Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-04-07

fowl for roasting, made little bread
sauce for it, concocted her uncle's favo-
rite blueberry- pudding, and then re-
treated up stairs, where she packed
the little trunk, which had once be-
longed to her mother, and whose sur
face was decorated with "a. J."-for
Antoinetta Juniper-in brass nails.
II can't live so!'' said Nanny. "My
boots are all patches, and Uncle Junl-
per thinks two pairs year are enough
for anybody. My dresses aren't fit to
be seen, and Uncle Juniper is always
saying that his mothers calico dresses
lasted year after year. can't even
put five-cent-piece in the contribu-
tion-plate at church, without Uncle
jumpers accusing me of extravaganza.
If he won't pay me the wages which l
am sure earn, will go down to the
Lake View House and help Mrs.
Danesbury make pies and puddings
| for her boarders. She told me, long
ago, that she would give me ten dol
lars a month, during the busy season,
to assist her."
Doctor Juniper relished his roast
chicken and blueberry-pudding as only
an elderly gourmand can relish the ap-
petizing edibles of this world.
/
Nanny sat opposite him, looking
rather distraite and thoughtful. And
when he had sopped up the last of his
puGding-sauce with piece Of bread,
wiped his mouth, and folded up his
napkin, she spoke out:
Uncle, I'm going away tomorrow
"Be you?" said Doctor Juniper.
"To earn my own living" said Nam
ny.
"Humph!' commented Doctor Juni-
per. "Well, suit yourself-suit your
selfr
"Mrs. Danesbury is going to pay me
ten dollars month" explained Nanny.
"But I'd rather stay with you at half
the price, if"
7"1'n see you-furtherp' said Doctor
Junirer. II won't pay you red
cent?
Every well, uncle" said Nanny.
And SO she went away.
"She needn't think she's going to
wind me around her little finger" said
Doctor Juniper. Il can get plenty of
housekeepers for less money that that
And won't be imposed uponr'
, The doctor got his own breakfast
the next morning. 1t wasn't so easy
, as he had supposed it would be. The
fire smoked and sulked, the coffee-pot
: tipped over, the fish was scorched, and
!, the eggs overlooked.
"Hang it allI' said the doctor
t "Things don't taste right anyhow
There must be knack in cooking
after ALL"
He left the unwashed dishes on the
r table, saddled the roam horse, and sci
off Immediately after ne had swallowed
y the last drop of the flavorless coffee
: in search of "help."
( The Widow Keene was all smiles
: when he stopped at her little red cot
a tage.
f $50 Nanny has gone, has She" sait
}. the widow. oval, there amt no de
e pendence to be put on gals. And yo'
= feel the need of a real helpful com
IS panion? I did say, when l burie
Keene, that nothin' should induce m
to marry again, but"
1 The doctor reined up Old Roam s
l. suddenly that that meditative stee
jumped off all four legs at once.
"Hold onp' said he. Il WASH
a talkin' of matrimony. I amt
Y. marryin' man. AL I want is hire
l. helpl'
"Do you mean to insult me?" sal
u Widow Kesne.
I'd And she slammed the door in b
lr face, and Doctor Juniper rode on, muc
ht marveling at the narrow escape he ha
k, had.
u I'n try Miss Mahala Dickerman
10 he concluded. "She amt wido0
Widows are naturally sly and tricky
ed Miss Mahala Dickerman was mo
n reasonable. Yes, she would com
d. But she required her Sundays to he
1 self, every Wednesday afternoon, Il
n. use of horse and wagon to take h
90 to church, and fourteen dollars
or month.
"But what is to become Of me
er, Sunday2" Doctor Juniper ventured
rel inquire.
XIV Miss Mahala didn't know. She h
ith her soul to look after-that was We
to certain. And she couldn't reconc
his Sunday business to her conscien'
yes So Doctor Juniper rode away on
more, solemnly shaking his head.
tor "What's come to all the women
his said the doctor.
The Betsey Grove was the next pers
IL