The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-12-03


a To wear and be comforted?
------
Patty's Plot.
Loves me better than the whole world
does he 2 said Patty Peronel, shaking
her brown tendrilly rings Of hair over 0
faded rosebud and knot of crumpled
ribbon. oh, dare say; but you see,
gravely addressing space, I've heard that
sort of thing before. Love must be an
awful epidemic nowadays. And all the
worlds lottery; and l, for one, don't
want to draw blank. o dear, dear
how l wish l could really see into man 8
heart How wish had any means of
ascertaining whether Ralph Penrhyn
really cares for me, or whether he has
heard of Uncle Hutchinsons ten thous-
and dollars o dear me and Patty
sighed sigh deep enough to stir all the
red cinnamon roses that were nodding
turbaned crests at the easement.
And then she jumped up and went
about her business.
Which chanced to be girl hunting just
then. For Mrs. Maurice Peronel Patty s
cousin, was chronically in the suds, SO to
speak, on the domestic service question,
and our Patty knew the inside of every
Intelligence Office in town.
Its a cook this time, is it, Bessie p
said she.
"A cook. said Bessie. %, Patty,
Patty, don't get married and 60 to house.
keeping. l. takes all the romaace out of
one.'
4 don't know but what you are right,
Patty assent0d reAectivey. And away
she went to the Intelligence Office.
1t was crowded, on this hot July day,
with the miscellaneous assemblage of
torlorn feminity who are always seeking
situations, and like the lover in the
'Mistletoe Bough,' find them not Patty
looked around obviously. She was some.
thing of physioguomist, aud she did not
exactly like the looks Of the raw material
wherewith she was surrounded.
Il had better bide nv time little
she thought. and down she nestled into the
corner Of prodigious sofa, to wait with
what patience she might.
AS she seated herself the shril piping
voice of an old lady beyond made silence
vocal.
You won't do for me- she said No
followers-that's my rule. My kitchen
ant place for all the oafn fellers in
town to smoke in. Ask everybody in
Darlingville, if you want to know what
kind OF housekeeper Rachel Penrhyn is.
Everybody in Darlingville knows me.
No followers. no ribbons, and no hoop.
skirts.
Il guess then, ma 'am, you won't do for
me-, said the Milesian damsel. with an
indignant toss of her jockey-hatted head
4 don't go nowheres | cant have my
young man come and see me Of Satur.
day night
Patty Peronel listened with mischiev.
ously sparkling eyes and cherry cheeks.
This, then, was the eccentric Aunt Ra-
chel, of whom Ralph had often told her
the grim old spinster who kept house
all by herself in the quaint village Of
Darlingville, where the elms lined the
streets like green.skirted seDtinels, and
everybody went to bed at half.past nine
o'clock.
Very sudden resolves will sometimes
rush through our brains, lightning express
fashion, in q short space of time, and
almost before the shrill tones of Miss
Rachels falsetto voice had ceased to vi.
brate on the air, Patty Perone stood dip
ping odd little curtesies before her.
If you please, ma'am, would suit :?
Miss Rachel glared through her moou-
shaped spectacle glasses at the trim figure
robed in sober gray.
You, child , quoth she. Why, you're
such a chit of a thing"
i am nineteen, ma'am.
What can you do p
"A little OF everything ma'am,' Patty
answered demurely.
What's your name7
Martha, ma'am, please
Apparently the cross-examination that
followed was satisfactory to Miss Rachel
Penrhyn, for she finally told Patty she
nigh: come and try at seven dollars
month.
Il may 60 home for my clothes, una amp
said Patty, with dropping eyelids and
hands folded.
Yes; but be sure you meet me at the
railroad station at four precisely
Patty promised, and ran home to Mrs
Peronel.
Where's my girl p demanded the ma.
troD.
Il haven't got any. I'm girl myself
Bessie-at seven dollars a mouth, and
no followers !!
What under the sun do you mean p
And Patty explained.
Don't scold, Bessie-now don't, that's
darling. I'm Caliph Aaroun Alraschid
in disguise, that's al. 1t will be such
sun Where's my gingham dress, and
the little linen collars, and the big bib
aprons For my bubble would burst al
together if shouldn't meet Aunt Rachel
at the station at four O'Clock precisely
What a change i. was from the swarm
ing city streets, radiating scintilations of
heat from every curb stone, to the old
Penrhyn house, where the century old
elms formed a green canopy of shade, and
the clove-pinks and old fashioned blue
bells blossomed along tho borders. And
Martha the new maid, settled into the
grooves at once,as if she had lived all her
life under Aunt Rachel's roof.tree.
Il believe | am going to like this, said
Aunt Rachel. But then, Of course, a
new broom sweeps clean; and I'm most
afraid to believe in any one since Keturah
Smith experienced religion aud then run
away with my silver sugar basin =
This is MIR. Ralph's room. is itr said
Martha, with her hands in her rufied
pockets. as she stood regarding the apart.