Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-11-11
DSTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SATURDAY, NOV H. 1882

Just lend me one OF BetSys olu uresses.
Where is Betsy, by the way?"
''Her father just carried her home in
wagon" said Mrs. Dove, ''she broke her
leg"
"And your charwoman?"
''Oh, dear, oh, DEAR said Mrs. Dove.
"She has got visitation of the measles,
or smallpox, or some other horrid disease
in her family. And my nephew, Eric, is
to be gone for three days, and Eiade sure
| could finish the house cleaning while he
was absent"
"And we WILL" said Flora eheerily.
"Hsw can we?"
''Oh, you shall see," nodded Miss Lee.
And depressed though she was, Mrs.
Dove began to feel the mercury rise in her
mental thermometer at once.
And Flora Lee arrayed herself in one of
I Betsey's old cast-off calicoeS, tied her nip
pied brown tresses up in cambria sweep
ing cap, and went vigorously to work
with 4 scrubbing brush; while Mrs. Dove
/ bent her attention TO the window glass,
and Adonijah, with more zeal than dis
erection, splashed whitewaSh over HIM
/ self and the floor with laudable impair
t;ality.
oval" said Adonijah, afterwards, II
never did see no cricket work spryer than
that city young lady. BY gracious, she
beats Betsey all holler at il. And she's
| got such an up-an' down pretty way OF
don' things, too. | declare, couldn't
hardly take my eyes of her all the time l
was whitewashin' :"
Mrs. Dove, however, was unused TO the
severe eXertions incident upon house
! cleaning time, and went To bed with a
sick headache, in the middle of the after
noon.
"Never mind, Mrs. Dove" said Flora,
"I'll get tea. and I'll make some of those
cream watlles and short cake for Mr..
Dove, and you shall see how nicely can
fry oysters"
"Indeed, indeed, don't know what |
should do without you, Flora," said the
| SOOu OIu lduy, lcINcHtll'
But, as it happened, Mr.. Daniel Dove
was unexpectedly detained on business at
WhiskiIl, neighboring town, and in
| stead of him who should walk dcbonairly
into the little sitting room, flnging down
his carpet bag, but Eric Hale himself,
just as the rainy dusk closed in, and the
delicious odor of oysters and coffee filled
| the house.
"Hello!" said Eric. SO you are clean
| ing house-eh, Betsey?"
eyes, sir ~ 4 demure voice responded
from the kitchen.
"And where's my aunt?"
"She has retired with sick headache"
"The natural consequence Of cleaning
house, suppose" said Eric Hale, with a
| shrug of his shoulders. "Dear old aunt
Della. why shouldn't she be contented to
leaYe things as they were? Tell her, Bet
! sey, that Washburn has concluded not to
exchange until next week, and that now
| am in the midst Of the melee, I'll lend
hand with this business tomorrow"
eyes, sir"
"And Betsey-"
"Sir?"
"Where did you learn to make such de-
licious coffee? Bring in cups at once, I'm
ready to drop with weariness; and 1t is
like 4 dream Of Arabia"
And Flora Lee, with the tapping edge
of her sun bonnet concealing the dimples
around her mouth, brought in the oysters
and coffee, llanked by a pile of feather
light wailles.
Il declare, Betsey," cried the Rev.
Eric, facetiously, elf you were younger
and prettier, I'd marry you myself, to
make sure of coffee and wailles like this
every night"
"Would you, sir" said the soidisant
Bctsey.
"And we'll make a compact, Betscy,"
merrily went OF the young clergyman, as
ne helped himself to butter, 'to finish the
housc-clcaning ourselves tomorrow, and
save Aunt Della the worry and work Of
it,"
eyes, sir" said Betsey. "But please
sir, its all done. except the tacking down
of the carpets"
"who did it?"
al. sir, please, and Mrs. Dove and Adon-
ijah. And please, sir, I'm going TO finish
it myself tomorrow; and please, sir"
Ginging back her sun-bonnet, and dis
closing coronal of bronze brown braids,
pair of very rosy cheeks, ard eyes spark
ling with mischief-"l'm not Betsey at
all, but Flora Lee, entirely at your SER
vice."
The Rev. Eric Hale started with round
eyed surprise, not unmingled with dis
may.
Miss Lee" lie repeated.
Exactly" nodded the young lady.
''Did you make the cofee!''
81 did"
"And fry these brown-jacketed oysters,
and stir up the waffles ~
"No one else, Mr.. Hale"
"And scrub these rooms?" glancing
around.
Yes, sir, and busted the cornices, and
washed the window glass, and took down
the picture frames, and put the lace cur
tains in soak, besides other items too
numerous to MENTION" mischieyously
added Flora, rather enjoying the discom-
future Of the young clergyman.
"Miss Lee" laid Eric, 81 beg your par
dom"