Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-10

The youthful Mercury disappeared like
spirit, and Molly felt somewhat as her great
grandfather did at Concord.
Monday morning brought letter which
seemed promising, and which read as fol-
lows
WHEArFIELps. n. H., June 2d.-Miss NJ. P. We
need a domestic and prefer one of our own nation.
The family consists of myself and wife and a hred
man Nv wife is feeble, and the domestic would
have to take charge Of everything. we would pay
80 week to the right person. Ii you feel capaole
for the place and can bring recommendation, we
should like to have you come as soon as possible
Then followed some directions about
trains. and the whole was signed in plain,
homely fashion, Your, Bethuel Har-
low"
Wife feeble" unused Molly; "well.
she won't be poking around the kitchen all
the time" (another fash OF the Concord
spirit. Domestic" not servant" or
90 hired girl" That suited.
The result was that few days later
Molly, armed with letter from her minis
ter was set down the only passenger, at
Wheatfields station.
Squire Harlow waited for the expected
"good plain cook, was smitten with great
misgivings at the sight of the stylish young
lady, for to his eyes, accustomed to the
dress of Wheatfelds daughters, tde SIM
pie gray suit with its graceful drapery
seemed the hight of elegance, and Re was
not treasured by the question of the sta
ton agent: "Got company from the city,
amt ve'r!' But it was too late to retreat,
and soon old Danl was pulling them
steadily toward home. The Squire said
little, but glanced at the girl occasionally
from under his shaggy eyebrows. 1t was
fair, honest face, which freshened with
every mile in the sweet evening air, and
the gray eyes took in every thing from the
chipmunk on the wall to the locust trees
with their fragment, dropping clusters.
"Want a piece ?" said the Squire, as
they drove under one. Her face was an
swer enough and stopping old Danl,
the good man cut cluster and dropped 1t
in her lap. She thrifty took off her new
lisle-thread gloves to take it, showing
hands go white that the Squire groaned in
ternally. Those hands wash his dishes and
scrub his floors Was this young lady,
who was prettier and better dressed than
any other girl in Wheatfelds, his domes-
tic? He shook his head slightly, chewing
bit of the locust.
Molly ventured few questions about
the family, and heard the story OF what
was always uppermost in the Squire's
mind-the story of the lost daughter,
Mary, one of the victims of New England's
scourge, who had faded away three years
before, since when "Miss Harlow had
sorter pined" 1t was pathetic little
story told in the laconic New England
way, bat the brown, knotty hands worked
steadily on the reins, and the Squire's eyes
had far.away look, as though toward the
country which held his Mary.
Presently they drove up to comfortable
large barn and wide porch, over which
tress little woman with faded, gentle
eyes, and soft, slow voice. She looked at
the girl kindly, and held out her hand.
After giving her few directions, and tell
ing her where to find things, she added to
her husband, "Tell John to carry her
trunk to the east chamber" This appa-
rently was something unusual, for the
Squire opened his mouth as fhough to say
something, but being man of few words,
shut it again and went out.
Molly, following her trunk, found her
self in small room, with bright rag car
pet on the floor, white curtains Topped
away at the window, homemade linen
towels with knotted fringe on the little ia
bic, an old fashioned chest of drawers, and
q low four. posted bed with valance and
patchwork Counterpart. The room was
neat, but had an unused look, snd Molly
wondered if the tribe of girls of which the
Squire had made mention had marched
through it; but, too tired TO think long,
she unpacked her small wardrobe, said her
prayers and knew nothing more till morn
ing, when trilling of birds and ray of
sunshine on her face woke her to her first
day OF service as a domestic" While
making her simple toilet she gave many
quick glances at the pillows of apple bios
SONS under her window, and something
born of the light and fragrance and music
was reflected in her face as she took her
way to the kitchen. The wood and kind
ling were near at hand, the fire started off
briskly with cheerful air of encourage
meDt, and then Molly considered her bill
of fare. There was salt mackerel, eggs,
stale bread, the inevitable salt pork, dough
nuts and pie, and a pan of cream whose
| yellow wrinkled surface bore testimony to
the Squirrels Jersey.
"Tnat mackerel won't be fried, said
Molly, for the course of frying at Widow
J ackson's had been severe. The fingers
/ that had measured lace and ribbon so deftly
made short work of getting breakfast, and
the Squire, coming in from his strawberry
bed with painful of "Wilson's, >" found it
about ready.
Bat somehow his table had an unfamiliar
| look. The cloth was on straight, the
/ IL. i ! ~
| icsl precision, an unwoneed air of trimness
pervaded his familiar cookery, and-there
was no pie on the table. But there was
mackerei baked in cream, and mashed po-
tatoes and nicely Drowned toast, and the
doughnuts.
4" Miss Harlow don't feel able to come
out to the table this morning, and l guess
I'll take her bite before | eat"
And so saying the Squire took a plate
and commenced piling things in promis-
cuous way.
ooh, said Molly, "let me do it. I have
had long experience with sick people.
They must be tempted, you know"
She looked a. him with her bright smile,
and the Squire gave in at once, and watched
with wonder while tray was brought, a
clean napkin spread over it, piece of the
maekerel laid on plate, with the cream
lsdled dainty over it Molly had seen too
much Of plates where the meat seemed to
have been launched on them by an ava
lsnche Of gravy then came little plate
OF the potatoes, a alice Of brown toast, q
little plate Of butter, cup of coffee, knife,
fork, spoon, etc. Then she whisked into
the pantry and out again with a SANGER Of
strawberries, and added them to the con-
tents of the traY.
"Wais minute, she said, as the Squire
lifted MS burden, and in q twi1kling she
was out Of the door and back again with a
spray Of white lilac, which, in tall glass,
was given the place OF honor in the middle
OF the tray.
Sno p said the Squire with his slow
smile, thatll just suit my wife. She's
famous for having things fxy. :"
Mrs. Harlow had missed the accustomed
smell of frying, and wondered in feeble