The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-05-27
TOO GOOD TO LAST.

friends
Broom In hand, she stood moment.
\ frown grew between her beautiful blue
eyes: She had half mind not to go to
the door
Mrs. Mollie Lucas was born mistress
and mad me. She was possessed of dec
oratiye and conversational talents. But
Inc daily Yell-being of the household
after all, depended upon the hired scrv-
ant. Whenever her one "hired girl"
left, the brilliant young mistress settled
down into shrew. Many witty
woman fails of being siirew simply
from lack OF suitable occasion, and ytce
Ue1Sd. Not that Mrs. Mollie was igno-
rant concerning tie lower domestic arts. /
Oh. no; she was home bred She could
keep house nicely; had the lady's gift
OF sweeping both thoroughly and dust
lessly; could cook and serve an artistic
I dinner. But she could not do these
things in iady's toilet and in ladv's
temper, and her good looks were pecul-
iarl y dependent upon both of these con-
ditions. When | add that she had the
passionate heart of a young Juliet, and |
loved her handsome husband, and that
her handsome husband expected and ap-
| preciated both natural and artistic per- |
lection in the woman he had chosen, YOU |
1
when the girl" left. She had early |
found that talking over the balcony with |
Romeo and getting breakfast for Romeo |
were two different things, that moon
! llght and stove-heat have wholly oppo-
site effects upon the complexion. Still |
| Romeo's business hours (he was retail |
| merchant in small village and kept I
| only one clerk obliged her when desert
ed by her servant to rise in haste, tuck
her hair in net, don linen collar and
print apron, and to preside at table in
the same array. At such times Romeo
| read the paper and Juliet suffered yari-
Gus secret miseries.
This morning, when he had stepped
back in hat and overcoat to kiss her as
usual, he had playfully touched her
hair and collar. SThere's something
wonderfully mysterious in the fashions,
Moilie. All the old ones make you la
dies look plain, while the new ones are
becoming. Do be nice at dinner-that's
a good puss. Flaxman II be in town, and
| shall bring him up"
The good puss" had pulled away
from him, had given him a look which,
well, it reminded him of something he
had forgotten to tell her.
It's too bad, Mollie. But he'll ex-
pect it, you know wish | could send
you somebody. lput an advertisement
IN the Journal last week, and I've hoped
1t would bring some one. Perhaps it
will yet"
But Mrs. Lucas was considering
Juttenne soup. Families in villages, if
you must be told, don't have soups and
" courses" except upon great occasions.
She secretly knew that Flaxman had at
one time i'll his life lived upon bread and
cheese. None the less she felt con-
strained to make soup, have fowl, flesh
and fish ii correct succession, with at
least one or two of the proper wines. 1t
all went with the peculiar bouquet of the
table talk when he was present.
Well, there were wines and meats and [
fruits OF the finest in the house, together {
with winter roses, and-yes, there was "a ]
good cook too; only Flaxmau needed I
dressing for as well as cooking Jt te f2E artist fh
"resent "o herr herself fo at snnnd moderiff if dhnefaBd
in her loose robe and glrdle. To-day he !
would probably be entertained by the
cook in a tolerably correct copy OF that
antique costume.
Still she had made heroic haste, Sc
cretly hoping to dress. But at nine
o'clock the countless drudgeries had
done their work with her temper. She
had still to 20 out for oysters, the parlor
fires were to be lit, the sitting-rooms
were not touched the fruit-casks were
to be opened and the wood-boXeS were
empty.
Just then the door-bell rang.
Finally she took of her cap and gloves,
and giving her hair a smooth with her
hands she went to the door.
1t was stranger, as she had supposed,
AIRS Lucas hovered between the
words LADY, and woman"
The strangers dress was good, but not
stylish, being plain and short. Perhaps
therefore, Mrs Lucas was more struck
by the picture like face. The exquisite
mouth, the fine, large, gray eyes, chm,
cheek and brow had the steadiness and
| finish of a clear engraving There was
peculiar quiet gray tone about her alto
| gether which suggested culture instead
OF style and fashion-culture and strength.
! Half a dozen famous names suggested
themselves. If the stranger had an
nounced herself by either Mrs. Lucas
would Lot have felt unduly surprised.
Just little fustered she threw open |
| the parlor door, with 1t still open, apollo |
gized FOR the absence of fire, ana was !
| turning toward the sitting-room when |
the stranger detained her. She displayed
A bit of newspaper, which she must have
had ready in her gloved hand. I" If it Is
Mrs. Lucas'-Mrs. Lucas assented-"l
am here in answer to this" She handed
her Mrs Lucas advertisement.
Considering the woman's face and air
and her excellent English, Mrs. Lucas
looked at her in astonishment. There
must be mistake; but you viii come
in, Miss"
"Helen Truesdell. But" she added,
hesitating, If you are not The Mrs. Lu-
cas-, or don't wish a servant, L do not
need to detain you"
"I am the Mrs. Lucas-plGase come
this way-and | do very much wish
only think you do not understand what
style of help"
She looked back with a kind smile.
She paused in surprise. Miss Truesdell
had evidently started to follow, but had
bec2m petrifed. With her head turned
owe ,her shoulder she stood looking into
the parlor. The color had left her face.
Her ewes had dilated there was a strange
expression in them-a look of consterna-
ton, with the hidden personality flash
ing out through it.
Mrs. Lucas waited a moment, then
: made the fact of her waiting manifest.
, Miss Truesdell started, looked around
her with queer smile, and followed.
: "Do YOU yourself wish the place: l
I require some one to do full and general
housework."
Miss Truesdell drew in her BREATH as
if it was an effort to speak. i did
: yes"
; Mrs Lucas paused bit to privately
wonder what was the history of this fine
$ looking woman, who naturally by this
time should have been married or have
gone into the higher class of employ
I mentS.
! ! "Well, am in pressing need of-an
! assistant" She could not to her say
servant as, without exception, she
: said to American girls, wishing, in these
i difficult instances, to at once dehne
: their relations with each other But l
: fear you must be accustomed to set CT
: duties in large establishments" In a
. halt-apologetic tone she went on to cata-
: logue the duties of her assistant.
Her listener rested her head upon heI
= hand She listened with ar-away looks
;. coming and going upon her face. = les,'
a she said, refleciively, Il understand
) You wish housekeeper; you wish to be
n free from care"
II could wish it, certainly. but | dc
!, not ask quite that. You are from -
- Miss Truesdell here reused herself
4 - From twenty miles back in the county
! from the township Of Lyons-from /