Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-11-22


Weeks passed on. Tom was devoted [
| in his attention Ia the Misses Renshsw,
/ Rumor had assigned him first to Ida,
then To Adele. aud waited with impatience
for the time when the engagement should
be- publicly announced.
Meanwhile, almost every day brought
some good ard sufficient excuse for him
To call at Mrs. Renshaw's pleasant house;
new poem, the latest song, an invita-
/ tioa tor a drive, ora plan Tor an excur-
! sion. o. Violet he saw less than of the
other sisters, although they we're very
frierdly, and he treated her with the
same brotherly trNukness RS Harry.
One lovely June morning he presented
himself ut Mrs Renshaw's ut quite an
early hour, intending to invite the three /
sisters to pass the beautiful summer day |
in a long county drive. lie uotced that |
there was some delay Ia answering his |
ring, which was not usually the case with |
Mrs Reushaw's we'll trained servants /;
but AT length he heard light tootstep,
aud in another moment the door was
opened by Violet. She had broom in
her hand, and "A du>tlng cap covered her
bright curls hut she bade him good
morning with rs much cordialitv as usu
al. aud invited him to enter, adding
Please walk into the dining room, tor
l am just sweeping the parlor@.'
Secretly Wondering, Tom obeyed. As
he turned the handle of tina door, there
was sudden rash, hasty bang ofa door,
and hurried exclamation OF % Violet
how could you p and he found himself
in the presence OF the fair Adele although
for ths moment he scarcely recognized
her in the soveny dressed girl, with dis
heveled hair who stood by the breakfast
table dahbling the cups and ssucers in
some greasy water, aud wiping them ON
a towel which, to say the least, was very
far from being spotlcssly clean. She
colorcd, and with some confusion said, ,-
All, good m ,rning, Mr. heredlth.-
So YOU have come to hnd us all at work
this morning. 1t happens that we have
Tor our servants n brother and two sisters
They received, this morning, the news of
their mothers dangerous illness, and
mamma at once gave them all permission
10 GO home. We supposed We could get
woman who sometimes does extra work
for Us. but she was engaged tor the day.
so we are Obliged to do the best we oun
ourselves. assure you, she continued,
with little laugh mich Tom had often
thought pretty and engaging, but which
now tounded ta,-e aud affected, that
am not accustomed TO such work, nor
have any desire to become so.'
Cannot you allow mo to assist You p
asked Tom. politely. | was brought up
on n larm. and often washed dishes and
mad9 myself generally useful in the
kitchen.
} You = exclaimed Adele, in such an
astonshed tone, Tint Tom could not Gor,
bear laughing
Yes, certainly; why not? asked
Tom.
'Oh, | don't know-onlYI thought
you never did anything stammered
Adele then, endeav"rng to seem AT ease,
she sald Yes, if you will help, please
take this lea-kotte into the kitchen and
sot it on the stove
Tom seized the kettle, npd, throwing
open the door leading to the Kitchen was
crossing the room toward tho stove when
hi. progress was arrested by the sudden
appearance Of Ida from II store room be-
youd If Adele looked slovenv and dis
heveled, what shall be said OF Ida ? An
Oh dress, dirty nd torn, slippers run
! down ut the heel and burs; out at the
sides, no collar or ruflte, very little hair,
instend II the magnificent tre.-es he had
so often admired, and what there was
hanging uncombed about hor face, uo
wonder that Tom stared in blank aston
ishment
A heavy frown took the place OF The
usual smile, a. she curtiy bado him good
= morning. Tom mullered an apology for
: his intrusion as he deposited his burden
, on the stove and turned to retrace his
HAfH- just ~ ' lbltf tilANifh NlH AitIlk
room. She did not see him, but, adj
i, dressing Ida, said
, Ran away, now, Ida dear, and dress
before the callers come for you. | have
already sent Adele up stairs, and will
finish the dishes, now that have done
my sweeping
You have been long enough about It
. ! hope, muttered Ida, ungraciously, bu
nevertheless awaiting herself Of her sis
=, tsr's offer with much alacrity. Here
are the dish towels, Violet, she said ex'
!. tending several greasy, blackened arti-
h cles to the young girl.
Tom had been meGitating an escape
not an easy affair, a. the sisters stood di
. rec;y in his path but at the word dish
- towels no ipvoluntarily stopped and
glanced around.
No wonder my grandmother caution
= ed me, was his first thought, as the soil,
q ed towels met his sight, and he hastily
It approved the lock Of disgust which
, crossed Violet's face "a she laid then
+ aside and opening a drawer, took from Il
plentiful supply, roh, dry and clean
d Ida and Adele had b tn disappeared
y and Tom ventured to renew his offer o
h assistance TO Violet, whs started liltl'
,, as she for the first time noticed his pres
d ence. But she recovered her cOmposurt
At once, and quietly answered, as sh'
y deity filled the dish-pan with clean, ho
u suds.-