The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-05-08

"Havin' who? ?" said Mrs Dorking, open
ing her eyes widely.
"Why, Abby Jane, the young woman your
husbands got down stairs to help with the
housewerk, you know" explained Mrs
Getchey.
Mrs. Dorking sat up in bed.
"a young woman" she repeated, "to heir
with the Homework ?"
Mrs. Getchey nodded.
"Danl wasn't goin' to say nothin' about il
to you" said she. "He calculated it would
only fret and worry you. But he found he
couldn't get along and do everything him
self. And Abby James right smart. | jest
wish you could see how white the clothes is
out on the lines. And how nice she's scour.
ed up the kitchen tins and bleached the old
curtains and polished the brass candlestick
She's one to turn off work, now l tell
you p
"Well!" calculated Mrs Dorking.
"She's bakin' pies now," said Mrs. Getch.
ey; "dried apple, with plenty OF fennel seeds
and pumpkin, and cranberry tart for Elder
Swift Elder Swift is to be here to tea, and
he's dreadful partial to cranberry tarts and
short cake"
Mrs Dorking turned very red in the face
"lnvitin' company, be they?" said she
'and cookin' lot O things in my own
house, and never consultin' mel Him and
his hired gal indeed"
| "Dan'l calculated you was too feeble to be
bothered" said Mrs. Getchey consolingly.
| II amt so feeble as he'd like to make out
that be !" muttered Mrs Dorking. II was
thnkin' spell ago bout settin up little
while. Jest hand me my stockings, will you,
| Aurilla Ann? ?"
Il wouldn't try to set up" said Aurilla
| Ann you amt able"
| HVac I ha cnanpa1 tbo ~
| who's the hest judge of my feelings, you or
me? What sort of a lookin' gal is this that's
bossin' my kitchen while Pm in bed ?"
"As pretty as pink" said Mrs. Getchey;
| cheeks as red as peonies hair as black as o
| coal; and she steps off as light as a thistle
down."
"Humphp p said Mrs. Dorking. "Giye me
| my double gownd, Aurilla Ann. | mean to
see arter this business myself; and if Daniel
Dorking thinks Pm goin' to put up with
| such treatment as this"
Better take my ARM" suggested Mrs.
Getchey.
But the late invalid impatiently rejected
her offered assistance.
"Lemme alone p said she II can walk as
well as ever l could. Why shouldn't II"
And Mrs. Dorkng went down stairs into
the sitting room, where her spouse sat very
close to pretty young woman, both engaged
In examining the pages of a Universal
Atlas"
Mr.. Daniels hand rested familiarity on the
pretty girls shoulder, and the pretty girls
braids of black hair were close to Daniel s
own iron gray locks.
"Danielr' almost shrieked Mrs. Dorking,
I'm astonished at you, that be !"
Daniel Dorking started up, with an cxcla-
nation of surprise; the atlas fell from the
pretty girls knee.
Why" cried the farmer, sits Maria p
Yes, it's Maria" enunciated Mrs. Dork-
ing; "and about the last person in the world
that you wanted to see guess |"
But to her surprise, Daniel Dorking's face
relaxed none of its beaming cheeriness
The pretty girl, instead of fleeing guiltily
from the room came forward with out
stretched hands,
Won't you kiss me, Maria ?" said she.
~" gasped Mrs. Dorking. kiss you
TITS Jenny" said Daniel; my youngest
sister, Abigail Jane, from the old farm at
home. | wrote to her how bad off we were
here, end she's come, bless her dear little
heart, to stay all winter with us. We was
goin' to surprise you, as soon as you felt q
little particle better. But we didn't expect
any such good luck as your comm down
stairs yourself did we Jenny?"
mo, indeed |" smiled the pretty girl. "But
now that you are here, Maria, well make
you so comfortablew
Mrs. Dorking now turned to Mrs. Getchey.
You never told me she was Daniels sis.
ter, from Vermont" said she.
"You never gave me time," said Aurilla
Ann, with an odd sparkle under her eye
lashes.
That was the way in which Mrs Daniel
Dorking was beguiled down stairs and she
never took to her bed" again.
But neither was she ever known to admit
that she was fanciful and foolish. No, no
Mrs. Daniel Dorking was not to be caught
in that trap. She always alluded to that sea.
son as "the time of my dreadful illness p and
the doctor called it "a wonderful cure" and
sent in big bill.
~ guess We were the true doctorsW
thought Mrs. Getchey and Jenny Dorking,
looking archly at each other.-Helen Forrest
GraUeS.