Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-12-30
CHRISTINA.
BY MRS. REBEcCA HARDING DAVIS.

BY MRS. REBECCA HARDING DAWN.
She was the result of an experimental
desperate experiment. How desperate it
was, some of the girls who read the "Com-
panion' no doubt know from experience
Mother and lived alone in the dear old
homestead, just outside of drowsy vii
Iage in Delaware. Old Sanders worked
the farm, and lived in the tenant house,
as he had done for thirty years, but be
was getting old and cranky, and threaten
ed every month to leave US. But our great
misery-'the messenger OF Satan sent to
buffet us''-was the "girl" who was not
in the kitchen.
With all the neighborhood, we depended
for servants on the free negroes, who In
variably decamped in body, to the fields
or the great canning-heuses, as soon as the
peach crop came in.
We tried a wandering Irish woman; she
drank. A genteel American who had seen
better days; and she disappeared with my
one silk dress.
During the whole spring and summer
mother and 1 worked, cleaned, canned Der.
ries, MIXED and churned, and ''tried" a
succession of poor creatures who left US
witt our patience worn to the last thread.
One night mother announced, 81 am 60
ing to try an experiment. It shall be with
foreigner whe cannot speak word OF
English, who never heard of privileges,
of canning houses, of the fashions, or the
beer-shop. will go to Philadelphia to-
morrow, board an emigrant ship and carry
off an untamed savage woman Fri.
day.
laughed at it as joke. and was good
deal startled that night when mother ut
prayers asked that she Knight be success
full in her undertaking." adding, after a
little pause
"May the woman I shall bring be of help
to us, in making our daily life more cheer
full and peaceable, and may we holp hs1
upward in her way through life.'
"Well. mother" said, doubtfully, as
we started up to bed, II never knew you
to ask the Lord before to control the kitch.
en- affairs"
''Some people," she said. gravely, "think
| it an insult to the Almighty to suppose
! that He concerns Himself about our little
worries. Perhaps He has His messengers
| for such small work in the upper world
just as he has in this. don't know. But
I do know that be does attend to all the
things I ask Him about.''
Mother was as simple and direct as a
| child, even in her religion.
| The next day she visited the city, went
| aboard a Bremen vessel, and brought home
Christina. She was about sixteen fat
and round as churn; with clean skin,
blue eyes, a funny little knob of hair atop
OF her head, white muslin waist, short
gray woollen petticoat and heavy shoes.
"She cannot speak word of English, .
said mother, looking half-scared. ''She is
Norwegian. The agent said she had a
dreadful history. But her honest face
tempted me. seemed to hear voice say
ing, Take this one!' "
"She is an escaped convict, no doubt
said. 'That guiding voice of yours, lit
tie mother, induced you to bring in Blue
Peter out of the aims house, who set fire
to the barn. Well, I'll show her about the
supper"
Christina followed me-dumb and watch
ful-from kitchen to dining-room, while
laid the table, prepared the mullins, fried
the chicken and made coffee.
She did not offer to touch anything, or
to help me. But the next morning, when
went down to make ready the breakfast,
| there was the table laid, and the chicken,
mullins and coffee, precisely as she had
seen them the night before.
She was faithful and initiative as Chi
naman, and she was already a good cook
and dalry-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 pleas
ure in the beautiful country about her.
1t never looked more beautiful than it
did that summer. The great orchards
were red with fruit, constant showers kept
the forests pure in tint, the wild rose and
sweet brier covered every field and road
side.
But the poor Norwegian was wretched-
ly unhappy. Her unsmiling face and wide
sad eyes seemed to carry misery into the
barn yard and dairy. and leavened the
very bread we ate. When she was safely
in her own room heard her stihed sobs
until late in the night.
Zone is almost. tempted to remember