with tue assur-
ance that he actually could not sit sull
aud hear the cook use the tone she did,
one instant longer. 1t was a berry day.
Harry raked the FIRE till bis glossy brown
curls were powdered with gray, which
premature sign of age was produced, he
assured me, by "oare, and not the weight
Of years" He peeled potatoes so beau
tlfully that they were about as big as bul-
lets, after he had taken of the skin an
inch thick all round. Pies were the only
article Of cookery with which | was prac-
tically acquainted, so | made meat pie.
two apple-pies, and short for sup
per, which Te ate with the dinner at six
o'clock. 1t was late enough when We
cleared Up, but at last all was done but
one thing. Harry was in the bathroom,
refreshing himself, when | discovered the
coal was ell gone. l hated to call him
down, for he had worked hard all day. SO
| took the scuttie 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 I
filed the big scutt!e, and tugging away
with both hands, started up stairs, Twas
at the top, my labor nearly over, when
somehow, | cannot tell how, | lost my
balance ] reeled over. and the heavy
thing came with me, down to the bottom
of the stairs. felt it crushing nv foot
| heard Harry's call, and rush down
stairs, and then l tainted l kuow now.
thoagh | 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 ever ne is the next
thing l remember. As soon as | was
conscious, and able to speak, | let him
60 for doctor, iamentIng that mother
aud Lou we're both out of town for the
summer.
Well, we'll 1t was weary night: no
time to scold, Harry said, so he petted,
nursed, and tended me, till my heart
scbed with its fitness of love and graft
tude. Morning found me, my fractured
ankle in e box, lying helpless in bed, and
Harry promised TO send me girl imme-
diately. So after all this long prelude |
come to "our gal" Oh, must tell you
how Harry made me a slice of buttered
toast for breakfast, BY buttering the bread
on both sides, and then tcasting it.
1t was about nine o'clock when mY
new glrl came, Harry had given her
dead latch key, so she entered and caue
up to my door. Her knock was the first
psculiarity that startled me. One rap,
lnnd as q nistnl shot and -.