Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-11-16

She did not offer to touch anything
or to help me. But the next morning
when I went down to make ready the
breakfast, there was the table laid, and
the chicken, mullins and coffee, precise
ly as she had seen them the night be.
fore.
She was faithful and initiative as a
Chinaman, and she was already good
cook and dairy maid. She learned few
words of English, and with them she
showed her gratitude for any simple
kindness shown her. We fancied, too,
that she took pleasure in the beautiful
country about her.
It never looked more beautiful than ii
did that summer. The great orchards
were red with fruit, constant showers
kept the forests pure in tint, the wild
rose and sweet briar covered every field
and roadside
But the poor Norwegian was wretched-
~ unhappy. Her unsmiling face and
wide sad eyes seemed to carry misery
into the barnyard and dairy, and leaven-
ed the very bread we ate. When she was
safely in her own room heard her stifed
sobs until late in the night.
"One is almost tempted to remember
your convict theory" said mother,
| anxiously, one day.
SIT doesn't matter Well keep her if
she we're Lucretia Borgia herself" I
| said, luxuriously leaning back in the
rocking chair on the porch. "The idea
of being free from pots, pans and brooms
at lastw
We tasted our comfort at leisure;
brought out some fancy work and books
which we had never hoped to find time
to read.
Then came letter from Julia Webb.
1t was thunder clap in our clear sky.
Julia was cousin only by the sheerest
courtesy; a beauty; spoiled heiress; a
belle with dozen lovers. She was COM
ing en- route to Newport, to spend week
with us.
every likely some of these trouble
some men will follow to find how your
hermitage suits poor little butterfly me, %
she wrote. But you will make them
welcome, darling auntie? There is a
Count Pasco who is my chief nuisance
just now. Such charming, ridiculous
creature Ishall be delighted to give
him a peep into an American middle
class interior. And it will be good OPP
portunity for you and Martha to have a
glimpse of foreign nobleman. Your
gloomy life needs little cheering"
tore the letter up, little viciously 1
confess, and mother laughed.
"Never mind, Matte" shesaid sit
is true; we are middle-class people,
cit isn't that. Butyou know, mother,
even if potatoes turn out well, We shall
not have dollar when the year is out
How are we going to meet this high tide
of company and fashion and foreign no.
bility? Julia is quite capable of staying
a month if the whim for hermitage life
seizes her."
"Wo can do without our winter dress
es," said mother, thoughtfully. "But
even with that the table must be very
plain"
I wondered secretly If the blessed
woman had put this calamity in the care
of the angels. Afterward, I believed
that she had.
Julia came; so did the lovers; so did
Count Pas co.
There was a regiment of them at the
village inn, but they took our house by
storm all day.
There were carbohydrates, picnics,
excursions. Julia trailed her magnifi-
cent silks or gauzy lawns up and down
the wet meadows; she called the old
homestead ga charming old rookery;"
pointed out the magnificent sweep of
hill and valley to the east, with the great
glittering plane of the bay beyond, as
''nice little effect" and told Count Pasco
that mother and [ were queer bits of
human bric-a-brac.
But she was so pretty, and brilliant,
and willful that nobody could be angry
with her.
One day I found her in the kitchen
With blue silk wrapper perched on q
-four barrel, while Christina, standing
before her, poured out flood of words,
sobbing and wringing her hands. Tears,
too, had wet Julia's rose-leaf cheeks.
"What is the matter? Can you I'M
derstand her ?'' asked.
Pretty well. You know I passed a
summer in Norway and picked up good
deal of the language. Poor thing She
was brought here by mistake"
"By mistaken"
Yes. 1t seems they were frightfully
poOr-her mother and brother and her
self-and she went as nurse to some
bridesmaids wife to Bremen. When her
time of service was out she was sent
home, but by some mistake, at night,
was put aboard the steamer for PhiIa-
delphia instead of for Christiana.
"Why! We ought to send her back
again y L cried, feeling as if had been
concerned in case of kidnapping.
"No. Better bring her family out
here. She says it is SO beautiful; so
plenty to eat; it is like the garden of
Eden. If her mother and Jan could
come, she would have nothing more to
ask"
"She might save her money and send
for them"
'tIt was good deal. It would take
her years to earn so much. Besides,
Jan is under bonds to pay debt of his
fathers. [ don't know how much. One
or two thousand dollars. No; she'll
have to carry her burden like the rest of
us. Where's the count?" and she
skipped out of the kitchen humming a
L