Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-12-23
MAID OF ALL WORK,
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

Rachel Ram say looked very pref
ty, indeed, IS she came down the
narrow wooden staircase in the little
Drown arm house that afternoon,
dress'sd in a white muslin dress
trrnmed all over with tiny pink rib
Ions, while her pretty feet were but
toned in a new pair Of boots, with
high French heels, and her hair was
curled in loose, glossy coils of shining
bronze.
"Ehl" said Granny Ramsay, look
ing up from her everlasting knit
ting-work, over which she was half
asleep, ''goipg to church, hey ?"
"It isn't Sunday, grandma" ex-
planned the little girl, laughing and
coloring. "I'm going to the Tower,
to see Miss Calhoun. She has often
invited me there she and Miss
Bell.
"Pshaw ~ said Granny Ramsay,
who was ore of those venerable peo-
pie privileged to speak their mind
on all occasions what do the fine
city ladies at the Tower want of
farmers daughter like you ?"
"But, grandma, they invited me !"
sit reminds me-" said granny,
shrewdly, "of the story of the iron
pot and the china pot swimming
down the stream together and they
don't no wise suit"
Rachel said no more, but escaped
into the shady lane, where the ma
Piles were beginning to turn pale yell
low in the first September frosts.
Grandma is always criticizing
everybody" she thought. 81 know
the ladies at the Tower will 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 Harold Har-
oldson will be there For l know
that he often visits at the house,
And Rachel smiled to herself, as
she crossed the rustic bridge and
went through the woods to the Tow
er, fantastic wooden cottages with
semi-circular front, which was let
for the summer, the owner thereof
preferring to live in square brick
structure in the village.
The side door was opened and
Rachel went in. From the left of
the passageWay, door opened into
the kitchen, and there, to her infinite
amazement, she saw Miss Alice Cal
houn herself, in an esthetic dress of
pale sage green, and roses in her
hair, contemplating pair of decapi-
tated fowls which lay on the table.
"Miss Alice ~ she exclaimed.
SIS that you, Rahel ?" cried the
city young lady, bouncing on her, as
a drowning man pounces on the
nearest straw. ooh, never was so
glad to see anybody in all my life !
These horrid hens Bridget has gone
away in rage because / presumed
to find fault with the coffee this
morning, and we have got company
for dinner, and l haven't an idea
how to get the feathers off these
creatures. But now that you are
here everything will be all right -
And she shook off the big apron,
and stepped back with a sigh Of re-.
lief.
Rachel looked perpleXed. She had
come there, not to exact the role of
the kitchen maid, but to visit Miss
Calhoun, to sit in her drawing room
and to enjoy the conversation of her
guests, and she did not exactly relish
this summary dismissal to the
kitchen.
"There is soup stock" went on
Miss Alice, land salad, and a deli
cate piece of halibut, and with the
fowls roasted and a pie or pudding,
or something which l dare say you
can make, we shall do very nicely.
am particularly anxious about the
dinner, because we are to have COM
pany. You'll excuse me now, be-
cause we have to dress"
And away tripped Miss Alice, sell
tish and smiling as ever was Queen
Cleopatra s self.
Poor Racheli she stood a moment
in the hot kitchen, the tears SPRING
ing to her eyes, a pang of disappoint-