The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-08-10

open all night, breakfasts delayed, lunches
forgotten. dinners served too early or late
all on account Of this love of reading which
characterizes our little servant maid.
She nearly drowned baby once, while Civ
ing her her bath, by letting the darling's head
slip under water. while she devoured a story
in Hdrper's Weekly she had taken from
table near by. She let my canary escape
while she removed his empty seed cup with
one hand, ard held "Heens Babies" in the
other. her eyes being fixed on the book. She
spilled the soup one dinner-time over papa's
immaculate white vest, while trying to peep
at the magazine he was glancing over. She
set the hot fat-iron on our best damask table,
cloth, and left it there to indelibly imprint its
triangular portrait, while she hastily read an
interesting murder case in the morning pa
per.
She could scarcely be got out of bed morn
ings, because she was tired aud sleepy from
reading the book she had distracted from the
bookcase the night before, and when she
did get up she actually sat before the dreary-
looking stove for half an hour or so, intently
perusing the various scraps of newspaper
with which she should have been lighting the
fire.
In short, if she had not been the most de-
voted, sunny, unselfish, fond-of.us-all little
creature, 1t would have been utterly impossi-
VIC lOr us LO nave sLOOu Tue uduy noudPo
and disasters that sprang from our servant
maids devotion to literature. As it was, pa
pa said to her when she drenched him with
soup, "Another occurrence of this nature,
and you CO." And mamma said to her when
she nearly drowned the baby, Greatly, Flea
nor, if anything as dreadful as this happens
again, we must part" And 1 said to her
when she freed my song bird, "The very next
wrong thing you do while reading" and
H. CO. InaJ.oI
eyes, MISS" said Nellie, meekly, with the
tears in her gray eyes, which didn't prevent
her, as soon as she reached the kitchen, burst
ing out with, "Why, why, why didst thou
leave me ?" to tune made up of a strange
combination of sold Dan Tucker" and "The
Russian Hymn"
But with the exception of turkey nicely
roasted and sent to table retaining its crop
and one or two other superfluous append
ages to turkey when roasted, on account
of cred as Rose is She," and forgetting to
put the yeast in the bread one night because
'East Lynne" lay beside the bread bowl,
Nellie had got into no trouble for several
months, ard b ad gladly said to me, the
morning of the very day sent that horrid
letter, $50. miss, shall be with you another
birthday, after all; and isn't that "Monarch
of Minking Lane' lovely? I read little
bit of it when I was dustiug the parlor,
miss''.
Well, to go back to naughty Barbara,
standing by the window, and gazing out in
to the street.
Oh, how my heart ached! How sorry 1
was for quarrelling with my dear, good. SPLEEN
did Anthony! The first thing this morning,
my birthday mOrning-last year l was scarce
ly through my breakfast when he came,
bringing me the loyeliest set of pearls he
will get my cruel letter, and then, before I
can send another to beg him to forgive me,
he will have started for that dreadful place
away off goodness knows where.
'sWhat possessed me-" said to myself,
wringing my hands in despair, "silly, wicked
little thing that am, to break my own heart
and wound him SO deeply? He loves me, I
know he loves me dearly, and he never, never,
nerer would have firted had not set him
the example," and I heaved deep sigh,
which was Immediately echoed behind me,
and turning, l saw Nellie laying the table for
dinner, with most woe-begone expression
on her round rosy face; and as turned to-
ward her, two frightened implorng gray eyes
met mine. For a moment forgot my own
trouble.
"Why, Nellie, what is the matter with
you?" 1 asked.
''Oh dear! oh dear! how can tell you?
And out of this house must go as soon as
you know. And love your ma. and al
most love your pa, and [ adore the rest of
you. Oh! oh! oh v'-bursting into sobs and
tears.
"Take down your apron this minute"
said l, firmly, "and tell me what you have
been doing this time"
"Well, MISS" said Nellie, giving great
gulp, and coming and standing before me,
you know, miss, last evening went to the
village, and it was elegant moonlight night,
miss; and, oh! miss" -twining and untwin-
ing her fingers nervously-"I can't bear to
go out into cold and heartless world. What
shall do? what shall do?"
$50 on" said I.
"And 1 got my paper-The Weekly Boar
er Auis, you know, where they're printing
The Vow of the Glass Fiend; or, the Glitter
ing, Cleaning Girandole.' And, oh! miss,
what shall / do?'
eco on, ''said I.
Sand opened the paper in the store Just
to see how Stephanyer Alveretter got out of
the enchanted cave, and came out into the
road a-reading it. Oh, miss, it's most awful
interestingly And Nellie, completely car
ried away by her subject unclasped her hands,
and continued in as bass a voice as she could
assume, ''The dragon belched forth streams
of fire." And then suddenly changing to
high, shrill tone, ssRudolfer sprang between
her and the monster r-r. Saved, saved,
saved she CRIED" cried Nellie, at the top of
her voice, entirely lost to everything but the
"most awful interesting story.
Good heavens! Nell" said /, s'you'll have
ma tumblng down stairs, thinking its
tramps. Forget the sGlass Fiend.' or what
ever it is, for few moments, and finish your
own story"
The frightened look came back into Nelrs
face. swell, miss" she said slowly, 81 got
my paper, and oh ! miss
''Go on!' said l, stamping my foot. l had
made up my mind never to stamp my foot
again, but the girl was so provoking.
"And, miss"-with desperate calmness-
~ forgot to post your letter."
flung my arms around her and gave her
hug and kiss, promised her whole years
subscription to the village circulating library,
and left her with round eyes and mouth wide
open in wonder, while l flew to the door to
answer the ring Of
Barbara DGrling," said he.
Mt IN Eo,;I