Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08

pltdOVs
"But the black man would Brighten
baby?"
"put the baby out of his way, then;
besides, he is not so very black; he is a
coppery sort of brown, like Il kettle. and
nearly as shiny AS for the dinner
leave it to the man; his master lives on
tins mulligatawny, curried fowls.
devilled kidneys, grilled bones and
cayenne pepper; put plenty of cayenne
in the casters. Look out for six
o'clock and sevenl His name is Barker
John Barker; he has the govt, and a
pair of blue spectacles; you would know
him anywhere"
II think" Mary said timidly, II
would rather not have him, Mr.. Joyce"
Nonsense" tie lawyer said again,
che is my most valuable client; he has
set his mind on number twenty-seven
and he must come. If he wanted q
suite of rooms in buckingham Palace
] should have to get them for him. He
is a man who will not he contradicted.
l would as soon put my head in lions
mouth as 60 and tell him he cannot
come"
But if | had let the rooms"
Il really must have turned the peo-
pie out. Two of my clerks. and the one
who serves wrts ON awkward people
he won Tia" amateur champion fighting
belt at eleven stone ten. You will soon
get used to Mr.. Barker and his black
man, my dear, and you VIII thank me
some day for your LEDGER"
~ should like TO consult Mr.. Hyde"
pleaded Mary.
Mr.. Hyde, all, the doctor, oh, ah,
yes, plenty of time to consult him, Mrs.
Arthur. | daresay he will want you to
take his advice some day, and you will;
oh yes, you will; how is the young man
in the parlors?'
'Mr. Parker's very quiet indeed, poor
fellow, since they brought him home in
that dreadful state, and painted his
face. lie never speaks to them now"
'He had better be very quiet, for my
client. John Barker, has Il rooted OBJ
lection TO people who are not. He
walks with two sticks. and one of them
is supple Jrcn; and if Mr.. Parker
makes no 50, he will most likely have
to try surgical experiment upon him
self"
Mary would have done very much to
obiGe her friend. the solicitor; but sho
did lock forward with some nervousness
and much misgyinr to the advent Of
the baggagc-van and the h'%r}, man.
Mr. Joyce, with all his oddities, had
been true and thoughtful friend to
Arthur and herself. She tried TO think
of that. as six O'Clock drew near, and
u-ns ra16y fr, C,a,, tIf, Iao,. l. n,,alf Tho
servant was shut away with little Ar
thur upstairs, so that he should not be
come too suddenly acquainted with the
man Of unfamiliar color.
AT six they came-the van, the bag
gage, and the man. It was n relief to
find that he was not black; he was
powerful, handsome mulatto, very little
darker than an ordinary native of south
ern Africa.
You are the lady OF the house," he
said. with a cuWtcsy that would have
set rs gracefully on an English gentle
man as it did on him. IF you will
show ne my masters rooms, will give
you no further trouble"
You cannot put all that luggage
there. said Marv-''thcre's not room;
but there is a bOX-room at the top of
the house,
IF you will show me- my masters
rooms" he said. with a smile. II will
see to the luggage. I know exactly
where TO place it in each room. and
must obey him."
And he went to the van, and began 10
unload. Heavy cases. that the carman
and his assistant took from the van
with laboring breath, he swung to his
shoulders easily and carried upstairs
with light footstep. The boxes and
cases were numbered, and ne put some
in the front drawng-room, some in the
back, made stack OF some more against
the bedroom wall. and built pyramid
on the landing; one huge case like
crate he took down stairs and placed in
the pantry.
Soup and chickens.' he said to the
wondering cook, curry and chutney,
guava-mangos. chilies, preserves, and
pickles. all for master and cook"
He took out some tins, opened them
with knife made for that purpose, Sc
lected the saucepanS, stcwpans. and
utensils he required, stirred up the fire.
lighted the gas stove, then went uD-
stairs, and came down five minutes later
in his shirt-slceves and a snowy linen
apron that reached from his neck TO his
feet. The servant, so uncere m0niously
turned ont of her own domain, would
have retired full of Indignation, but he
stopped her.
You must stay" he said, with an If
resistible smile; Il shall want YOU"
And what for. pray, Mr.. Darkey?'
asked the cook, who was ready torcsign
her situation on the spot.
You watch the dishes while | pre-
pare the table for my master" he said,
with a roll of the negro in his eyes that
almost made her shrink. And my
name is Cincinnatus, not Mr. Darkey.
SO you help mel help you, and we
shall be good friends. l have some
pretty things i'll my trunks, which l
show you hy-and-by.'
I1alf-friyhtpnCd. halI-fascinated. the
cook-a young and very comely woman
Of thirty or so-obeyed him. and from
that moment all resistance was at an
end. She was under the spell, as help
less as bird before a serpent, but he
was harmless kind of serpent
"What do they call you for short?"
she inquired, watching with profound
the careful deXterity with
which he manipulated the stewpans,
keeping half-a-dozen going at once, and
each 20 perfection at the prop
or moment like conjuror.
"Cinci. Lower; the gas flares just
ittle.'
"Sensy?'
That is near enough for you to begin
with; and now, you see, my master will
be here in ten minutes, and then, when
you hear the bell, bring up the dishes
10 the door, quick; watt
1T is the housemaid's place to carry
fishes" Mr., Sensy.
1--WE are all cooks and housemaids
lere," he said, with a persuasive smile
md another roll of his eyes. 1--WE help
aach ot her ENprVho1v uoust holm for