Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-07-23
The Bound Girl.


Little Janet Rae stood with arms
akimbo, and looked about the great
Mason kitchen. She was nearly twen-
ty, but under sized. She had but one
beauty-her pretty curly head. She
was Mrs. Titus Mason's bound.girl-
bound to work for that lady until she
was ne-and twenty. Such were the
terms Of the contract when Janet. had
been taken from the orphan asylum, a
tiny creature of ten, nine years before ;
and IL was the hard work ana scant
fare which had prevented her growing.
There she stood, looking about her
at the array of cooking utensils, the
rows of milk pans. the pils of wash.
tubs. the shelf of fl,t-irons, the capa.
cious wood-boXes.
That morning Mrs. Titus, the au-
lucrative, the energetic, had fallen
down the cellar-stairs and broken her
leg. The doctor had been called, and
set it Mrs. Titus had nap, and
then lifted up her voice and proved her
self equal to the situation
"I'm laid up for month, Janet
that's plain to be seen. I'ye done ev-
erything for you now you must take
right hold and 60 on without me.
There be the cookin' to do and the
butter to make more than you have
done, extra. But you can do it, il you
try. You'll have to, anyway. nayin's
over. and Mr.. Dent I'll be goin' home
soon, so that'll be one less to proyide
for"
Janet heard In silence. She gave
Mrs. Titus her valerian, and then went
away, and stood looking around the
kitchen.
"I'll have to do everything alone 10
There was such large family, and
so much work to be done. no wonder
little Janet shrank but she never
thought of shirking. With breakfast
at FIVE O'Clock and supper dishes to be
washed at eight, she had always had
enough to do !; but to undertake all the
active duties which Mrs. Titus had
been accustomed to perform, was al
most appalling.
Janet stood thinking how it was to
be done. She was such little thing.
1t took so many of her armfuls to fill
the wood.b0xes with hard and soft
wood. She must needs stand on box
to work at the tubs on the wash bench; /;
and her arms grew so tired at the
churning. She had been trained to
great capability but she was not
strong enough.
But there was no time for reflection.
There was supper to get for the four
farm-hands, Mrs. Titus Cruel to make
and carry up, the milk to strain, the
dishes to wash, the wood.boxes to fill,
and sponge to be set for bread.
Janet rushed for pail of water.
Mr.. Dent was at the we'll.
Mr.. Miles Dent was the summer
.boarder. He had bought mill privi-
lege of Mrs. Titus and was building a
mill.
He was handsome, very pleasant
man-as perfectly healthy people are
apt to lie, and he was very large and
strong. In age he might have been
thirty, or thereabouts.
"Very old. indeed" Janet had pro.
nounced him; and she always had been
a little afraid of him, his manners were
so nice, and he had such nice books in
his room.
Whether he was aware Of her exist
ence or not, she was not quite sure.
But he seemed to see the hurrying,
anxious little creature now-for, say.
ing, "My arms are the strongest, he
took the pail, filled it and carried it in
to the kitchen.
"Have your hands full, haven't you,
little one ?" he said pleasantly, glanc-
ing about him. "Your shoulders hal d.
ly look strong enough for all this ba.
king and brewing"
Janet smiled shyly-pleased, surpris-
ed /; but she was to abashed to more
than murmur some faint response, and
Mr.. Dent went away.
But she felt cheered by the friendly
words of the big, brown-bearded man
and though Mrs. Titus scolded her be
cause the cruel hadn't milk enough
and she was obliged to 60 up and dowr
stairs three times before the lady was
served, she laid her head upon her pill.
low more lightly than usual-all fo
one kind word. Poor little Janet.
But evil days were too surely a
hand.
It made Mrs. Titus very cross to lii
i'm bed, inactive. and she could not giv'
up the oversight Of the kitchen below
| A score of times a day she woult
call Janet from her work to know wha
she was at, and what she intended do
ing next. Countless orders issued from
her chamber.
These idiosyncracies added greatl