The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-11-15

ordered the maid and cook to bring plenty
of hot water, while Jacques unpacked my |
clothes, and while the bath was in course
of preparation 1 amused myself with ex-
ploring Matilda's drawers and wardrobes.
I saw that this exploration struck terror
into the heart of the maid, and it amused
me not a little to observe her alarmed
looks.
that all Matilda's ribbons and rosettes and
pretty little caps and cravats had been re-
placed by prim linen collars and cuffs, |
plain squares of muslin for the head, and
wardrobe were black-a color which 1
particularly dislike. "Confound It'll" l
thought, with some irritation, as I opened
a wardrobe in the corner of the room, and
again found nothing but black garments.
'.Confound it," 1 said to myself. "What
crotchet has Matilda got in her head now?
She knows 1 detest black clothes, and
always have"
At this juncture the cook and maid in
formed me that the bath was ready, and
Jacques pointed to the bed, upon which he
had arranged all my belongings in neat
piles. Now there were three bureaus in
the room, and I had examined them all,
and found them full of feminine belong
ings. This had rather annoyed me, as l
thought Matilda ought to nave been con-
siderate enough to have prepared one of
them for me, knowing as she did that it is
one of my hobbies to unpack and get in
order at once. And then these Swiss SER
wants we're SO impairment They evident
ly thought that the master of the house
was of no consequence at all. Well, 1
would give them one more lesson. And
leading the cook and maid to the bureau l
had chosen, / informed them that madame'S
things must be taken out and mine put in.
Again signs of dismay and resistance were
manifested, and the cook once more prof
fered a remark about "Mees Betsee,' which
I feigned not to hear, as I swept one
drQp var anontu with q cinp1a n1nuQmnnf of
my hand, and commanded Jacques to fill it
with my belongings.
l am an orderly man, prompt and accus-
toned to command; and l confess it ave
three rebellious servitors on the ground,
each with a drawer (for, to facilitate mat
tiers, I had ordered the drawers taken out
and put on the floor,) and busily arranging
things under my direction. In less than
ten minute the bureau was arranged and
"madame's" belongings put in another
bureau, and I was alone. 1 had ordered
the cook to prepare me an omelet and a
bifteCk II pOnlmes de terre; l had also
commanded a pint of claret and cafe noir.
Then l began my toilette with all the en-
| joyment of a man who has been travelling
u~ninterruptedly for four days and nights.
1 found the bath-tub delightfully."- comfort
able and resolved to tell Matilda that l
fully appreciated her good sense in pur-
chasing it. When thoroughly soigne and
equipped I ran for my breakfast and
stepped out upon the balcony. 1t was de-
lightfully cool N comfortable there, and
when Jacques appeared with the tray l
ordered him to put it on the table beside
me. He fingered q moment as if anxious
to say something but apparently thought
better of it, and departed. The breakfast
was delicious and by the time I had taken
my coffee and lit my cigar any slight irri-
tation l had felt had quite passed away,
and 1 was able to laugh heartily over the
conduct of the servants. Matilda had evil
IDENTIFY engaged them with the house,; and
the house, l concluded, must belong to
some English old Inadvertently the
Mees Betsee of whom the cook stood so
much in awe, and who was probably most
exacting about her furniture. Well-and /
glanced about me complacentiy-she was
quite in the right; the furniture was very
handsome. Here l put my feet up on the
chair opposite me and closed my eyes for
a moments reflection. a'r -e
| I never knew how long 1 had been doz-
ing, when L was aroused by the sound of
loud and angry voices in the garden below.
/ jumped to my feet and looked out. There
stood the cook, and beside her a prim and
important-looking old female with a
turned-up nose. They were both talking
together, one in French and onein English,
to a meek-looking little man outside of the
gate, who looked like a commissionnaire,
and who was evidently very anxious to get
away from them.
