The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-12-31
THE HIRED HELP.

we can get along THIS way. Either I've
got to put out the farm on shares, or else
I've got to hire man. I've tried to put it
off as long as possible, but there's an end to
oil things, and guess we've come to the
end of this ere dilemma"
" Amt it most pity ?" said Mrs. Sim.
linn, looking sorrowfully over the rims OF
her spectacles. And you and me and
Celestia so snug and comfortable here
Couldn't you get Joab Bliss by the day p
or Skies boy ?"
Joab has gone into the lumber bust
ness, said Mr.. Simlinn, thoughtfully rub
bling his nose, and there amt no depend
ence TO be put on Skies boy, no more'n on
a gray squirrel. No, no, wife; there's no
use Sinking the question. We're gettin,
to be old folks, you and me, and we haint
40 children to shore us up. You're very
comfortable with your hired woman"
Celestia's dreadful handy" hastily in
terrupted Mrs Simlinn, with satisfied
nod.
g But Pm somehow left out in the cold,r
added the farmer and that there pain in
my jints is gettin' wuss and wuss, and I
can't seem to face the November chills as l
used to do. And two COWS and pair of
oxen and horse is q good deal for an old
man to look arter, this cold weather. and
there's the garrett chamber we don't use for
nothin' but to keep seed-corn in. So tell
Celestia to fix it up, and I'm going this very
day to get a friedman"
4
wide with surprise at this unlooked-for en-.
terprise on her husbands part.
g But where be you goin ?" said she. {"
don't know of nobody around here to suit
you, unless it's Joab Bliss or Skies boy.n
Mr. Simlinn chuckled.
The world don't stand still, wife, said
he land John Dean says there's place
in Staggsbury-a sort of an agency-where
folks comes to git situations, and you pay
the boss so much a chance"
Bless me /" said Mrs. Simlinn. at
must be what Celestial calls mn Intelligent
Office"
That's the very identical name /" said
Mr. Simlinn, slapping his hand ON the
table. . Pm blamed if could think of it,
That's whore Pm goin' before I'm twenty.
four hours older"
Mrs. Simlinn started up.
You won't go for new help before
Thanksgiving Day ?" said she. I" We don't
want no strangers round here Thanksgiv-
ing"
Why not ?n said Noah. How can ]
enjoy hearin' Elder Pewitt preach his
Thanksgivin sermon, when I'm worryin'
about the cattle at home and frettin' for fear
Black Bill has got through that weak place
in the fence and strayed down the road
Yes, yes, wife, now is the very time for
friedman. With the apples to DO took to
the MILL and the pumpkins sp'ilin' in the
barn, and the stun wall fallin' down, and
the chicken-house roof sprung leak 1t
beats all how fast a place will run down
when man gets to be old and feeble"
Well, then the garnet chamber had
ought to be got ready right off, said Mrs
Simlinn, uneasily. "Celestia Celestial
where be your Come here this minute
Celestia.
Celestial Burt slender, fresh-complex-
ioned young woman of three or four and
twenty, at this excited summons, came from
the kitchen, where she had been making
soft-soap. She listened with interest to this
new idea.
Yes" she said, 81 will prepare the
room at once. I can tack down a little of
that rag carpet that used to be on the best
chamber before you bought the new striped
ingram; and there is a very good feather
bed tied in sheet up in the garnet. think
Mr.. Siminn is right. He needs on efficient
man about the place. He is too old to work
in all weathers as he is compelled to do"
1.-The old lady thinks we'd better wait
till after Thanksgivin'," said Simlinn;
"but say there's no use in putin off the
inevitable"
"No," said Celestia :" and there's an
other thing to considerable being able to
give home to some homeless man at
Thanksgiving
Her dark hazel eyes softened as she spoke,
and Noah Simlinn looked kindly at her.
That's Celestia all over, said he. "She
always thinks of everything
81 wish your husband was living, Celes.
tia" said Mrs. Simlinn. I" If he was any.
thing like you, he would be the very man
we want"
81 wish he was," said Celestia, in q low
tone, ss she took an armful of household
linen from the big chorry-wood press in the
corner and went up stairs.
Celestia Burt had come to the Simlinn
door, six months ago, asking for work. She
had been engaged in the paper-mill, few
miles down the Stage River; but the occu-
patton had proved too sedentary for her
health, and Mrs. Simlnn, being in especial
need of help just then, had engaged her, at
eight dollars month.
And lucky day it was for me-" said
the old lady, "for nicer gal than Celestia
never stepped ON shoe leather. She goes
around as quiet as kitten, but there amt
nothin' she never forgets. 1 declare, if it
had pleased the Lord to send me daughter
like that, wouldn't have nothin' left to
wish for She's seen trouble, too, poor
child, young as she is, for she's lost her
husband and guess he wasn't much CON-
fort to her, for that's one of the things she
don't like to talk about. But there amt nc
manner of doubt but what she'll marry
again, one of these days. She's deal too
smart and too pretty not to be snapped
up"
The : Intelligent Office as honest Mrs.
Simlinn called it, was not able at once to
supply the good farmers want. There were
plenty of men to be had, but some were too
DID, others too young-some wanted exorbi-
tant wages, and others declined to go out to
farm on any terms but preferred to re-
main in town and loaf around the street
corners and Mr.. Simlinn was beginning to
get little discouraged, when, one day, the
right man in the right place presented him.
self.
Jest in time" said Mr.. Simlinn "and
I'll hev my peaceable Thanksgivin', arter
all.p
Did you bring him with your" said