Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-06-01
THE COOKS DOUBLE.


Jonathan Savage, having bought house
out of town, and comfortably established
himself and family therein found himself
IN want of a cook.
a young girl applied for the situation.
When questioned by her new mistress,
the girl proved herself respectful and ap-
parently capable.
She stated that she had been brought up
as cook.
She gave her name as Peggy, and de-
elared herself anxious to suit.
And having given satisfactory answers
to all interrogatories, she took her way to
the kitchen, where she set herself jealous
ly to work without delay.
"a perfect treasure" Mrs. Savage de-
clared-'sdecidedly perfect treasure"
There was no cause to change their
opinion the next day, nor the next.
On the third night, however, Mr.. Saw
age was surprised on alighting from the
train to see Peggy in her black straw hat
and waterproof cloak, standing on the
He addressed her. but she did not an
swer him.
And he hastened home, wondering what
had happened that the treasure should
have been dismissed so suddenly.
To his surprise, Peggy opened the door
for him.
"Well, Peggy, you must have walked
fast to get here before me, he said pleas
antly.
Peggy made a courtesy, but said moth
ing.
Mr.. Savage.
'Please, sir, I don't know, said Peggy.
you've been there?"
s'Not to my knowledge, sir"
''Her way of being polite and leaving it
all to me, said Mr.. Savage to himself.
But though he discovered that Peggy
had not left the house all day, he-could
scarcely believe that he had not seen her.
That very evening SaHoSher odd thing
happened.
Little Thomas Savage, going to look for
a lost chicken, came in with a stony -
81 thought / saw a ghost, mother,' he
said. 1T was standing by the well, look
ing ever so funny; but Just as / was gong
to run, saw it was Peggy, ali wrapped up
in something" a.-,-.k -.--.-.F
''Peggy has been standing just there,
choppIng meat ever since you went out,
said his mother, pointing to the kitchen
door.
It was no more Peggy than it was a
ghost, but the boy persisted in his state
ment.
He was so obstinate, indeed, that he was
dieting his mother. 10 !
Mr.. Savage slept late the next morning,
and was aroused by the breakfast bell.
A.. bo h,-- so1 CTR
his watch, he saw the door of the servants
room, which opened on the staire-the
room being built over the kitchen-stand-
ing slightly ajar.
And as he looked, dark face, encircled
by night-cap, PeePed out, and hand,
with white frill about it, pushed it to.
= Peggy's face, Peggy's hand, without
doubt.
dear% said Mr.. Savage, as he took his seat
at the table.
"Oh, no" replied his wife. "Why did
you think so?"
And at that moment Peggy, in her ordi-
plate in her hand.
singular, said Mr.. Savage to himself,
but made no further explanation.
1t was month since Peggy's entrance
into the family, and she had given every
satisfaction.
Still, it was plain to be seen that some
thing was the matter.
Miss Olivia had come to reside with
them, and everyone was well, but Mrs. Saw
age looked anxious.
So did her sister.
So also did Mr.. Savage.
l. IL !
with each other, and the gentleman often
shook his head warningly at his eldest boy,
when he had just opened his lips to say
something.
Mr.. Savage often asked his wife what
could trouble her, and she frequently said
''Why are you so serious, my dear?" ss
AT last Olivia was found in Mysteries in
the hall, and matters grew too serious to be
kept quiet any longer.
Il must know what it is. said Mr.. Saw
age. - So a. -
''Don't tell him, sobbed Olivia. - z
81 don't see why you should be ashamed
of it, " said Mr.. Savage, ''you can't help it.
It's nerves, I suppose; we'd better send for
a doctor" u
''Pm not nervous, sobbed Olivia. ''Oh.
dear, dear, dearl"
u p 1ucl6 uOMs SdlQ MIS-. OdNdR6, ut-
clare can't bear it any longer. Ny dear,
poor Livv has taken to ghost seeing, and
she's so affected me that ! really have i'm
agined something Of thesort myself"
''She sees a woman exactly like Peggy
over and over again, when Peggy is some
where else, to my certain knowledge, and
I've seen the same thing twice."
''It's an optical illusion, | presume, I've
read of such things"
Mr.. Savage turned pale.
'My dear girls" said he, "Thomas is as
bad as you are. I've been threatening to
fog the poor fellow if he frightened you
with his stories; but he sees Peggy in the
garden, in the meadow-here, there, every
where. And he speaks to her, and she does
not answer. And then he runs home and
finds her in the kitchen. or where not, and
naturally feels oddly about it. myself have
seen the same thing twice..
''You have" cried Mrs. Savage.
"YouP' screamed Olivia; ''0h, Pm so
thankful I'm not crazy, then"
'Oh, dear, no, said Mr.. Savage-'oh,
dear, no. You see it is becoming plain to
me that a certain old superstition Of which
have read is founded on fact. You've
heard of people who had doubles-Peggy
evidently has double. The wrath does
not speak, you say. That comedies with all
the stories on the subject. Yes, that's the
solution of the mystery. Peggy has a
double"
"But we can't keep such mysterious
girl about the house-it's like hiring a
ghost, said Mrs. Savage.
Suppose we talk to PeggyT' said Mr..
Savage.
The proposition met with favor.
Peggy was sent for, and came at once.
''Now, my good girl, don't want to
frighten you, said Mr.. Savage, ''but some
thing odd has happened. Did you ever
have anything singular said to you about
yourself-for instance, that you were seen
where you never went, you know, or some
thing like thatY
"oh, yes, said Peggy-'yes, sir, to be