Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-08-07

And it amt for'your good. DIR. Whittle-
stat You asn'ta yopng man, nor you
.aint an old ung and she 1ainat no rela-
tons to you. That's the worst part of
it AS sure as my name is Dorothy
Bagge:t, you II be falling in love with
her. Then Mrs. Baggetr looked him
full III the face and violently shook her
head. +. =. .}sI4J II it.T 4 = 4..jt3
Now 60 in,'' he said, land pack
my things for three nights. I'm going
to Norwich. and I shan want any din
ner. Tell John 1 want the cart, and he
must be ready to go to. the station at
2:15."
II ought to cut the tongue out of my
head" said Mrs. Baggett IS she re-
turned to the house; Il might have
known it was the way to make him start
at once"
Not in three DAYS. but before the end
of the week, Mr.. Whittlestaff returned,
bringing with him dark-featured, tall
girl. clothed in deepest mourning. To
Mrs Baggetts she WAS an OBJ eot OF in
tense interest, because, though she had
by no means assented to her masters
proposal, on behalf Of the young lady,
and did tell herself again and again
during Mr. Whittlestaff's absence that
she was sure Mary Lawrie was bag
gage. yet in her heart she knew it to be
impossible that she could 90 on living
in the household without loving one
whom her master loved. With most of
those concerned in the household she
had her own way. Unless she would
favor the groom, and the gardener, and
the boy, and the girls who served below
her. Mr.. Whittlestaff would hardly be
contented with these subordinates. He
was the easiest master under whom q
servant could live. but his favor had to
be won through Mrs Baggett's smiles.
During the last two years, however,
there had been enough discussion about
Mary Lawrie to convince Mrs. Baggett
that in regard to this '.interloper." as
Mrs. Baggett had once called her, Mr..
Whittlestaff intended to have his own
way. Mrs. Bageett was anxious to
know whether the young lady was such
as she could love.
Strangely enough. Mrs. Baggett, for
twelve months, could not quite make
up her mind. The young lady was diff
ferent from what she had expected. OF
interference in the house there was al
most none. Mary had evidently heard
of Mrs. Baggett's virtues-and infirmi-
ties-and seemed to understand that she
had in many things to place herself
nnder1M Mrs Baggettss orders. T
Lord love you. Miss Mary she was
heard to say; ..as if we did not all I'M
derstand that YOU was to be missus OF
everythingsat Cookers Hail." the name
OF Mr. Whittlestaff' s house. But those
who heard it knew the words were
spoken in extreme good humor and
Judged that Mrs. Baggett's heart had
been won. But Mrs. Baggett still had
her fears, and was not vet resolved but
that it might be her duty to turn against
Mary Lawrie with all the violence in
her power. For the first month or two
after the young lady's arrival, she had
almost made up her mind that Mary
Lawrie " you'd never consent to become
Mrs. Whittlestaf. An old gentleman
will seldom fall in love without some
encouragement, or, at any rate, will not
tell his love. Mary Lawrie was as cold
to him as though he was seventy-five in
stead of fifty. And she was also as
dutiful-by which she showed Mrs. Bag
gett that any idea of marriage was on
her part out of the question.
This Mrs. Baggett resented. For
though she certainly felt, as would any
ordinary Mrs. Baggett, that wife
would be detrimental to her interest in
life. she could not endure to think that
"a little stuck-up mink, taken in from
charity" should run counter to any OF
her master wishes. On one or two
occasions she had SPOKEN to Mr.. Whit
tlestaff respecting the young lady. and
had been cruelty snubbed. This did not
create good -humer on her part, and she
be gan to fancy herself angryi in that the
young lady was so ceremonious with
her master, But as months ran by she
felt that Mary was thawing, and that
Mr.. Whittlestaf was becoming more at
fectionate. There were periods in
which her mind veered round. but a,
the end of the year Mrs. Baggett Ger.
tainly did wish that the young lady
should marry her old master.
Il can 90 down to Portsmouth" she
said to the baker, who was nearer te
Mrs Baggett's confidence than any one
else except her master, land weary out
the rest on 'em there - When shs
spoke of ''wearying out the rest or
EN-" her friend understood that she
| alluded to what years she might still
nave 10 Hfc. dut W 6ffc~ dDItCI lulSeI J
of her latter days, which would be the
consequence of her resigning her pres
emit mode of life. Mrs. Baggett wa
supposed to have been born at Ports
| mouth. and, therefore. to allude. II
| that one place which she knew.
| Before l describe Mr. Whittlestaf
and Miss Lawrie. must devote a few
words to the early life of Mrs. Baggett
Dorothy Tedcaster had been born il
the house of Admiral Nhittlestaff, tn,
l,officer in command Of the Portsmouth
dock-yard There her father or he
mother had family connections. to visi
whom Dorothy, when young woman
! had returned from the then abode o
her mistress, Mrs. Whittlestaff. Witt
Mrs. Whittlestaff she had lived from
birth, and of Mrs. Whittlestatf her min.
was so full that she did conceiv,
| her to be superior to her majesty ant
all the royal family. Dorothy, in AZ
evil hour, went back to Portsmouth
and there encountered that worst o
military heroes. Sergeant Baggett
With many lamentations and sconfes
| sions as to bersown weakness.s he wrot'
to her;mistress, acknowledging that sh,
did intend to marry "B." Mrs. Whit
tlestaff could do nothing to prevent it
and Dorothy did marry ..B." Of tn
misery and ill-usage, of the dirt ant
poverty, which poor Dorothy Bagget
endured that year. It needs not here t.
tell. That something had passed between
her snd her old mistress when she re
turned to--h her must, suppose. hav
been necessary. Of her married life. il
subsequent years. Mrs. Baggett neve
| smoke at all Even the baker onl,