St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1881-10-15
very SURE" said Joseelind. brightly.
And she packed up her little
trunk, and went to Black Grange.

pictures, when she came up the ter
raced flight of steps that led to th,
old house.
Everything blusbed biood-red il
the deep ligat, and Joseelind eoult
see bow lovely was the scenery; how
substantial this old gray house, will
its square towers and semi-circulal
colonnaded porch. Uncle Blacl
stood on the steps in wig and blacl
silk stockings. surmounted by huge
silver kneebuekles.
$50 you are Joscelind?" sale
Uncle Black, surveying her with lit.
tie twinkling eyes, like black beads
"Yes, [ am Joseelind!" said the
bright checked girl, giving him g
kiss.
You're late" said Uncle Black
Il am late" said Joscelind. "I
thought the old beast of a stage
never would get here. The horses
fairly crept. and the roads were
horrid."
It's a dreadfully warm day.
growled Uncle Black.
I'm almost roasted" sighed
Joscelind
The whole summer has been in
tolerably warm" said the old gen.
tleinan.
"We might as well be in the
tropics and done with it" retorted
Joscelind. tiinging off her shawl
and tanning herself yshemently.
Uncle Black gave her the KEYS
that night. just as be had three
times before given them to her
three sisters.
Il shall expect you to take charge
OF the whole establishment" said
he. "rhe servants are miserable"
mo more than one might ex-
pect," interrupted Joseelind, with
Il deprecatory motion of the hand.
Servants are mere frauds, nova
days"
"And nothing goes right about
the place"
Nothing ever does!" said Josce-
Ind.
Uncle Black eyed her queerly.
This was quite different from tue
determined cheerfulness and sys-
tematic good spirits of her three
sisters.
At breakfast. the next morning.
Uucle Black began to scold, as
usual.
Fish again!" said he. This
makes four mornings in the week
we've had fish"
Il detest fish," said Joscelind.
pushing away her plate with a
gri,nace.
And the rolls are heavy again!"
growled Uncle Black, breaking one
open.
please give me the plate, Uncle
Black said Joscelind; and she
rang the table-bell sharply.
Betty. the cook, a stout, good-na-
tured Irish woman, made her APP
pearance.
Betty" said Miss Darkridge,
"be SO good as to throw the rolls
out of the window"
Betty stared.
DO you hear what I tell you?"
said Miss Darkridge, with en-
phasis.
And Betty flung the rolls among
the rose bushes, where they were
speedily devoured by Cato, the
newfoundland dog, and Rob and
Roy, the two settlers.
But what am / to eat for b,eak-
fast?" bewailed Uncle Black.
Crackers. of course!" said Josce-
lind. Anything is better than i'm
peril;ng ones digestion with such
stuff as this. And, Betty. If you
send up any more hsh in month
you may consider yourself dis
charged-do you hear?"
but, my dear. ! am rather fond
of fish, put in the old gentleman.
"One can't eat fish the whole |
time" said Joscelind, imperiously.
Here, Betty-this coffee isn't tit to
drink! and the toast is burned! and |
you must have put the cooking but
ter on the table by mistake. Let
these errors be rectified at once"
Betty retired with an ominous
rustic Of her stifiy -starched apron.
MY DEAR" said Uncle Black,
rather apprehensively, Betty is a
very old servant, and"
II don't care if she is the age of
Methuselah," said JoscelInd; mo
body can bs expected to put up
with such wre.ched cookery as
-b;ein