Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-09-25
HIRING A COOK.

lie was q Dacnel0r VINO kept mouse OH
a fine street in fine city, both OF which
shall be nameless. One day he adver-
tsed for a cook. Twenty five young
women and ten old ones answered the
advertisement. All of them had refer
ences in their pockets as per requirement.
Among the twenty-five young women
was slim creature in the shabbiest bon
net and shawl there, with exactly enough
flesh OH her bones to hold them together,
but lady, every inch of her.
References" he said to her as she sat
before him.
She took off her mended glove, and
showed him forefnges as rough ms Il
nutmeg crater with much sewing.
"There's the only proof l have that |
have been trying to earn an honest iiv-
ing" she said.
"An odd reference for cook" he
said.
"That's for character" )" said she. ~
will show you how l can cook-I,ll give
you practical proof Of that"
:" You are not servant" said he.
"Not yet. / mean to be. I've been
sewing for living and am sick of it,"
said she.
He looked at her from top to toe.
"Family?"
"Myself only" said he.
She nodded.
"Dinner at six"
She nodded again.
Soup every day."
She nodded once more.
" For the rest, variety"
"All right" said she.
He named the wages and took her down
into the kitchen, where the young person
who was general assistant, received her
with bewildered stare.
After that, he did not see her for -four
weeks, but his meals were delicious. Al
the end of that time he went down stairs
to pay her wages. 1t was late in the
evening. A plump lady, with pink
cheeks, sat before the fire, stoning raisins
He did not know her at first, but rs the
knowledge dawned upon him he realized
how nearly she had been to starvation on
the day when he hired her. All he said
was
I'D like my steak broiled less"
Alter that, he saw her once in -four
weeks regularly. She never said any
thing to him but Thank ye, sir" ii,
always found some fault with something
his eyes fixed on vacancy the while. ii,
was trim, big bachelor of forty, will
handsome side whiskers. She was thirty
and warm-tinted blonde - not red
haired, though the kitchen girl though
so. Her hair was Titian's pet color. In
wardly she called her master" that bear.
Secretly she thought him very handsome
One day the dinner came dowl
untasted.
What fault has he found with
now ?" she asked.
None" said the girl. "He's sick"
AT breakfast no one came to the table
Then the cook ascended the stairs, anG
finding pair of boots outside one door
knocked at it,"
Come in" said faint voice.
She went in, and the result of her in
vestigation was telegram to the doctor
Her master, who had always been prou,
of not being vaccinated, had caught tn
smallpox.
You'd better 90. You'll catch il,
said he to her.
"I'm not afraid" said she. "Some
body must stay, you know"
She stayed. AS he got better he re
warded her as convalescent men Away
do reward their nurses-by scoIding he
and finding fault with everything, Sh
had helped the doctor to save his life an,
had done all that mortal could do, but b
snapped and snarled at her.
One day, however, he being well, tho
still in quarantine, had some vile concoc
tion brought him for his dinner.
What's this ?" he asked
It's the best | could do, said Bridge
who having been victim to the disorde
in her childhood had no fear of it. "CooI
has gone off,"
Where has she gone? asked tn
master.
"To the hospital" answered Bridget
"She did be getting the smallpox, anc
she went"
at wasn't for one just out of sicl
bed to use the language the master diC
after that" Bridget said in relating til,
incident.
But he was an invalid, and he did no
know the cooks name.