The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-04-29
Select Story.
CHRISTINA.
ny MRS. REBEccA HARDING pAvIs.

BY MRS. REBEcCA HARDING RANiS-
She was the result of an experiment.
desperate experiment. How desperate it
was, some Of the girls who read the Com
panionn no doubt know from experience
Mother and l lived alone in the dear
old homestead, just outside of drOwsy
village in Delaware Old Sanders worked
the farm. and lived in the tenant house, as
he had done for thirty years, but he was
getting old and cranky, and threatened
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 free negroes, who invariably
deeamped in body. TO the fields or the
great canning houses, as soon as the peach
crop came in.
We tried wandering Irish woman; she
drank. A genteel American who had seen
better DAYS; and she disappeared with my
own silk dress.
During the whole spring and summer
mother and worked, eie4nsed, canned
berries MIXED and ehurned and tired a
succession Of poor creatures who leif US
with our patience worn 10 the last thread.
One night mother announced, Il am 60
ing to try an experiment IL shall be with
foreigner who cannot speak \ word Of
English, who never heard Of privileges,
Of eanningzhoases, Of the fashions, or the
beer-shop. ] win 20 to Philadelphia To-
morrow, board an emigTant ship and carry
Of an unframed savage woman Friday
laughed at it as joke, and was good
deal startled that night when mother at
prayers asked that she might be success
full in her undertaking, adding, after a
little pause:
MAY the woman shall bring be Of help
TO us, in making our daily life more cheer
full and peaceable, and may We help her
upward in her way through life
.swell, mother, / said doubtfuIy, As We
started up to bed, II never knew you 10
ask the Lord before to control the kitchen
affairs
sSome people. she said, gravely, think
II an insult TO the Almighty 20 suppose that
He eoncerns Himself about our little wor-
Fies. Perhaps He has His messengers for
such small work in the upper world, just
a. He has in this. don't know BEa |
do know that he does not attend to all
the things | 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 Bremen vessel, and brought home
Christina. She was about sixteen; fat
and round as a churn, with clear skin, blue
eyes, funny little knob Of hair on the top Of
her head, white muslin waist, short gray
woolea petticoat and heavy shoes.
she cannot speak a 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
saying, Take this one
sShe is an escaped convict, no doubt,
said. THAT guiding voice of yours, little
mother, induced you TO bring in Blue Peter
out Of the almshouse, who set fire TO the
supper"
Christina followed me dumb and watch
ful-fSom kitchen to dining room, while l
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 a China
man, and she was already good cook and
dairy maid. She learned few words of
English, and with them she showed her
gratitude for any simple kindness shown
her. We faneied, too, that she took plea
sure in the beautiful country shout 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
briar covered every field and roadside.
But the poor Norwegian was wretehedly
unhappy. Her unsmiling face and wide
sad eyes seemed to carry misery into the
barnyard and dairy, and leavened the very
bread we ate. When she was safely in
her own room heard her stifea sobs until
late in the night.
ssOne is almost tempted to remember
your convict story, said mother, anxiously,
one day.
We tasted our comfort at leisure; we
brought out some fancy work and books
which we had never hoped to find time to
read
Then came letter from Julia Webb.
1t was a thunder clap in our clear sky.
Julia was cousin; only the sheerest
courtesy beauty spoiled heiress a
belle with dozen lovers. She was COM
ing en- route to Newport, to spend a week
with us.
"Very likely some of these troublesome
men will follow to find how your hermitage
suits poor little butterfly me, she wrote.
sBut you viii make them welcome, darling
auntiel There is Count Pasco who is
my chief nuisance just now. He is a
charming, ridiculous creature shall be
delighted to give him peep into an Amer
lean Lliddle-class interior And it will be
a good opportunity for you and cousin
Martha to have glimpse of foreign mo-
bleman. Your gloomy life needs little
cheering
[ tore the letter up, little viciously, |
must confess. and mother laughed.