Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-06-23
A RECEIPT IN FULL

The tins had all been secured until she
could see her face, or grotesque caricatures
Of her face, in each and every one of them
the window-panes polished until they spar
kled, or had sparkled-for it was now twilight
in the bright June sunshine the silver
FURNISHED until neither spot nor speck marred
its mild lustre the loaves Of bread baked un.
til each crispy crust took on the right shade
Of tempting brown; and Molly was scrubbing
the only unscrubbed corner Of the kitchen,
when Miss Cameron's deep, harsh, precise
voice came to her from the dining room
"Mary, are you not through yet p
almost, ma'am, answered Molly.
81 think it is high time you were quite, "
declared the voice. you must make haste.
We are going to the lecture this evening, Miss
Georgette and and as Mr.. Malcolm also
wishes to go out, we will be obliged to lock
up the house. Therefore it is necessary thai
you should leave as soon as possible"
Eyes, maam," said Molly, meekly, and
finished her scrubbing, with her tears falling
fast and thick. Poor little girl she had tried
so hard to please her mistresses, or rather her
mistress-for Miss Georgette was but a rehec-
tion of her elder sister-And her efforts had
been met with grim silence that betokened
begrudged satisfaction, until the last few
weeks that is, in fact until Mr.. George
Malcolm came there. MIR. Malcolm was q
sort of step-brother to the Misses Cameron
(his father, a widower, with two boys, had
married their mother, a widow, with two
girls), and they inheriting nothing in the
way Of property from their own father,
he generously made them an allowance from
the moderate fortune left him by his. Gen.
erously and forgivingly-for they had moi
rendered tithe Of the respect, TO say moth
ing of affection, which was his due, to their
indulgent aud kind hearted step father, choos-
ing 10 look upon their mothers second mar.
riage as an insult to the memory Of the par
ent whose not-at-all-amiable characteristics
had been his only legacy to them.
The cottage in which they lived, situated
in the prettiest part of Meadowville (the furn.
iture therein being their own, the bequest OF
a maternal grandmother, belonged to Mr..
George and here he had come in search Of
solitude and quiet for the first time in twelve
years or more, to spend q month or two in
thinking out and arranging plans for starting
a large business in a neighboring city. And
as / have already intimated, things had chang
ed much for the worse with Molly, the ser.
want maid, since his arrival. The grim silence
had given place to most open lthnding,
when Mr. Malcolm was not within hearing.
The coffee was too strong, the tea too weak,
the chickens undone, tho steaks burned, the
eggs boiled too hard, the rooms badly swept,
the shirts poorly ironed; and all these com.
plants, with many more, the elder spinster,
confirmed by the younger, gave her to under
stand originated with the guest.
'What a hard man TO please he must be q
Molly said to herself many times And YET
he has one of the handsomest and kindest
faces ever saw and he spoke right pleas
antly to me the first day be came, and ever
offered me his hand (how Miss Cameron did
frown y; but pretended not to see it, for
knew it was not my place to shake handi
with him. 1t is strange he should have be
come so fractions. He was so good and mer
ry and kind when / was little girl. I've
heard father say often he'd rather shoe
horse for him than for any one else in the vii
lage" And then she would fall to thinking
how grand he used to look to her childish
eyes when he came riding up on his bay mare
to the smithy, where she spent half her time
Watching her father at the forge. And hC
always brought her gay picture-book, or 9
pretty ribbon, or a box of candies or a bright
new silver piece-one Christmas 1t was a gold
one-and claimed kiss (good gracious how
her cheeks flushed at the remembrance y fol
payment when he rode away again. sHoV
happy, how very happy, she had been then,
with that dear father and dear old Aunt Nan
ny $50 happy that she had scarcely ever fel
ing her birth But when Molly was fifteen
the blacksmith, so strong and ruddy that i
seemed impossible pain or sickness could evei
come near him, fell sick, and after lingering
sorely crippled. for nearly two years, died
leaving nothing to his darling but hard work
Yes, there was one alternative to become Mrs
Jake Willow, and mistress of the forge again
but Jake was a rough, vulgar fellow, anC
Molly, inheriting the delicate tastes and gen
tie ways Of her mother (whO had been a shy,
pretty young governess before she married
the handsome blaeksmith), shrank from the
loud voice and rude laughter of her would-bt
husband. And so, in preference to accept
ing Jake's offer, she became-and HEAVIER
knows this was hard enough thing TO do
maid-of-all-work in the cottage of the Missel
Cameron. Poor little Molly prettier thar
many princess, with lovely, black -fringed
gray eyes, and hair of the very darkest brown
hair that would curl in spite of her, to Mis-
Cameron's great displeasure. "lf l had sucl
untdy hair" that lady would often declare
glancing approvingly into the mirror at thu
fiat dyed bands that made triangle of hel
high narrow forehead, ''Id shave my head !
and 'Wed certainly shave our heads" woulC
echo Miss Georgette.
The kitchen floor finished, the rugs shaker
and returned TO their places, the bread pu
away in the big stone jar in the cupboard
Molly sought her own room (Which truth t.
tell was no room at all, but a corner of tn,
! garret rudely partitoned of, with only {
small skylight to admit light and air-ther,
were rooms, empty, unused rooms, in tn,
attic, but "they were much too good for
servant" Miss Cameron said; and "Verl
much too good for a servant, agreed her sis
ter)--to make ready for her fitting. Molll
looked around it as she tied her straw ha
over her rebellious tresses, and again tn
tears filed her eyes. 1t had not been hap
py place of rest to her, but it had been {
| place of rest, and shelter, and she had beel
glad to have it, fearing to leave It lest wors
! luck lay beyond.