The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-03-30
SELECTED MATTER.
A DEPLORABLE MISTAKE.

"JameS," said Mrs. Garret, while sit
ting at breakfast one morning, 81 don't
like that new girl. have my suspicious
about her"
"About Ami" returned Mr.. Garret,
in surprise. "Why, it's only few days
ago that heard you boasting to Mrs.
Bremmer you had the best cook in New
York"
$50 she is good cook. l don't ex-
pect to get such another for twice the
wages. It's not about her work-she
does all that well-but I've no trust in
her."
"What has she done?'
''What has she done?" echoed the
lady somewhat sharply. "Nothing, of
course, or I'd soon send her packing !
But she's shy and secret and won't tell
me anything about herself, and has ridic-
ulous airs about sleeping alone, and won't
allow Amanda inside of her bedroom
door. There's something wrong, de-
pend upon it. If there wasn't screw
loose somewhere she wouldn't be here
for such low wages. -
eff that's fault against her, you can
raise them," suggested Garret.
"There, James, you may as well go to
your office if that's all you have to say"
cried the mistress of the house. "But
mark my words, before you go, I'll find
Ann Walker out before long,
Mr.. Garret sighed as he rose to de-
part. He well knew that remonstrance
-'.aA,lId avail, nothing. for Mrs. Carrots
and md Fefsiahs, 4fas hRth that changeth not, 50 he
took himself off without another word.
"Amanda!" cried the lady, when left
alone, "bring Horace up"
In response to this summons large,
slatternly girl of eleven or twelve made
her appearance from the basement, with
a little boy in her arms, who made
snatch at an egg-stand and knocked it
on the floor in passing the table.
"You awkward, careless gipsy! cried
Mrs. Garret, with great spirit, "that's
the second thing you have broken this
morning. Who do you think is going
to pay for all you destroy? Come here,
Horace, love, and have nice piece of
toast. What's Ann doing, Amanda ?"
"She's dressing the turkey, mum. !"
"Did she scour the front steps this
morning?"
eyes, mum; she got up at five O clock
to do il"
"Go and tell her expect her to wash
the drawing-room windows before din
ner."
"Upon my word,' muttered Mrs.
Garret, resentfully, as Amanda retired
to carry her message, "I'll pull her pride
down for bit. Must wash the steps at
five in the morning forsoOth lest folks
see her at it. I'll take that out of her"
In few minutes Ann came up to clear
the dishes off. She was tall and we'll
proportioned, about twenty years of age,
her face pale, refined in features, not
handsome, but singularly intelligent and
earnest in its expression.
She looked little anxious and trou-
bled as she noiselessly arranged the
room, and when she was ready to go she
said in very soft voice:
"May l ask as favor, ma am, that
the cleaning of the front windows be put
off till early in the morning?"
"No," answered her mistress, curtly,
81 want them done now."
81 don't wish to be seen by passers-
by" she urged, almost pleadingly. cit
is of importance to me not to be seen
by-by some who might know me-"
"You will obey my orders, girl, or
leave the house" returned Mrs. Garret,
beginning to quiver with temper.
The servant courtesied and withdrew
In a few minutes she was at the win
dows, but in close sun bonnet, to Mrs.
Carrots unspeakable disgust.
81 think | can see through my lady,"
was her inward comment. "She's some
iail-bird the detectives are after. I'll
lay trap for her, and if she's not caught
in it, my penetration isn't much"
Rising from her sewing machine,
which she had been busily plying in
Master Horace's behalf, while her brain
as busily revolved, she unlocked her
desk, took from it twenty-dollar note,
carefully marked the number, and drop
ped it, as if by accident, under the ta-
Bile. Then she cut and basted some
more work, making enough rubbish
about the floor to insure the servants S
having to use her dust pan before din
ner. By the time this was accomplish
ed she discovered little Horace and the
machine in such danger of coming to
grief together that, first driving that in
nocent to the other side of the room,
and then picking up her scattered shut
tie and reels, she called Ann up stairs to
put the parlor to rights, and left the
room, taking Horace with her.
When Mr.. Garret came home to din
ner he saw by his wife's portentous face
that something dreadful had occurred.