Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-16
WANTED, A COOK.
RUNNING AWAY FROM HER.

may as well say at once thai my mother-the
best and most indUlgent of women-had sent
me, Reginald Hunter. to travel On the Continent
before | settled down in life. was an only son,
mad just LETT college. and was thinking about the
Oar rs suitable profession; but a most discrim-
mating uncle having left me good fortune,
was not very anxious about future briefs Still
was not to enjoy the good mans money till ]
was twenty-five years old, as he had enormously
considered that age more suitable for his heir
than the generally recognized and lie gal twenty
one.
My knowledge of French not being great,
usually found it safer to speak English at the
various hotels. Thus it happened that at Col
ogne. on certain July day, marched boldl.
into the Hotel d Albion and requested in English
TO be shown good room looking ont on the
river. The landlord bowed low and said:
Exactly SO. sire" Yet fancied there was
an anxious look on his face as followed him up
the stairs. We passed the first door, then the
second; but here made 4 stand.
II am not going up higher" said with true
British doggedness.
'.Veery sorry, sire, but these floor is engaged.
| The first floor engaged, the second floor en-
gagged and the third floor is full all but this
ROOM" ThereupOn he threw open the door OF
what in reality was small dressing ROOM
beautiful view, sire, spacious, and not in the
sum-
every we'll" I said resignedly; "as it is only
i0r one night, must put up with it, What
on earth did the fellow mean by having all his
rooms occupied?
:" What name. sire?" he next said, and gave
him my card and left him to ill up the custom
airy form. After reading "Hunter" out in vari-
Gus pronunciations, he remarked blandly: There
is letter for you, sire; I will send it up" and
presently was refreshed with the sight OF hon
est English handwriting. 1t was a letter from
my mother.
I drew a dusty red velvet arm chair to the
window, and with the soft summer breeze bloY-
ing in from the Rhine read the home news.
will not record all that was in it, because fond
mothers do write a good many things that can
not be repeated; but this paragraph amused me
not little:
az have been in great trouble, dear Reggie,
with the servants. Yesterday cook gave warn
ing because Sir Henry Seymour's footrnan has
jted her, and she says it will break her heart to
see daily the house where he 'inhabits' Then
Jane, you know, thepretty housemaid said if cook
went she must go. 1 think this was her only
reason; but the parlor maid declares she can't
possibly stay, as am always changing 1t is
the first time this has ever happened, but really
am so worried that dc see, my dear boy, if you
ne, French or German: at all events they
could not Immediately fall in love if they did
not know word of English"
Fancy asking me to look out for a cooki The
dear mother must have taken leave of her senses
/ looked at my watch 1t was 6 o'clock. and
table dhote was in half an hour. So deter
mined to put off going out till after dinner, and
prepared to make myself as clean as foreign
ways permitted.
At this moment heard clatter of many foot
steps on the stairs; next, the music of endless
voices, high pitched and sonorous sounds
mingled together. At first | fancied the house
must be on fire. or perhaps the cathedral: but
suddenly the truth flashed upon me. There
could be no doubt about it. was in for a
Cooks Personally Conducted Tour" Ahomin-
able. Why should they travel where was travel
ing? They would eat everything up, and, worst
OF all, they would be at the table dhote
went down to the dining room with no plea
SAINT feeling and awaited their arrival with I'M
disguised annoyance. On they came, Gathering
down the stairs women. young ladies'.
young gentlemen; all in the highest of spirits,
and as had fOreseen. ready to eat up every
thing. waiter assigned me seat, and 1
found myself between the last of the Cooks
and very deaf old lady travelling with COM
panlOn had intended to devote myself to- the
old lady but was forced to give up the attempt,
and seek for some amusement on my other side
The tongues were soon Embossed, and would
have drowned the noise of battle l believe
At the head of the table sat the conductor; a
cleyer-iOOkin9 man, who kept the two young
ladies" at lfs side in fits of laughter. But the
chief of the conversation was kept up by little
red-haired man. whose every word elected rOars
OF merriment- The young ladies' nudged each
other and giggled, exclaining, oh doctor!''
and the matrons painted out, ''Really doctor
you're too bad: you have such curious way OF
saving thin9s,"
Its an awful shame" said to myself. ':for
these sort OF people to travel in such numbers
one can have no chance OF conversing with in
terestng foreigners" But at this point was
startled by my neighbOr, stout, high-colored
Britisher, turning toward me with the remark:
Il hope you're thinking of joining our party
sir:'
mo thank YOU: I'm going another way." (At
| least 1 fervently hoped so)
Perhaps You don't like good party. That's
like my Janet here: she's so quiet there's no get
ting her to say anything"
Janet was. presumed, seated beyond the
pOrtly man, for | could not catch glimpse OF
her Not that was at all anxious to do So
At last the dinner was over. rose hoping
should enjoy my next meal better. but in nv
hurry to get away trOd On a lady's dress. She
| was IN front OF me, and whilst my foot was on
her skirt she tried to move on. In moment l
heard the noise of a rent Now, few accidents
are more terrible for a man than when he tears
| some part of ladys attire. for it generally
| brings him into dreadful disgrace with the fair
one. and he is very fortunate il he escapes with
| only frown. began to stammer an apology
as the lady turned round and at that moment
my stout neighbor came up, and said in a loud
voice:
| ''Well, declare, Janet! 1t looks. nv dear. az
if that dress was done for" OF course he laughed
| at this last joke, and 1 looked up into Janet's
face, dreading what should see Nv words OF
| apology died On my lips from sheer surprise
| for there stood before me tall, graceful girl
with a face SO soft and beautiful that l at once
! thought Of some Madonna had lately seen al
Antwerp She was fair, with bright, though
not golden hair, grave blue eyes, and gentle
delicate mouth. So this, then, was '.Janet,
and one Of the Cooks" It seemed impossible;
| but as this was the case, at last stammered the
apology which had been delayed
ut does not matter, thank YOU" she said in
refined. educated voice: cit is only the gath
ers-" Then fastened away feeling that ma
ture had committed some extraordinary mistake
in having made Janet one Of Cooks personally
conducted tourists!
| After dinner l sauntered about the town.
visited the cathedral. had peep at the sanity
| bones, and caught myself wondering whether
the party" had done it all and what 'Janet had
| thought of it. But of course she must be like
the rest of them. and most likely stared at the
sights without taking them in.
Over my evening cigar wrote letter to nv
mother and expressed my strong disapproval OF
her cooks conduct, but added my utter ina
bility to pick up another In these regions. II
was most aggravating that just as wrote these
| words Cooks party should come into my head
and after the party Janet" What on earth did
it matter TO me what this girls history might