Litchfield enquirer., 1881-08-25
WANTED, A COOK,
RUNNING AWAY FROM HER.

RUNNING AWAY FROM HER.
 may as we'll say at once that my mother the best and most indulgent of women-had sent me, Reginald Hunter, to travel on the Continent before I settled down in life I was ap only son, had just left college, and was thinking about the bar as suitable pro- fession; but most discriminating uncle hay. ing left me good fortune. was not very anxious about future briefs. Still was not to enjoy the good mans money till I was twenty-five years old, as he had erronee9sly considered that age more suitable for his heir than the generally recognized and legal twen- ty-one. 2,
 My knowledge of French not being great, I usually found it safer to speak English at the. various hotels. Thus it happened at Cologne, on certain July day, marched boldly into the Hotel d'Albion, and requested in English to be shown good room looking out on the river. The landlord bowed low and said
 Exactly so, sire" Yet I fancied there was an anxious look on his face as followed him up the stairs We passed the first door, then tie second but here made stand.
 II am not going up higher" I said with true British dOggedness.
 ''Veery sorry, sire, but these floor IS en- gagged. The first f1svr engaged, the second floor engaged and the third floor is full all but this room." Thereupon he threw open the door of what in reality was small dress iIg-room.
 Beautiful view, sire, spacious, and not in the sun."
 "Very well,"I said resignedly ''as it is only for one night, must put up with t."- What on earth did the fellow mean by having all hls rooms occupied?
 "What name, sire ?" he next said, and I gave him my card and left him to fill up the customary form. After reading "Hunter" out in various pronounciations, he remarked blandly: "There is a letter tor you, sire; 1 will send it up" and presently was refreshed with the sight of honest English handwriting. It was letter from my mother.
 drew dusty red velvet a:m chair to the window, and with the soft summer breeze blowing Tn from the Rhine read the home Dews. 1 will not record all that was in it, because fond mothers do write good many things that cannot be repeated; but this par agraph amused me not little:
 II have been in great trouble, dear Reggle, with the servants. Yesterday the cook gave warning because Sir Henry Seymour's foot man has tilted her, and she says it will break her heart to see daily the house where he ''in- habits" Then Jane, you know, the pretty housemaid said if the cook went she must go. 1 think this was her only reason but the par Tor maid declares she can't possibly stay as 1 am always changing It is the first time this has ever happened, but really am so worried that do see my dear boy, if you can't make inquiries about foreign cook for me- French or German. At all events, they couldt not immediately fall in love if they did no know word of English" :"
 Fancy asking me to look out for cook. The dear mother must have taken leave of her senses.
 looked at my watch; it was six o'clock, and table dhote was in halt an hour. So determined to put of going out till after din- ner, and prepared to make myself as clean as foreign ways permitted
 At this moment heard chatter of many footsteps 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 up- on me. There could be no doubt about it. I was in for a Cooks Personally Conducted Tour" Abominable! Why should they travel where was travelling? They would eat ev-- erything up, and worst of all, they would be at the table 'hote.
 l went down to the dining room with no pleasant feeling, and awaited their arrival with uudisguised annoyance. On they came, clattering down the stalrs-men. women, young ladies, young gentlemen; all in the highest of spirits, and, as l had foreseen, ready to eat up everything. A waiter assign ed me seat, and 1 found myself between the last of the Cooks and very deaf old lady travelling with companion. I hadintended 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 unloosed, and would have drowned the noise of battle believe. At hA haa n hn oh cot h0 clever looking man, who kept the two 'young ladies" at his side in fits of laughter. Butthe chief of the conversation was kept up by little red haired man, whose every word elic- ited roars of merrment. The young ladies nudged each other and giggled, exclaiming, "Oh, doctor" and the matrons panted out, "Really, doctor, you're too bad; you have such curious way of saying things!"
 ''It's an awful shame" Said to myself, for these sort of people to travel in such num- b rs. One can have no chance of conversing with interesting foreigners. But at this point was startled by my neighbor, stout, high colored Britisher, turning toward me with the remark:
 "I hope you are thinking of joining our party, sir?"
 No, thank you; Pm going another way" (At least fervently hope so)
 Perhaps you don't like a good party. That's like my Janet here; she's so quiet there's no getting her to say anything"
 'Janet was, presumed, seated beyond the portly man, for could not catch glimpse of her. Not that l was at all anxious to do so.
 At last the dinner was over rose, hop. ing should enjoy my Eext meal better, but in my hurry to get away 1 trod on a lady's dress. She was in front of me, and whilst my foot was on her skirt she fried to move oa In a moment heard the noise of rent Now few accidents are more terrible for man than when he tears some part of ladv's attire, for 1t generally brings him into dreadful dis grace with the fair one, and he is very fortu- nate if he escapes with only frown. I be- gan to stammer an apology as the lady turned round, and at that moment my stout neighbor came up, and said in loud voice.
 ''Well, declare, Janet It looks, my dear, as if that dress was done for." Of course he laughed at this last joke, and looked up into Janet's face. dreading what should see. My words of apology died on my lips from sheer surprise, for there stood before me tall, graceful girl. with face so soft and heauti full that at once thought of some Madonna had lately seen at Antwerp. ohe was fair, with bright, though not golden hair, grave blue eyes, and a gentle, delicate mouth. So this, then, was Janet" and one of the | SOOho. 4t SCCuLCu tmpOSSiUlGs Uut us t0lS was the case, at last stammered an apology which had been delayed.
 ''It does not matter, thank you," she sald in refined, educated voice; lit is only the gathers" Then hastened away, feeling that nature had committed some extraordinary mistake in having made Janet one of the Cooks personally conducted touristst After dinner sauntered about the town, visited the cathedral, had peep at the saint ly 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 ID. Over my evening cigar wrote letter to my mother and expressed my strong disap- proval of her cooks conduct, but added my | utter inability te pick up another in these re- gions. It was most aggravating that just as wrote these words Cooks party should come 1 into my head, and after the party 'sJanet. ''