Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-04-07
Cooks Story.

"Yes ma am, said cook to me, pausing
in the stirring of pudding as she spoke,
and shaking her head until her double chin
looked like smould of jelly. "Yes, ma 'am,
I've seen some strange things in my long
life of service, | can tell you. | know the
secrets of good many families, and un-
derstand the difference between home faces
and company faces by this time. "
There's many happy looking couple
with my dear and my darling before
folks that are like cat and dog when they
are alone And can tell you you don't
know much about people from seeing the
front door. I've found out many secrets
in the course of my life, but never, I'm
thankful to say, any that weighed upon
me SO as what l met with at my first place,
thirty years ago this winter"
81 was young girl then, with only one
relation living-my old northumberland
she was terribly anxious about me. Girls
are light minded, said she, 'and are Car.
ried away by fattery. And a handsome
young fellow with a smooth tongue might
lead Annie into all kinds of folly So
granny dellberated and deliberated, and
refused this place and that place. and
seemed as though she never would be
suited.
at" last, however, the minister, who
had been bachelor 80 far, married and
brought his wife home, and granny came
in out of her wits with joy one day to say
she'd got me the place.
"It's fine thing for you,' says old
granny. You'll get no harm there
$50 poor old granny helped me pack my
box and 1 went over to the minister's.
Every one in the place knew about the
minister's courtship, and how he had be-
fore that courted Miss Nellie Read, and
that it would have been match, if it had
not been for Miss Bella Dunton, who came
to the place on visit and set her cap for
him at once. That was the story but
there was nothing of the fiirt about Mrs.
Burlington, Miss Duuton that was; and If
Miss Read had been Tilted, she was much
the handsomest. Handsome, but q fierce,
bright kind of beauty, like that of the wild
animals in cages at the menageries; and
never could learn their names to know
them apart, but there was way they had
of stepping that was soft and yet fierce,
that put me In mind of her when l saw
them. And Mrs. Burlington was like a
dove-soft and mild and sweet. | couldn't
call her plain, what ever others did
81 suppose that married life is the same
the world over while people are young and
In their honeymoon.
"The minister and his wife were like two
turtle-doves His arm always about her
waist, or her hand on his shoulder. They
couldn't bear to be apart. At first think
he loved her most-but her love grew. It's
always so-marriage makes a woman love
more while, generally, it makes man less
of lover. Though I'll say for Mr.. Bur
lington, noticed no change in him.
'tAnd know I'd just said to the cook
that hoped if ever | had husband he'd
be as fond of me as master was of mistress,
when the bell rang and went to open the
door and who should walk In, and hand
me her card, but Miss Nellie Read. l took
it in to master and mistress, and saw his
face flush as he looked at it-but she only
smiled.
"'Show the lady in, said she, and you
may believe me or not, ma'anl, but as she
spoke felt cold chill run through me,
and if I'd dared to step out of my place 80
far as to say, please, ma'am, let me send
her away I'd have done it, but I didn'i
dare, and she came in, and from that time
they were intimate, always going and CON-
Ing, and sitting together. 4 don't believe
the story they tell of missus having cut
Miss Read out, (" said cook, one day. But
/ did. I'd seen spark in her eyes that
meant no good.
''All this pleasant seeming work went
on for long while, and at last the time
came when little baby was born. / re-
member when first saw it lying on it's
mothers arm, and Mr.. Burlington kissing
them both. Miss Read was not there, but
when went back to the kitchen she was
there, stirring something we were making
for mistress. She gave start as she sa7
me, and something dropped out of her hand
1t was q little china jar with flower
painted on it, and as picked 1t up / said