Litchfield enquirer., 1875-07-08
From Scribner's Magazine.] THE GIRL AT RuDpER GRANGE,


 ''Hellop said he, 'swhere are you going?
 ''Home," answered.
 ''Is that so ?" said he. ''I didn't knov you had one."
 I was a little nettled at this, and so said. somewhat brusquely perhaps
 "But you must have known l Hve( somewhere"
 "Oh, yes But thought you boarded, said he. ''1 hao no idea that you had . home"
 ''But have one, and very pleasan home, too. You must excuse me for no stopping longer, as I must catch my train
 'Oh I'll walk along with you," saii Waterford, and so we went down tht street together.
 .sWhere is your little house ?" he asked
 Why in the world he thought it was little house I could not at the time imag inc, unless he supposed that two people would not require a large one. But know, now, that he lived in a very little house himself.
 But it was no use getting angry witf Waterford. especially as saw he intend ed walking all the way down to tine ferry with me, so told him I didn't live in any house at all
 "Why, where do you live ?'' he exclaim ed, stopping short.
 T live in boat" said I.
 '.A boat A sort of Rob Roy arrange ment, I suppose. We'll. would not have thought that of you. And your wife, suppose, has gone home to her people 2
 ''She has done nothing of the kind," answered ''She lives with me and sht likes it very much. We are extremely comfortable, and our boat is not canoe or any such nonsensical affair. It is g large, commodius canal-boat."
 Waterford turned around and looked at me.
 'Are you deck-hand 9 he asked.
 "Deck- P I excla med.
 "Well, you needn't get mad about it, he said. 'sI didn't mean to hurt youl feelings <; but couldn't see what else you could be on a canal boat. I don't sup pose, for instance, that you're captain.
 ''But am," said I. . ''Look here P said Waterford :; ''this is coming it rather strong, isn't it ?"
 As saw he was getting angry, I told him all about it,-told him how we had hired stranded canal boat and had fitted it up as house, and how we lived SC costly in it, and had called it "Ruddel Grange" and how we had taken a boarder.
 "Well !" said he, '' this is certainly sur. prising I'm coming out to see you some day. It will be better than going to Bar num's.'
 I told him-it is the way of society that We would be glad to see him, and we parted. Waterford never did come to see us, and I merely mention this incident to show how our friends talked about Rud- der Grange, when they first heard that we lived there.
 After dinner that evening, when wen, up on deck with Euphemia to have my smoke, we saw the boarder sitting on the bulwarks near the garden, with his legs down outside.
 s.Look herep said he. ..-,.ys
 I looked but there was nothing unusual to see.
 s'What is it ?'' asked.
 He turned around and seeing Euphe mia, said
 Nothing"
 It would be very stupid person who could not take such a hint as that, and so, after a walk around the garden, EupE emia took occasion to go below to look at the kitchen fire. a
 As soon as she had gone, the boarde, turned to me and said
 "I'll tell you what it is. She's working herself sick"
 s'Sick 2 said I. Nonsense I'
 ''No nonsense about it." he replied.
 The truth was, that the boarder was right and I was wrong. We had spent several months at Rudder Grange, and during this time Euphemia had been working very hard, and she really did be- gin to look pale and thin. Indeed, ii would be very wearying for any woman oi culture and refinement, unused to house work, to cook and care for two men, and to do all the work of a canal boat besides.
 But saw Euphemia so constantly, and thought.so much of her, and had her i'm. age so continually in my heart. that did not notice this until our boarder now cal led my attention to it. was sorry that he had to do 1t.
 'If I were in your place." said he, ''1 would get her a servant"
 elf you were in my place." I replied somewhat cuttingly, ''you would probably suggest lot of little things which would make everything very easy for her.''
 sTd try to-. he answered. without get ting in the least angry.
 Although felt annoyed that he had suggested it, still I made up my mind that Euphemia must have a servant.
 She agreed quite readily when I pro posed the plan, and she urged me to % and see the carpenter that very day, and get him to come and partition off a little room for the girl.
 It was some time, of course, before the room was made (for who ever heard of carpenter coming at the very time he wa. wanted ? and, when 1t was finished, Flu phemia occupied all her spare moment. in getting it in nice order for the servan when she should come. I thought sh, was taking too much trouble, but she haG her own ideas about such things
 elf girl Is lodged like pig, you mus expect her to behave like a pig, and don't want that kind"
 So she put up pretty curtains at tn, girls window, and, with box that sh, stood on end, and some old muslin and lot of Jacks, she made a toilet table S. neat and convenient, that thought sh, ought to take it into our room, and giv, the servant our wash-stand.
 But all this time we had no girl, and a I had made up my mind about the matter I naturally grew impatient. and at last determined to go and get girl myself.
 So, one day at lunch time, Iwent to al intelligence office in the clty. There found large room on the second floor and some ladies, and one or two men, sit ting about, and small room, back of it crowded with girls from eighteen to sixty eight years old. There were also girl upon the stars. and girls in the hall be low, besides some girls standing on tn sidewalk before the door,
 When made known my business an. had paid my fee. one of the several pro prietors who were wandering about tn front room went into the back apartmen and soon returned with tall Irishwoma with bony weather-beaten face and large weather-beaten shawl. This woma was told to take chair by my side Dow sat the huge creature and stared at me did not feel very easy under her scruti nizing gaze, but bore it as best could and immediately began to ask her all tn appropriate questions I could think oi Some she answered satisfactorily, an some she didn't answer at all ; but as 500 as made pause, she began to put ques tions herself
 'How many servants do you kape l-c1