The Republican journal., 1886-11-04
The Bound Girl.
I'm have to do everything alone

twenty. Such We're the term of the contract
when Janet had been taken from the orphan
asylum. tiny creature of ten, nine years be-
fore; and it was the hard work and ,cant fare
which had prevented her growing.
There she stood, looking about her at the
array of cooking utensils. the rows of milk
pans. the pile Of wash-tul,s, the shelf of flat
irons. the capacous wood-boXcs.
That morning Mrs. Titus, the authoritative,
the energetic, had fallen down the ecar->tair>
and broken her lee. The doctor had been
and then lifted up her voice and proved her
>rlf equal to the situation:
I'm lail III for a month, Janet that's plain
to be seen. I've done everything for you;
now you must take right hold and 90 on with
olit me 'rherell be the cookin' to do and the
butter +, make more than you have done, extra.
But you can do it. if You try. lou1i have 10,
anyway. llayn's over. an'i Mr.. Dent II be
%oiu' home soon, SO that'I be one less to pro-
vide for
Janet heard in silence. She gave Mrs. Titus
her yalcrian, and then went away, and stood
looking around the kitchen.
'I'll have TO do everything alone"
There was such IA large family. and 50 much
work to he done, no wonder little Janet >hrank:
but She never thought of shirking. With
breakfast at five o'clock. and >uppcr-ti>he> to
be washed at eight. she had always had enough
to do; hut TO undertake all the active duties
which Mrs. Titus had been accustomed to per-
form. was almost appalling.
Janet stood thinking how ii was 10 hc done.
She was such a little thing II took 50 many
ol her armfulS to fill the Wood-hUXe> with
hard and soft wood. She must needs stand on
4 box to work at the tubs on the Wa>hbcnch:
and her arms crew 80 tired al the churning.
She had been trained to great capabity; but
she WAS not strong enough.
But there was no time for reflection. There
was supper to get for the four farm-luands.
Mrs. Titus cruel to make aud 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 Il pail OF water.
Mr.. Dent was at the well.
MIR. Miles Dent was the summer boar,lrr.
He had bought mill privilege of Mrs. Titus
and was building mill.
He was a handsome, very pleasant man-as
perfectly healthy people are apt to be, and he
was very large and strong. In age he might
have been thirty. or thereaboutS.
Very Old. indeed Janet had pronounced
him; and she had always been little afraid of
him, his manners were nice. and he had
such nice books in his room.
Whether he was aware of her existence OF
not. She W., not quite sure.
But he seemed to see the hurrying, anxious.
little creature noW-fur, saving. My arms are
the strongest" he took the pail, filled it and
earn led it into the Kitchen.
'lIave your hands full, haven't you, little
onc?' he said. pleasantly, glancing about him.
"l our shoulders hardly look strong enough
for adj this baking and brewing"
Janet smiled shyly-plca>ed, surprised; but
she was too Hl)a~hed to more than murnur
some faint response. and Mr.. Dent went away.
But she felt cheered by the friendly words Of
the biz, broWn-bcarded man: and though Mrs.
Titus Scodcd her because the cruel hadn't milk
enough, and She was Obliged to 20 UP and
down stairs three times before the lady was
served, She laid her head upon her pillow more
lightly than u~ual-all for one Kind word.
Poor little Janet
But evil days We're too surely at hand
1t made Mrs. Titus very cross to lie in bed,
inactive. and She could not give up the over
sight of the kitchen below.
\ score of times a day she would call Janet
from her work to know What she was at, and
what she intended doing next. Countless
orders issued from her chamber.
These idiosyncra,e> added greatly to Janet's
fatigue is she toilcd through the day, and She
actually >obbed with WEAKNESS one night.
when She commenced to bring in the wood.
She was standing i'll the wood>hed. Sudden
ly She heard step on the gravel of the path in
the yard.
1t Was Mr.. Dent He had not gone. lie
came swinging along in his >hirt->leeVe>, his
linen dulster over his arm.
How rich, and prosperous, and happy he
was.
Janet did not desire to di>po>se>S Mr.. Dent
of his good-fortlnc. but She thought it hard
that little of the brightness of life could not
be hers.
But when Mr.. Dent came opposite the shed
door, the happy light died out of his pleasant,
gray eyes.
Well it might. Janet did not dream what
pitiful sight her poor, little tear-staincd face
was.
Mr. Dent spoke cheerily.
"All work and no play makes Jill dull girl,
doesn't it:'' he said, taking the basket from
her hand and in moment carrying it, loaded,
into the dim kitchen. "l oil have too much to
do; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
When Mr. Dent had filled the wood-boNes so
the covers would hardly shut down, he said;
My arms are strong, and they shall be at
your service While | stay here, though it will
be only Il day or two longer. | Shall be quite
at leisure tomorrow or next day, and you can
call Oh me whenever you like"
Much as Janet was pleased, She never would
have dreamed of taking the gentleman at his
word; but the next Worning proved a rainy
one, 50 that Mr.. Dents chamber being cold
| and no fire lighted in tie sittng-room he came
| into the kitchen with his book and cnsconced
| himself in the great rocking-char beside the
| stove.
| That was the pleaSanest day of Janet's life.
| Mr. Dent told her such funny stories, and read
so beautifully from his great book. and then,
he filled the waterpails, and kept the fire burn
| Ing, and jumped up to lift the heavy tubs for
| her, and sat down again to keep the bread
| from burning, while she carried Mrs. Titus
| dinner up.
| And while he was doing all this, Mr.. Dent
was thinking what dear little patient thing
| she was, and how pretty the nut-brown hair
curled over her forehead.
| At night he filled the boxes with wood,
| strained the milk, wound the high clock and
turned the cats out; and all day he had had a
| jest for everything, and a genial glance and a
| kind tone, that turned darkness into light for
Janet.
She sighed with happiness as she went to
| sleep, though Mrs. Titus goodnight word had
been that ''she was Il lazy, good-for-nothing
tlng.' and that She would be down stairs to-
morrow to see what Janet was up to-"
The northeast storm continued, and Mr..
Dent was sitting by the fire again, when Mrs.
| Titus limped into the Kitchen with cane.
| Now, Mr.. Dent had just been chopping
mince-meat, with Mrs Titus gngham apron
and ruffled cap on, and had barely cast them
aside, when the lady opened the door and
caught Janet laughing.
She might well have looked amazed, for she
never had seen Janet laughing before. Now,
why she probably could not have told but Mrs.
| Titus was very much offended
She waited until dinner was served, and
Janet had gone into the well-room to cool the
pudding then she began bitter TRADE:
''Pretty business this is. gigglng and fooling
your time away, and everything to do! Mr..
Dents been reading poetry to you, has he?
How much more churning can you do when
you listen to poetry: Have you baked that
frut-cake? Well, 1 know it's made wrong |!
Did you shut that settin' hen off the nest?
don't believe it. What's Mr.. Dent in the
kitchen for, any way?
For the fire, ma'am. The chambers are so
chilly. And | had so much to do, and he is so
kind, and his arms were strong," faltered poor
little Janet.
'Umph! been complaining to Mr.. Dent, have
you, that you work so hard? Whining, good
for-nothing creature! l wish I'd left you in
the asylum. l never thought of your turning
out like this-luring men into my kitchen
| when Pm sick in bed"
"Stop, Mrs. Titus!" interposed Mr.. Dents
heavy voice. "Better not go too far. Janet
has told you all there is to tell. did think she
worked too hard. / felt kindly toward her.
have pair of strong arms which have helped
They shall be hers for life if she e will. viii Little
Janet, will you accept me for a husband? Many
younger man will not be as tender and true
|