River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-02-15

TIC DVloDn AAOALAAAz WI
SAW but red pepper, an expensive lux
ury at that time, and kept in the cup
board also.
IL may be believed that | was in
great favor, for not only were her
treasures shown to me but | had tea
with Mrs. Williams in the porch room
every evening. 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 expecting to
have a home of her own, and still more
because | kept quiet and sober, and
had no looks of levity. Nothing of
that kind would have been allowed at
the Golden Sheaf, inn 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 made at
home, and a great deal of coming ard
going. Our quietest time was about
the middle of November. just before
the winter fairly begun. Then Mrs.
Williams got her cattle killed, and her
meat sailed, 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 MartinmaS time, | was
sitting in the best kitchen, close by
the window, doing some needlewOrk,
and. Mrs. Williams was in her own
room, settling the accounts, for it
was in the afternoon. The sound of a
horses hOOfs upon the road made me
| look out, and there was a gentleman
| L., .l- xtrffh sat
after him, as gentlemen had in those
days. They looked as If they had
travelled far, and were coming 10 rest
at the inn.
When the gentleman alighted, | saw
he was tall and handsome, somewhere
about thirty-five, land had jOyial, look
well pleased with himself and every
thing about him. lie walked in not at
all strange like, and asked me in the
most civil and courteous manner if
Mrs. Williams lived here, and if he
and his servant could have dinner.
| The last question was in a low tone,
the second in a louder key ;and before
| could answer it, Mrs. Williams came
down. Judging from her look, he was
quite a new conner. | thought the
gentleman glanced curiOuSly at her at
first, and then, seemingly satisfied that
| all was right, repeated his question
about the dinner, saying that he was
a stranger in that part of the country,
but that he had heard so much of the
| Golden Sheaf that he wished to stop
and dine at the house.
| [ never saw Mrs. Williams receive
any gentleman with more respect and
! ceremony. She curtSyed him into
/ her best parlOr, called her hOStlerS to
help his servant with the heTses, took
\ his orders for his dinner, and set about
cooking it herself, for the cook was
| hard at work in the buttery. My first
notion was that she had discovered
him to be some great person travelling
i'm disguise, and half expected TO be
I told of it. Mrs. Williams used to talk
to me a good deal when we were alone
| in quiet afternoons; but now she went
on cooking and making things without
/ saving a word, and there was queer,
/ fixed look in her face which | could
not understand. but it kept me from
| talking. | laid down my work and
/ rose to make the eel soup, it was one
/ of those things for which the house
was famOus-a Cornwall dish, | be-
| IieVe-and | had been trusted with the
making of it of late 10 my great cX-
uItation but now she stopped me.
NO. Mary; finish your sewing /;
those linens will he wanted. I'll make
the soup myself.
sewed away, wondering who the
gentleman 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 minute
with paper in her hand which she
shook into the soup, and then threw it
into the fire.
That's the red pepper; it will do
nOw,' said she, taking up spoonful
and making believe to taste, but she
| did not. | stitched on for a minute or
two. though my blood was running
cold. and the boiling of the soup in
the large, quiet kitchen sounds through
nv head even now. Mrs. Williams
was standing at the window with her
| back to me. | never knew what
made me do it; but it was as if some
one had hidden me, and, without a
word or thought but that it must be
done, | ran to the ire, gave the sauce
/ pan a poke, and sent the soup a blaZ-
! ing up the chimney. As it fiZzled up,
the thought of her anger came over
me. knew not what did but. ut
tering 4 wild cry of fear, l rushed to
the nearest door, and it was the best
parl0r. The next thing | remember
is crouching behind the gentleman
who had started - and stood in the
door, rs Mrs Williams came forward
with two knivss. which had been iy-
ing on the wiIdow.sill. in her hand.
.'POoh never mind the splitting OF
the soup said he. understanding at
once what | had done, which, indeed,
was easily seen. "YOu would not be
angry with the child for that; she
could not help it. dare say. | can
dine without it. You don't know me,
Mrs. Williams he continued, coming
Il step nearer where she stood, look.
ing at me with deadly glitter in her
eyes.
Don't | p said she. | think she
was trying which one of the knives
was the shaTpeSt.
'.Well," said the gentleman, ''you
may know me to be Edward Winstane.
IL, but you don't know that / married
your daughter, and brought her home
lady. | never meant to act the vii
lain with her. We were privately
married, but while the old gentleman
lived it had to be kept secret. This is
why | come to-day to surprise you
but yOu will come to Winstanely Park
to give us your blessing; you are not
going to faint .
She had staggered back against the
wall. her white lips SET, and her eyes
growing CLASSY. Him aud me and half q
dozen of the servants whom my scream
brought in, she pushed away with g
desperate effort, darted upstairs, and
we heard her lock herself in her room
The whole house was terribly fright
ened. What Mr.. Winstanely thought,