The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-08-24

inn. | soon got over the parting with
my mother and sisters, and was trying
hard to think no more of Harry. though
l had made up my mind-minds are
easily made up at seventeenth live un-
married, for his sake. Thus the summer
wore away, the harvest passed, and the
dull days of November came on. had
got accustomed to the ways of the
house. Though good it was an old
one. There was the best parlor and the
best kitchen opening from it; numbers
OF pantries, closets and cupboards, and a
stair behind the old dresser, leading
right up to Mrs. Williams own room.
1t was over the porch, and had windows
on three sides, which gave her view OF
all who came or went. Her accounts
were kept there in an old fashioned ash
desk, so were her choice recipes, and
she had them for making everything.
There was cupboard set in the thick
walls, its doors not to be distinguished
from the rest of the wainscot, in which
Mrs. Williams kept the most rare and
curious of her stores. was once per-
mitted to see them as great privilege,
for she never trusted the key to any
hand but her own. There were spices
and essences, costly at the time Of my
story, but not common yet, old China
which had been brought in by the first
of the East India Company's ships; mix
lures for taking out stains, powders for
destroying moths, and a poison for rats
invented long ago by some of the Cor
nish people, and of terrible nature. SO
Mrs. Williams told NE, and L can re-
member now that the poison resembled
nothing l ever saw but red pepper, an
expensive luxury at that time, aud kept
in the cupboard also.
1t may be believed that l was in great
favor, for not only were her treasures
shown to me, but 1 had tea with Mrs.
Williams in the porch room every even
ing. She took kindly to me from the
first, because exerted myself to learn
housekeeping, which my mother said
was the principal thing for young
woman ex Necting to have home of her
own, and still more because I kept quiet
and sober, and had no looks of levity.
Nothing of that kind would have been
allowed at the Golden Sheaf, inu though
it was, the house being kept with the
greatest propriety. There were no
Jokes, and very little gossiping, plenty
of work, for almost everything was smade
at home, and a great deal ofcoming and
going. Our quietest time WAS about the
middle of November, inst before the
winter fairly begun. Then Mrs. Will
]iams got her cattlo killed, and her meat
saltCd, and most Of the servants were
busy about the work in the yard and
buttery.
One close, cloudy day, such as come
so often at the Martinnas time, L was
sitting in the best kitchen, close by the
window, doing some needle work, and
Mrs. Williams was i'll her own room set.
tling the accounts, for it was in the
afternoon. The sound of horses hooi
upon the road made me look out, and
there was gentleman handsomely
mounted, with servant after him, as
gentlemen did in those days. They
looked as if they had travelled far, and
were coming to rest at the inn.
When the gentleman alighted, saw
he was tall aud handsome, somewhere
about thirty five, aud had jovial, COCO
natured look, like one who was vel
pleased with himself and everything
about him. He walked in not at al
strange like, and asked me in the most
civil and courteous manner if Mrs. Will
liams lived here, and if he aid servant
could have dinner. The first question
was in low tone, the second in Louder
key ; and before | could answer it Mrs
Williams came down. Judging from
her look he was quite new conner.
thought the gentleman glanced curiously
at her first, and then, seeming satisfied
that all was right, repeated his question
about the dinner, saying that he was q
stranger in that part of the country, but
that he had heard so much of the Colder
Sheaf that he wished to stop and dine al
the house.
never saw Mr.. Williams receive any
gentleman with more respect and cere
mony. She courtesied him into her bes,
parlor, called her hostlers to help lis
servant with the horses, took his orders
for his dinner, and set about cooking il
herself, for the cook was hard at work
in the buttery. My first notion wa, that
she had discovered him to be some great
person travelling in disguise. and hall
expected to be told of it. Mrs. Viii,
liams used to talk to me a good deal
when we were alone in quiet afternoons
but DOW she went on cooking and making
things without saying a work, and there
was a queer, fixed looked in her face
which L could not understand, but il
kept me from talking. L laid down my
work and rose to make the eel soup il
was one of the things for which the
house was famous--a Cornwall dish, ]
believe and L had been trusted will
the making Of it of late to my great ex.
ultation, but now she stopped me. "No,
Mary finish your sewing those linens
will he wanted. I'll make the soup my
self"
Isewed away, wondering who the gen,
tleman could be, and what had got over
Mrs. Williams, till, happening to look
up, / missed her out of the kitchen.
She had gone up to her own room,
but she came back in a minute with O
paper in her hand which she shook into
the soup, and then threw it into the
fire.
That's the red pepper; it will dc
now," said she, taking mp a spoonful,
and making believe to taste, but she did
not. l stitched on for minute or two,
though my blood was running cold, and
the boiling of the soup in the large,
quiet kitchen sounds through my head
even now. Mrs. Williams was standing
at the window with her back to me.
never knew what made me do it; but il
was as if somebody had hidden me; and,
without word or thought but that il
must be done, ran to the fire, gave the
saucepan poke. and sent the soup q
blazing up the chimney. AS it fzzled
up, the thought of her anger came over