The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-24

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having found her uncle, and given and
received a hearty greeting, she rejoinedi
her mother, and while busily engaged
in restoring the room to order, chatted
gayly of her visit, or listened with in
terest to her mothers account of her
new arrangements. Only once did she
offer any objections, and that was when
Mrs. Carey spoke of her intention OF
discharging the little maid who had
hitherto helped them, and replacing
her with woman who could do nearly
or quite all the work. This plan Ruth
strenuously opposed.
"No, no, mother" she said, '.dont
send away Maggie. Don't you remem-
Der the poor thing is an orphan, and has
no home to go TOP And then consider
how much the wages of a woman will
be. She would take away half of your
profits. You know like to cook, and
Maggie is very handy, and l know we
shall get along very well! If anything
happens to make very busy day, we
can hire woman for few hours"
Mrs. Carey persisted awhile in her
plan, but finally was induced to prom
Use that Ruth might try her way, scarce
ly approaching the sacrifice her child
was bravely making to thus volunteer
to work day after day in hot kitchen,
when almost her whole life had hither-
to been spent in the open air, and new
er summer day passed without her
taking long ramble through the woods
or climbing one of the mountains
among which their pretty village
nestled. ~
The boarders arrived in due time
Mrs. Lecompton and her two daughters
tall, snowy girls, much resembling
their mother, but without her suavity
of manner.
For few days matters went on swim
mingly. Mrs. Lecompton found her
rooms in their new attire perfectly
charming The trim, old-fashioned
garden. with its shady arbors, affording
a cool retreat in the hottest day, was
delightful. Every pie or pudding or
cake was delicious and MANY Well
turned compliment was paid to Ruth
on her skill in cooking. She, poor girl,
could not share in her mother enthu-
siasm over their new inmates She saw,
what Mrs. Carey did not, the affair of
the new paper, curtains, and so forth,
re-enacted every day. At dinner, for
instance, when Mrs. Lecompton praised
the cooking, she would continue. in her
sweetest manner, to suggest something
which she would like the next day, as,
''By the way, dear Mrs. Carey, it is
quite the season for green peas, is it
not? am really ashamed to own how
fond | am of green peas. Please do
have some tomorrow, Mrs. Carey. |
am sure Miss Ruth will cook them so
that they will be perfect luxury"
Or at tea-time, "What delightful straw
berry preserve, Mrs. Carey. And it
reminds me that | saw strawberries in
the market as passed this morning.
All, dear Mrs. Carey, do treat us to
strawberries; with this delicious cream
they would be perfectly heavenly"
All of which might be true, but Ruth
knew shat early peas and strawberries
cost so much that the boarders would
be loss instead of gain, and that if
they ate the cream on strawberries, she
should have none to make butter, and
then that must be bought.
Mrs. Carey's eyes were hard to open.
She only thought how fortunate it was
that they had COW, so that Mrs. Lee
compton could nave the cream, and
how pleasant it was that the cooking
always suited.
But on one point she was not so blind.
Naturally enough she had hoped that
her boarders would not make them
selves disagreeable to her brother; had
even observed deprecatinglv to Mrs.
Lecompton that dear George was al
waysso quiet and absorbed in his books.
She must not imagine that he intended
any want of courtesy. TO which Mrs.
Lecompton had graciously responded
that she was quite sure she and MIR.
Herbert should be good friends In
deed, she was quite in love with him al
ready.
And so it appeared. Mrs. Lecomp-
ton always addressed the most OF her
conversation to Mr. Herbert, asked his
opinions on the various topics of the
day, challenged him to chess and back
CANNON. and actually made her way
into his very sG3ectatm sdnct0ratna, the
library. and borrowed his books and pa
pers.
Strange to say. Mr.. Herbert seemed
to enjoy it, At any rate he would lin
ger at the table or on the cool veranda
hour after hour talking with the lady,
till his sister was filled with doubt and
fears.
"What shall we do, RuthP' she ex-
claimed, half crying. 81 do believe
your uncle likes Mrs. Lecompton.''
"Well, mother, so do you, don't
your inquired Ruth, innocently.
80, yes, like her well enough; but
l don't mean that meant mean.
Ruth, that am afraid he will marry
her!'
"And wouldn't you be pleased, if
that made him happy? He has always
been so good to u.s. And Ruth looked
at her mother.
81 But it wouldn't make him happy
| know it wouldn'tr' burst out the poor
little woman, who began to feel, rather
than see, something OF her guests true
character.
Ruth was herself somewhat troubled
by her mothers fears, but could hardly
believe that her uncle would be really
pleased with a woman like Mrs. Lee
compton, and as the days passed, and
she noted Mr.. Herbert's manner toward