Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-02-04
KATHLEEN O.NEIL.

her ruddy cheeks deluged with tears.
81 couldnthelp il, ma am, she sobbed,
"but it puts me in mind of home"
Home scornfully echoed Mrs.
Arnott. "Your home! A shanty in O
bog. 1t isn't likely that you ever saw
such a spot as that"
Deed did 1, then, ma am" answered
Kathleen, "and many a time. For we
lived beyant them same green shores,
when"
"There, that will do" said Mrs.
Arnott, coldly, 81 don't care about any
"reminiscences"
Kathleen did not understand the five
syllabled word. but her quick nature
comprehended the sarcaatic tone. The
tears were dried in their fount-the
scarlet spot glowed in either cheek.
'She looks down on me as if was q
dogW Kathleen thought to herself.
"And sure it's the same flesh and blood
God has given to us both. How would
she like it, wonder, to be in a strange
land, and niver a kind word spoken to
her? o, but if / could see the mother
and little Honora, and Teddy that's but
a baby yet 4; but it's the blue sea rolls
between us, and it's all alone 1 am !"
Poor Kathleen the sense of desola-
tion came upon her with sickening power
Just then as she stood before the picture
of the sweet Irish lake, with the wet
splashes on her cheek, and Mrs.
Arnott's cold, hard voice sounding in
her ears.
"It's great pity to be obliged to do
with these wild, untutored Irish.
Kathleen was just bringing up the
tray, and Mrs. Arnott's words sounded
distinctly in her ears as she paused on
the top step to get breath.
"Of course, my dear" said Mrs.
Tudor Audor, sympathetically, they're
bad, thoroughly bad, the whole lot of
them. I'd send them all back to their
native country if it lay in my power"
81 wish they were all at the bottom
of the sea, said Mrs. Arnott. "and then,
perhaps, we would have a chance to
employ Sweden, or Chinese, or some
body that would at least earn their
bread. Is that you Kathleen? Why
don't you bring the ice-water in at once,
instead of dawdling there?"
homesick feeling that thrilled through
all her pulses can hardly be described.
eff l was only at home again." she
thought, "where the poorest and the
meanest have kind word for each
other They scorn and hate me here /;
and sure, I've tried to do my best, but
the lady has heart of stone, and even
the little children in the nursery, with
their French maid, make fun of Irish
Kathleen.
And the lonely exile wept herself to
sleep on her solitary pillow that night.
It was a mere closet of a room, without
light or ventilation, that she occupied
Mrs. Arnott thought that any place was
good enough for Kathleen the bed was
hard, and insufficiently provided with
clothing, but as Mrs. Arnott carelessly
observed, it was no doubt great deal
better than she was accustomed to at
home. And she had just paid to Isaac
son & Co., Thousand dollars apiece for
draping her drawing room windows with
lace and brocatelle-so, of course, there
was nothing left for such trifie as the
comfort of her servants.
sIs Kathleen sick, mamma little
Julia Arnott asked one day /; "she cries
SO much and looks so white T.
Mr.. Arnott, stout-built, good
natured man of forty or thereabouts,
glanced up from his paper.
"What does the child mean, Lucre-
tap" he asked of his wife. 81 hope
that you look little after your girls. |"
"Of course do" she said sharply.
''Kathleen is q silent, sullen thing, and
/ shall discharge her next month. Nata-
liza has q cousin who wants the place. >"
"Has she any friends in the country
Kathleen, mean
'sNot that I know Of"
Seems to me 1 wouldn't discharge
her, then. It would be rather hard,
unless she is guilty of some fault
Mrs. Arnott bit her lip.
"Gentlemen understand nothing of
the management of household" said
she, tartly. "These girls haven't our
sensitive natures, either. They are
quite used to knocking around the
world. Are you going down town now?'
"Yes."
81 wish you'd stop and ask Dr. Hart
to stop here this morning; little Clarence
is feverish." .......
Anything serious ?"
81 hope not," the mother answered,
'but always like to take these things
in time" -.-. ..--.--
DIR. Hart leaned over Clarence's little
crib; he involuntarily uttered the name
of malignant type of fever just then
raging in the city.
"I wish that you had sent for me be-
fore. fear that it is too late to secure
the exemption of your two other little
ones. But with constant care think
we may save the little fellow. You have
a good nurse? ?"
''An excellent one. can trust Natalia
as l would trust myself.
"You are fortunate" said the doctor.
He had scarcely closed the door, when
Natalia came to her mistress.
"My month expires tomorrow, ma
dam, will you pay me my wages, ana
let me take my departure at once
"But, Natalia, the baby is sick"
"One's first duty is to ones self; l
would not risk the infection for twice
what you pay me-"
And Natalia packed her trunk and
departed, without even coming into the
nursery to bid little Clarence goodbye.
The cook was next to give warning.
Matilda, the laundress, took herself oil
without any such preliminary ceremony.
81 am going, too" said the seam
stress. "Mrs. Arnott wouldn't have
lifted her finger if we'd all been dying,
and believe in doing to others as they
do to me-"
And almost before she knew it, the
stricken mother was left alone by the
bedside of her suffering babe. Neigh
bors crossed on the other side OF the
street like the priests and Levites OF old;
friends contended themselves by sending
in to inquire; even hired nurses avoided
the malignant fever.
.Is there no one to help mel" she
moaned, wringing her white leweled
womanly sympathy died out OF the