The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-31
HOW WE FOUND AND LOST A
TREASURE.

THERE are pleaSanter ways of spend
ing ones time than in making beds and
washing dishes and catching small BOYS
to go of errands; and August weather is
not usually the most favorable for one of
those interregnums that are apt to occur
where the household force is limited to
solitary "help." But Bridget was off
on her wedding tour-one of those ~
terly unexpected and unwelcome hap
penings that are forever intruding them
selves when deluded souls, dreaming of
bliss, imagine themselves to be comfort
ably settled for an indefinite period
Brunhilda and / were fairly sick of
general housework, and could cheerfully
have shot the remorseless milkman who
persisted in making us morning call at
the witching hour of five a. M; while
the frontdoor bell generally was the
plague of our lives.
So, when it rang at three o'clock on
the hottest of hot afternoons, Just when
we had donned our undress uniforms and
settled our brains for a long summers
nap, we felt little like-well if man
were writing this, he would probably say
-SaoeGrtng. ..0
=" Let them ringT said, viciously q
shall not go down"
Brunhilda looked reflective.
:" We might lose great deal in that
way" said she. think | will look out
of the window, at least" ..
Brunhilda is always expecting things;
she seems to fancy that she is living in
one of Wilkie Collins novels.
A very lady-like-l looking person, she
reports, presently, from her point of OBJ
servation through the blinds of a front
window; {" but what can she want at this
melting time of the day."
And hastily spearing her disordered
locks with two or three mammoth hair
pins, she slips into civilized attire with
marvellous celebrity, and gldes down
stairs. l laugh quietly, for Brunhilda's
curiosity is quite family legend, and it
will probably be rewarded in this case
by book agent, or an inquiry for some
other house in the neighborhood, or a So
licitatior for charity.
Presently, however, l am called, and
requested to come down stairs; and won
dering what it can mean, /, too, adorn
myself with hair-pins and the regulation
dress, and follow in the footsteps of my
younger sister.
Brunhilda is comfortably perched on
the stairs-there seems to be a prevalent
idea that this point is a sort of refriger-
ator in hot weather-and seated on one
of the hall chairs is plump, sweet
looking girl in plain black dress and
dainty straw hat. She chances up at me
as descend, and then modestly drops her
long lashes over the small gray eyes. 1t
is none of my funeral; and / look at
Brunhilda inquiringly.
"This-this young person." she an
nounces, hesitatingly, ais looking for a
place"
My inward amazement is only equaled
by my outward composure, as l ask the
pretty vision before me: "Did anyone
send you here?"
She smiles, and such a smile! All me!
what it is to be in ones teens, and have
white teeth and dimples.
No'm," she replies, in the sweetest
of voices; " but was passing by-and
liked the flowers and the look of things
and thought I'd see if you wanted a
girl"
All this was very interesting, of course,
and quite out of the common way, but
Brunhilda and | have not cut all our
wisdom-teeth for nothing, and do not, as
a general thing, engage our domestics
upon the plea of their liking the look of
things. When we asked for references
the girl colored wildly, and took from
her bag carefully-folded slip of paper,
on which was written legibly:
This is to certify that Mary Murphy is a
member, in good and regular standing, of
the Fourth Presbyterian Church.
(Signed) JAMES ELLSWORTH, Pastor.
:" But this does not qualify you for
Homework" said |, laughing a little at
the novelty of the recommendation.
No'm," replied Mary, with another
of her smiles; " but can do homework,
and think l could suit you. Perhaps
you wouldn't mind trying me, if you
have no girl at present?"
/ telegraphed to Brunhilda: What
do you think2" and she telegraphed back:
"Take her." and the result was that in
very short time pretty Mary Murphy,
who really looked better suited to the
parlor, was established in our kitchen,
and running the domestic machinery
with an ease and rapidity that made
housekeeping perfectly idyllic.
Never had we been so respectfully
served, nor accomplished the fact of
three meals a day and various other me-
cessities of living, with so little creak-
ing of machinery and rasping against the
higher nature; and we found ourselves
wondering how life had ever progressed
with US hitherto without our kitchen
fairy Everyone told US that we had a
treasure" and her very manner of
opening the door to a visitor was be-
witching; while grocers' young men and
the milkman and butcher seemed to linger
entranced when they came to deliver
their wares. Mary took their compli-
ments calmly, and had ready smile for
them ALL without departing from the
quiet dignity of her ways, and we felt no