SER husband, indeed!" said the English
woman instonesof, scorn. s"Anne, never
you dare to tell me them was the words 'e
used" Here the cook made a confirmatory
movement of her head, and chartered SO
volubly in French that / could understand
nothing. "You 'ear, SIR Mr.. Sims, sir!"
said the. English woman, putting her<hand
over the gate and seizing the meek little
mans lsleeyee.you lear that, sir? 'Er
husband! Hand me that's been in the
'ouse this thirty year, hand 'as watched,
hand toiled, hand strived, hand done my
duty, hand been trusted! Hand now to
ear of husbands! But I'll not stand it,
Mr.. Sims. No, sir; Pm going down to
meet my lady, hand 1 shall say to Ter:
Madam, / know you are an honest woman;
but, ma'am, 'ere's master come, and gone
up to your very room, ma'am. Yes,
ma'am, there 'e his, ma'am. Hand say
'e's your husband, hand that you've been
expectin' of Jim, ma'am. Hand there e
/ his, ma'am, lord of all 'e surveys, ma'am.
o, Pve been that put about, Mr.. Sims, sir,
that L don't know whether Pm on my 'ead
or my FEELS, sir" Here the prim female
burst into loud sobs, and hastily opening
the gate, seized the arm of the reluctant
Mr.. Sims, and nodding a farewell to the
cook, walked away.
"Strange!" 1 s~oliloquized, as I walked to
the edge of the balcony and lit another
cigar-"strange that Mees Betsee, whoever
she is, should not have trainedh her servants
better than this! Gossiping at the gate,
under the very nose of the master of the
| HOuS6t' I1cT6 L lOOk0u SleGulY III Tue COOK,
who Immediately retreated toward tine
back of the chalet. For soma time I stood
smoking and looking at the landscape, then
drowsiness overpowered me again, and l
retreated to the easy-chair, and puttingmy
feet up on the one opposite me, was soon
asleep.
"Qui etes uous, monsieur?"
Was I dreaming? At any rate, my posi-
ton wa too comfortable to be relinquished
without a struggle, so 1 murmured, without
opening my eyes, "What do you sayp'
"Who, sair, air your"
The words were English, the accent
French, the tones glacial. But, still van
pushed by drowsiness, | marmured, SIC
Suis le mari de madame"
"No, sair, that you air not. And I de-
mand again, who, sair, air you"
This time there could be no mistake. This
was no dream, but dreadful reality. l
started to my feet, and beheld standing
opposite to me a tall and severe-looking
lady, aged about seventy, white-haired,
and clad in widows weeds.
"Who, sair, air your" repeated she, in
icy tones, and with a strong French accent.
"You air not my husband. He 'as been
thirty year in his grave. For thirty year 1
mourn him. And you come 'ere, youinsult
ne-o
"That he does, ma'am,' exclaimed a IA
Tuiliar voice; and the English woman had
seen some time before appeared in the rear
'"E walked in 'ere as bold as brass, ma'am,
and said e was your husband, ma'am. Yes,
ma'am. 'ere's Anne and ~Jacqueline and
Jacques and Michel will hall testify to it,
ma'am. And hopened your very drawers,
ma'am-"
"Hush, my good Sairah," said the lady.
Then, turning to me, she said, with awful
majesty: "Sair, as l tell you, 1 have been
t'irty years a widow. For ten years I live
in dis house. Yesterday l leave it. 1 go.
to visit my daughter. I take my grand
children. return. I am met by my sair-
wants. Dey tell me, Madame, a stranger
have take possession of your house, your
room, your sairvants-all Ny faithful
Betsee have live thirty year in my house.
She know l a never cease to mourn my
Alphonse@"
"But my wife, Madame, rented this house
for the summer" interrupted, beginning
to feel seriously alarmed
"No, sair, she did not. I lave nevare
rent my house. and nevare will, }" responded
the old lady, in stern tones. "And again
l ask, sair, who air your"
gSTf Won rloaco poa3oyo tho are.J1,,,,o