Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-30
WANTED, A COOK
I'm TWO PARTs-PART III

the SHOP WlpQoWS anu tlylAS W Shoooo
something worthy of the dear mother at
home, l happened to pass pastrycook'
shop. How delicious the cakes looked, L
thought. And so thought, evidently. a
little, curiously. attired lady. who was
gazing fondIy at the eatables. As paused
She turned round, and l at once recognized
one of the Cooks !" So they were come,
and had arrived before me Pray, reader.
do not smile Il own that l at once felt
quite friendly toward this old woman.
took off my hat, made a polite how, and
said l believed I had met her at Cologne,
and other places.
"Ah to be sure" she said, anxiously.
"Could you tell me, sir, what o'clock it
is?"
'Just 4, I said, taking out my watch.
And dinner is not till T." she sighed.
e'These foreign ways are most unoomtorta-
BE, | think. There's nothing like ones
comfortable cup of tea at o'clock, as all
good Christians have in England"
Why not make up for it by these
tempting morsels though, as you say,
they are not worth cup OF English tea. +"
"Do you think one may" she asked
eagerly, looking up at me gravely. " You
see, our conductor does for us altogether,
and 1 don't know, am sure, whether it's
in the agreement"
nearly laughed aloud, but fearing Janet
might suddenly appear round the corner,
refrained.
81 am sure every Englishman is free to
spend his money as he likes, and with it
you may certainly buy what you like"
s. GU really think so?" Then her face
frightened, whilst I ushered her into the
shop and asked for what she required (;
and she quite cheered up as tourtes de
cerises and "gateaux aux cellars " dis
appeared.
g And the other Goethe rest of your
party at the hotel ?" inquired, carelessly.
sob yes, sir, they are resting We
don't 90 round the town till tomorrow
morning, and we've only Paris to do after
this, she added with a sigh of relief. 81
really don't believe I would have come if
I'd known the .tramping about we had to
do-and then none OF the meals regular
cousin Joe that persuaded me. He came
home flush from India, and said he'd treat
me. But there"
81 dare say Mr. and Miss Smith en-
joyed it, said l. interrupting her.
Well, certainly Mr.. Smith, he always
seemed to enjoy everything. But Miss
dear me, Smith isn't the name. Well,
anyhow l dare say they're both repenting
it now, for poor Mr.. Smith quite broke
down two days ago. Two days, was it !?
Well, really, sir, quite lose count OF days
with this going about.
Is Mr.. Smith i'll, them"
81 don't really know what he is now,
sir. l shouldn't be surprised to hear he
was in his coffin, for we left him in a dirty
bit of a town that wasn't fit for anyone to
be i'll In"
.'And his daughters she with him ?"
"She's his niece Oh, yes, she's with
him, but she's quite another sort-not fit
to rough it in that dirty place.
But what was the name of the place ?"
/ asked, trying not to show my eagerness.
And why were they lett alone?"
They called it Eagle, or some such
name. And as to stopping-why, sir,
Cooks parties never stop. If somebody
drops out, why they do. You see it's all
contract work.
She had finished her cakes, and left
her in haste. One idea possessed me.
Janet was alone with that man-that
uncle; she might be In difficulty, knowing
no one, perhaps not able to speak French
After all, was not altogether wrong
Janet was not his daughter. | rushed
back to the hotel, paid what they asked Of
me, and took the next train for Aigle. |
should get there that evening, and might.
perhaps, be of some use. All this time /
kept saying to myself that, of course, any
one hearing of young lady left in a for
eign land, with sick relative, would do
what was doing. My mother, l felt sure,
would be the first to suggest going to see
after them, etc., etc. 1t is curious how
difficult it is to be honest with ones self.
/ did not ask if | should have done the
same had Janet been other than she was.
1t was quite dark when l reached Aigle.
Moreover, the fine day had clouded over,
and it was now pouring with rain. | did
not know what hotel Mr.. Smith might be
in, so that / entered the nearest one, asked
if Mr.. Smith y was staying there, and
was answered in the negative.
/ FASTENED out again into the rain, and
tried another hotel in the town. There
was no Mr.. Smith there; most likely he
was at the big hotel, mile out of the
town. Courageously | sailed forth,
though before l reached my journeys end
/ heartily wished l had waited for the
morning. / arrived at last, wet to the
skin, and as | was forced to put up there,
changed my dripping things before ] asked
the question once more, "Was there Mr..
Smith in the hotel ,"
Certainly; stout gentleman who had
been i'll and young lady with him. This
surely was my Mr.. Smith so l found 6
card and told the waiter to ask if | might
see the lsdy. waited in feverish impa.
thence until the waiter came back and
begged me to follow him.
| was shewn into small sittIng-room
lit up with gas it was empty, but there
was work-b2sket on the table sad several
books. l took one up; it was Hyperion;
and this sent my thoughts back to that
day on the Rhine when janet had been sc
animated about the old legends. In two
minutes side door opened and Janet
stood before me. She looked so composed
so self-possessed, that for an instant fan.
cied our former meeting had been dream,
and that we were really old English &C.
quaintances and friends.
pray forgive me, Miss Smith, but !
fancie9-I heard your uncle was i'll, and !
thought as / was in this neighborhood that
might be of some service to you. 1t is
so inconvenient in these out-of-the. way
places to get what one wants.
She did not hold out her hand and,
looking az her. feared she had not for.
given me.
"Thank you, Mr.. Hunter" she said,
stiffiy; my uncle has been i'll, but he is
better now.
'But is there nothing can do?" said
eagerly. She was, she must have been a
little touched, although she only replied
81 am sure my uncle will be very much
obliged when | tell him you called, but we
can have no claim upon your-courtesy. y
This last word was brought out with lit.
tie effort, yet she looked more fascinating
than ever.
"Do pray believe me when | say that !
shall be delighted to do anything I can for
you. / really mean what | say" My
words and the tone of my voice must
have expressed some of my feeling, for
suddenly Janet became cold and stern.
81 can assure you that l require moth
ing. Perhaps you forget that We are part