Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-05
GRANNIE's QUILTED pET1IcoAT.
BY MARY K. DALLAS.

"My housekeeper is gone," said Mrs.
Cameron, and do not actually know
how to fill her place. The idiot has
married an old bachelor. He was the
baker around the corner, and never
guessed when she was so obliging about
choosing the pastry herself, what was
going on. let her have her little girl to
her, too, and I paid her high wages;
but there's no depending on widows.
They are always wild to marry again.
o, dear mel"
"My DEAR" said Mrs. Bonnycastle,
| can help you out of your dilemma.
There's Margaret Mum. If you don't
mind a child, you won't mind an old
woman of ninety, and Margaret thinks
more of home than wages. I'll send
her over. She's the best housekeeper I
ever knew. I declare I believe she
isn't comfortable if she can't see her
face in anything that can be polished.
And she and Grandma Mum eat like a
couple of canaries, and Grannie never
leaves her chair, or scarcely; and Mar
garet will keep her in her own room,
and as clean as an old wax doll. Now
do try, Margaret, she will suit you to
perfection"
And the result of the conversation
was that Mrs. Cameron did see Margaret
Mum, and finding her a nice, tidy
young woman, with an obliging man.
ner and an aptitude for housekeeping,
engaged her at once In place of the
recreant widow who had betrayed her
confidence by marrying the baker.
Margaret Mum took her place in
Mrs. Cameron's one Monday morning
She brought Grannie with her, and ten
minutes after Mrs. Cameron found
the old lady bolt upright in an arm
chair in the housekeeper's ROOM, with
her knitting, gray Worsted stocking,
in her hand.
She had cap with futed ruff1es on
her head and an apron with t1uted
ruffies about her wrists, and cape with
a futed ruff1e about it, on her shoulders
She rose when Mrs. Cameron came
in, and said, "My duty to you,
ma'am," and sat down again and went
on knitting, like machine that had
wound up for the speech and was run
down again.
Ceramic won't be any trouble to
anyone" said Margaret, not lowering
her voice at all, for grannie was as deaf
as post. "She always does exactly
as ask her-an but one thing. She's
ninety, and I don't like to be harsh with
her; so that one thing is a little anxiety
to me. She's my great grandmoth
ma'am, and she was beauty in her
day, they tell me. She's not so very
ugly now"
"The very prettiest old lady ever
white hair and baby blue eyes. But
what is the thing that troubles you,
Margaret"
of you please, ma'am, I'd better not
speak of it just now, perhaps" said
Margaret. It's only little matter of
dress, ma'am."
"Oh," said Mrs. Cameron, she
looks like picture now"
And then the talk about pantries and
store closets, pickle jars and potato
barrels, and the late housekeeper's
ways and rules began.
az don't want to be bothered about
anything" said Mrs. Cameron, after
this was over. Ct am not strong, and
[ go a great deal into society, and [
have such dislike to having a lady's
maid about me that never keep one.
I do all my own dressing and that sort
of thing, and Mr.. Cameron likes me to
do him credit. So Pm very busy. You
see must have some one that can
trust implicitly.
eyes, ma'am said Margaret, "and I
hope | shall suit you. I'll try my best"
II am sure you viii viii, y said Mrs.
Cameron, and went away, well satisfied
with her housekeeper.
In the course of her afternoon calls
she met Mrs. Bonnycastle, and told her
what Margaret had said about Grannie.
so, I know all about that" said Mrs.
Bonnycastle. Margaret used to be