The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-05-08
! OF conrse there was no church, and

Of course there was no church, ana
began 70 get dinner. Harry, like mas
cuiine angel as he was, took off his coat
and came down to help me, with an assnr.
ancc that he actually could not sit still and
hear the cook use the tone she did one
moment longer 1t was a merry day.
Harry raked the fire till his glossy brown
scurls were powdered with gray, which pre-
mature sign of old age was produced, he
assured me, by care, and not the weight
of years" He peeled potatoes so beanti-
fully that they were as big as bullets after
he had taken off the skin about an inch all
around. Pies were the only article OF
cookery with which | was particularly ac
ouaipted. so | made meat pie, two APP
nile ries. and shortcake for supper, which
we ate with the dinner at o clock. 1t was
late enough when We cleared up, but at
last all was done but one thing. Harry
was in the bath-room refreshing himself,
when discovered that the coal was all
gone. | hated to call him down, for he
had worked hard all day; so took the
scuttle and went down into the cellar my
self, laughing to think how he would scold
when he knew It, l am wee woman, ana
not over strong, but | filed the big scuttlc
and tugging away with both hands, started
up stairs.
/ was at the top, my labor nearly over,
when somehow, | cannot tell how, l lost
my balance. | reefed over and the heavy
thing came with me, down to the bottom
of the stairs. felt it crushing MY feet.
heard Harry's call, then tainted. | know
now, though l did not then, how he lifted
me in his strong arms and carried me up
stairs, and the touch of cold water which
he poured over me is the next thing | re-
member. A soon as | was conscious and
able to speak, let him go for the doctor,
lamenting that mother and Lou were both
ont of town for the summer.
Well, we'll it was a weary night; no
time to scold, Harry said, SO he petted,
nursed, and tended me till my heart ached
with its love and gratitude. Morning
found me my fractured ankle in a box, ly-
ing helpless in bed and Harry promised
to send me girl Immediately. So after
all this prelude / come to ''our gal. Oh!
| must tell you how Harry made me slice
Of but.eIed toast for breakfast, by butterng
the bread on both sides, and then toastlng
it.
1t was about 0 clock when my new girl
came. Harry had given her a dead~latch
key, so she entered and came up TO my
door. Her knock was the first peculiarly
that startled me. One rap, loud as
a pistol shot, and as abrupt.
Come in. y
With sweep the door few back and in
the space stood new acquisition. Stop a
moment [ must describe her. She was
very tall, very robust and very ugly. Her
thick black hair grew low on her forehead,
and her complexion was uniformly red.
Her features were very large, and her
mouth full of her only beauty, white, even
teeth Still, the face was far from stupid.
The mouth, though large, was flexible and
expressive, and the big, black eyes prom
Used intelligence. But oh, how can | de-
scribe her ways" as Harry calls them
She stood for moment perfectly motion
less, and then she swept In a low, and re-
ally not ungraceful courtesy.
Madame she said in a deep voice.
your most obedient.
"Yo GU are---' | said, qucstionably.
I our humble servant. ar-
This was getting on a bit !; SO | said to
her
You are the girl Mr.. Harvey sent from
the Intelligence Office p
81 am that woman" said she, with a
fourishing of her shawl and here is my
certificate Of merit, and she took from her
pocket paper. Advancing with a step, a
stop, another step, a stop, until she reach
ed 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 droop-
ing, and her head bent as if it was her
death warrant.
1t was properly written note from her
former mistress, certifying that she was
honest and capable, and | had really had
no choice but to keep her. so | told her to
find her room, lay off her bonnet, and then
her. She was not drunk, with those clear
ner actually savored of insanity. How
ever was helpless, and then Harry would
Come early as he could, and | could en-
dure to wait
Tell me your name,'' I said, as she
came IN with the stride and step.
+" My name is Mary" she said, in tone
so deep that it seemed to come from the
very toes of her CATERS.
We'll, Mary first put the room in order
before the doctor cones.'
Oh, if words could only picture that
scene! Fancy this tall, large, ugly woman,
armed to | used the word in its full sense
with a duster charging at the furniture as
if she were slabbing her mortal eieiny TO
the heart. She stuck the comb in the
brush as if she was saying, die, traitor y
and piled up the books As If they were fag>
gots for a funeral fame. She gave the cur
tain sweep with her hand as if she were
putting best tapestry for a royal procession,
and dashed the chairs down in their places
like magnificent bandit spurning tyraDt
Ia his power.
But when she came to the invalid she
was gentle, almost caressing in her man
ner, propping me up comfortably, making
the bed at once easy and handsome, and
stroking my hair and dress with perfect
perception of sore condition And when
she dashed out of the room, forgave the
air with which she returned and presented
q tray to me, for the sake of its contents.
Such delicious tea and toast, and such per
lection of poaehed eggs, were an apology
for an eccentricity of manner. Iwas think
ing gratefully of my own comfort, and
watching her hang up my clothes in the
closet in her own style, when the bell rang.
Like lightning she closed the closet door,
caught up the tray and rushed down stairs