The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-11-14
5flistell
The New Girl.

"Now, Charley, you'll be sure to remem-
ber?n
ITO remember-what ?" said Mr. Meredith,
with hopeless expression of insanity on his
countenance. Kitty Meredith dropped both
hands despairingly at her sides
"Charlesp' she exclaimed, 'you don't mean
that you have forgotten already?"
"My DEAR" said Mr.. Meredith, fumbling in
the deeps of his overcoat pockets for miss
ing glove, II may not have forgotten-but l
don't seem exactly to remember"
"The oysters !" suggested the wife.
ooh, yes" said Mr.. Meredith, 'the oys-
ters."
"And two ounces of double zephyr scarlet
wool"
Exactly"
"And the depot-hack to be waiting at two
o'clock for your cousin from Chicago"
Mr. Meredith slapped one hand on the table.
"She is coming to-day, declare to good
nessW he calculated.
"And dozen Havana oranges for dessert,
and two pounds of white grapes, and some
of those delicious little Naples biscuit and
maccaroons, from Saltaselli's-oh and let
them send me up girl from st. Chars%
"A-which ~
"A girl, you goose for general homework
Phoebe went home this morning with the
faceachc, and can't be left alone with COM
pany coming and all. Mind, she's good
cook and understands waiting at table"
And Mr. Meredith rushed off to catch the
ninc-thirty express with kaleidoscope con-
fusion of grapes, zephyr wool, depot hacks,
oysters and servant-maids careering through
his brain, which BODIED ill for Mrs. Meredith's
domestic plans.
While that lady, clasping both hands over
her forehead in a sort of tragic despair, rush
ed down into the kitchen, where very good
looking young man of some two or three
and-twenty was on his knees in front of the
range, trying to coax a most unwilling fire to
burn. The good-looking young man glanced
up with comical sparkle in his eyes and
smear of SCOT traversng the bridge of his
nose.
"Wcll?" said he.
"Tom," said Mrs. Meredith, Historically,
"can you make lobster salad?"
Like u book p said Tom.
"And coffee 2"
81 learned in Paris"
Good" said Mrs. Meredith "And can
make buttermilk biscut--and, between us,
We'll get up decent lunch for the young lady
| from Chicago AS for dinner"
"Well?" again remarked the young man
with the sOot-besmeared nose.
"Provdence must provided sighed the
matron.
"There's an old chintz colored rooster in
the barnyard," said Tom, hopefully. "If |
could catch him I'd have chicken stew"
"Tom," said Mrs. Meredith, "did you ever
make a chicken stew"
"No"
"Then you don't know what you're talking
about" said the lady, with some asperity
eyes, do, too" maintained the amateur
| nj ri hor
ley, with pinch Of salt, and"
| "Nonsensew interposed Mrs Meredith
"Do pick that lobster out of its shell and
leave off romancing You're deal better at
poetry and newspaper sketches than you are
in the kitchen; though to be sure" with a
twinge of conscience, goodness knows what
/ should do without you just in this particu-
lar emergency, you dear old darling"
The lobster was only half picked out of the
shell, the buttermilk biscuit was still unmix-
ed and Mrs. Meredith, with pocket-hand-
kcrchief tied around her pretty brown hair,
was busting the little drawing-room when
there came ring at the door-bell She put
her turbaned head out of the window after a
most unceremonious fashion,
"Who's there" she demanded in high
contralto.
"Does Mrs Meredith live here ~ rctorted a
woman's voice. And at the same moment
the young matron caught sight of neat
black leather bag, black alpaca dress and a
shawl of the plainest Highland plaid.
Its the new girl, thank Providence !" said
Mrs. Meredith; and she flew down stairs,
thanking honest Charley in her heart for this
unexpected promptitude. "Comc in," said
she, opening the door wide 81 am glad you
are so punctual, my good girl. From ST.
Chars Intelligence Bureau, / suppose? No.
don't take off your things up here-the SER
wants room is below stairs; you may as we'll
come directly down into the kitchen"
She led the way down, followed by the
new girl, whose countenance bore rather q
bewildered expression.
whats your name?" she asked, patron
izingly.
MY name? Oh, it's Martha" answered
the girl, in some confusion.
"Martha?" critically repeated Mrs. Mere
dilh. "What an ugly name l think shal
call you Patty. Have you references?'
Il believe So"
81 think said Mrs. Meredith, surveying
her from top to toe, 'that you are LITTLE
over-dressed for your station, Patty but o
} course you have some palmer clothes in you
trunk when it comes?"
The stranger lifted pair of grave blu,
eyes to the tall form, girded around with
towel, who was vigorously wrestling witt
the claws of a stupcndous lobster at the tabl
beyond.