St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-09-24
Her Despised Accomplishments.

office. with his back Ia the fire and his
coattails balanced ia either hand. He
was a bald-headed old gentleman with
"A ruddy complexion, keen black eyes
and lcg-of- mutton whiskers which
were white as snow. And Miss Nelly
Torrance sat looking at him timidly
from the depths of the big armchair in
which he had beckOued her to seat
herself
$50 you are my cousin Adrian's
daughter p said he, after a long pause.
"Ics," said Nelly, wondering what
was in all those mysterious tin boxes,
and whether the monster iron safe was
full of gold and silver pieces.
"And you want something to do 7"
ayes, please =
"Humph ~ said Mr.. Brown.
Nelly glanced shyly up into his face.
But she added, with some spirit,
81 am not asking for charity. am
willing to work for my bread !"
.'You mean that you would like to
daub canvas, or sew yellow suntiOwers
on green plush screens" satirically Oh
served the old gentleman. 81 don't
call that work"
Nor either retorted Nelly.
"Then what do you mean ?" said
Mr.. Brown.
II mean that shall be glad to un-
dertake any sort of honest work 10y
means of which can earn my Own
living"
''Humph - again INTERCEPTED Mr..
Brown. "Can you cook p
eyes," Nelly answered.
II don't believe it -
''But | can
every weIl,' said Mr.. Brown, re-
leasing his coattails and sitting down
at his desk as if the question were
definitely disposed of. "My cook went
away this morning. ! haven't engag
ed any one in her place. You may
come this afternoon aud see what you
can do for me-"
Mr.. Brown fully expected that his
young cousin would recoil Indignantly
from this proposal, but she did moth
ing of the sort. She simply said,
YES, Cousin john" and asked him
for his private address.
"Mind you're punctual, my dear"
said he, as he handed her the pencilled
card.
81 am always punctual," calmly re-
spondcd Nelly.
Mr.. Brown watched her out of the
Office with quizzical twinkle in the
corner of his eyes.
"She won't come,n he said to him
self, ''I'vc seen the last of my fine re-
latiOn.n
And Nelly Torrance went home to a
little sccond-floor room, the cheapest
which the widow and her daughters
could possibly find.
Mrs. Adrian Torrance was dressed
in black, il fair delicate piece of human
china. who had been like the lilies of
the field. in that she tOiled not, neither
did she spin, and Lucetta, the Older
daughter, was trying, unsnccesstully
enough, to trim black Grape bonnet,
by the window.
They had come up from the country
ut Lucetta's suggestion to appeal, in
their poverty, to this rich cousin of the
dead father and husband, but none of
them anticipated any very satisfactory
results from the experiment.
''Thcse rich people are always mi
scrly," said Miss Lucetta.
"And I've understood" sighed the
gentle little widow, ''that he was not
pleased when poor dear Adrian married
me instead of Miss Goldhags, the rich
pawnbroker's daughter"
.'Wcll ?'' cried Mrs. Torrance, eager
ly, as Nelly entered.
what does he say ?" questioned
Lncctta, dropping the fold of Grape
which she was vainly endeavOring To
fashion into what the fashion plate
called IAN oblOng bow"
IL have seen him. said Nelly, unity
ing her bOnnet-strings, land Pm going
to his house i'm Grandover Park this
afternoon"
"Nuu don't mean," cried Mrs. Tor
rance, with spasmodic catching of her
breath, ''tIIat he is going to-adopt
YOU -
"Not in the least" said Nelly. "Now
mamma, darling don't jump at conclu-
sious. just hear my plain, unvarnish
eel tale. | went to Cousin John.
told him wanted something to do.
He asked me if could cook. Thanks
to that course of lessons | once took of
Signor SilverspOon, was able to-
answer yes. Then he told me that his
cook was gone, and asked me if
would come to his house this afternoon
and take her place
"And YOU ?" gasped Mrs. Torrance.
81 said yes, of course
Eleanor" cried Lucetta, IL am
scapdalized 10y your conduct! Yes,
perfectly scandalized. YOu will do
nothing of the sort :"
Certainly not" said Mrs. Torrance,
developing strong hysterical symp
toms. ''If your Cousin Brown intends
To insult us ~
But he doesn't mean to insult us"
pleaded Nelly. ale intended the of
fer in all good faith, and accepted it
in the same spirit"
"You surely do not mean to degrade
yourself" cried Lucetta, "by turning
cook-for any man living"
~ don't see" argued Nelly, 'that it
Is any more degrading to cook for
Cousin John than it would he to en-
broider slippers for him, or read the
newspaper alond to him of an even
ing"
Eleanor never had any proper
PRIDE said Mrs. Torrance, wringing
her hands.
Never ~ echoed Lucetta.
''And," added Nelly, "my cousin
would have every right to believe me
an impostor if told him wanted
work and then refused the first offer
he made. 1t will be useless for you To
demonstrate, Lucetta, and hope mann
ma will not place any obstacles in my
way, for am quite determined to go
to Grandover Park this afternoon
And she adhered firmly to her resO-
luton.
1t was six exactly when Mr.. Brown
let himself into his house with the
latch-key which always depended from
his watch chain The gas jet burned
softly behind the rose colored shade i'm
the hall, the fire clicked cheerily in the
CRATE of the parlor beyond.