The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-21
..MAIn.OF.ALL.M0RK., !,


ssMAID-OF-ALL-WORK..
Rachel Ramsay looked very pretty
indeed, as she came down the narrow
wooden staircaseof the little brown farm
house. that afternoon, dressed in white
muslin dress. strewn all over with tiny
pink rosebuds. and fresh lace fril
around her neck, tied with pink ribbon
while her pretty feet were buttoned into
new pair of boots, with high, French
heels, and her hair was curled in loose,
glossy coils of shining bronze.
''Ehi" said Granny Ramsay. looking
up from her everlasting knitting-w work,
over which she was haif-asleep; .'goin'
TO church, hey?''
1T isn't Sunday, grandma" ex-
planned the girl, laughing and coloring.
''rm going to the Tower to see Miss
Calhoun. She has often invited me there
she and Miss Bell.''
''Pshawr' said Granny Ramsay, who
was one of those venerable people priv
heged to speak their minds on all occa-
sions; what do the fine city ladies' at the
Tower want of farmers daughter like
you?''
''But, grandma. they've invited mer'
alt reminds me" said grandma,
shrewdly, ''of the old story of the iron
pot and the china pot swimming down
stream together; and they didn' nowise
suit
Rachel said no more, but escaped out
into the shady lane, where the naples
We're beginning to turn pale yellow in
the first September frosts.
''Grandma is always criticising every
body she thought Il know the ladies
at the Tower win be glad to see me.
Miss Alice wants to sketch my head for
'Elaine.' and Miss Bell asked me to sing
duets with her. She said l had voice
like a lark. And perhaps Mr.. Harold
Haroldson will be there ForI know he
often visits at the house'n
And Rachel smiled to herself, rs she I
crossed the rustic bridge and went /
through the woods 10 the Tower, a fan
tastic wooden cottage with semi-cir-
cular front. which was let for the sum-
mer, the owner thereof preferring to live
in a square brick structure in the village.
The little side door was open and Ra-
chel went in. From the left of the pas
sage-way, a door opened into the kitchen,
and there, TO her infinite amazement,sh she
saw Miss Alice Calhoun herself. in an /
aesthetic dress of pale sage-grcen, and |
roses in her hair, contemplating pair
of decapitated fowl which lay on the |
table.
miss Aliceiai'' she exclaimed.
lis it you, Rachel ?'' exclaimed the !
city young lady, pouncing on her, as
drowning man pounces on the nearest /
floating straw. 20, [ never was so
glad to see anybody in all my life These I
horrid hens Bridget has gone away in i
n rage because presumed TO find fault /
with the coffee, this morning, and we /
have company to dinner, and L haven |
an idea how to get the feathers off these /
creatures. But now that you are here, |
everything will be right -
And she took off the big bib-apron, |
and stepped back, with sigh of relief. ,
Rachel looked perplexed. She had
come there, not to enact the role of |
kitchen maid, but to visit Miss Calhoun, |
to sit in her drawing-room and enjoy the |
conversation of her guests, and she did /
not exactly relish this summary dismissal |
to the kitchen.
There is no soup stock" went on /
Miss Alice, land salad, and delicate |
piece of halibut, and with the fowls /
roasted, and pie or pudding, or some
thing which / dare say you can make, /
we shall do very nicely. I'm particu-
larly anxious about the dinner, because |
we are to have company. You'll excuse
me now, because have to dress"
And away tripped Miss Alice. selfish
and smiling as ever was Queen Cleo
patra's self.
Poor Rachel She stood minute in !
her eyes, a pang of DISAPPOINTMENT at |
her heart. She knew all about it. Har-
old Haroldson and Mr.. Dallas were to |
dine there that day, and she-she was
to be cook. waitress, maid-of-ah-work--
what signified it what she called herselfP
She remembered what grandma had said,
and for once in her life gave that vener-
ablelady creditor discrimination.
There was no help Tor it, however
She tied on the bib-apron, tucked the
curls back of her ears, and went to work
to prepare the chickens for the roasting
pan, now and then pausing to brush
away the round bright tears which rolled
down her checks.
These young ladies evidently intend
ed to make her useful. She might have
known that they did. beforehand. She
could hear the soft sound of Bell Cal
houn's guitar; the sweet, subdued tinkle
of Alicefs laughter; the deep, monoton-
GUS under-current of gentlemen 5 voices,
and then she glanced down at. her pretty
muslin dress and bows of pink ribbon,
and began to think that Miss Calhoun
had taken an unfair advantage of her.
If she could only have heard the rapid
and energetic colloquy which transpired
between the two sisters in their dressing
room when first Alicia came up stairs.
she would perhaps have better compre-
hended the drift of things.
ssGood newsr' Miss Calhoun had
cried, waving her scented pocket hand
kerchief in the air. .sI've got girl in
the kitehen!"
Nor said Mss Bel. q fair haired.
m-complexioned damsel, with pale
blue eyes and a perpetual smile.
- Rachel Ramsey, nodded Alice.
"Come up here, in her best bib and
tucker, to spend the day. OF course |
confiscated her at once.''
1.-The bold, pushing thingr said Bell,
with disdainful gesture.
She's a deal too pretty to bring into
the drawing-room for Haroldson and
Armine Dallis to fiirt with, added Miss
Alice, knowingly. .'And | dom see any
way that | could have avoided it ii il
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