Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-26
SIGNORA BELLONI.

tate an especially toothsome wild
flower, or to MUNICH a mouthful of
grass that was fresher than the or.
binary. And behind them walked
a tall, slender girl, wearing a dark.
stuff dress and a sunbonnet of
brown calico.
"I'ye brought home the cows,
Mrs. Dodd," said she, merrily, as
a wrinkled face peered out of the
window. "Shall l milk now !
Just hand me the pals, please.
1 know where to find the three
legged STOOL"
"Buts, child" said the perplexed
Mrs. Dodd, "you can't milk"
"Are you sure of that p said the
tall girl, whose face, now that the
sunbonnet had fallen off, revealed
a rich olive complexion, large,
laughing eyes, and hair blacker
than the proverbial "raven's wing"
"But, you see, never told you how
l used TO milk my little lunch'pail
full out in the pastures when | went
uniting. in October
ala y said Mrs. Dodd.
al have more accomplishments
than you are aware of" added the
girl.
dwell, any way, Pm glad you're
safe home, Miss Mary" said Mrs.
Dodd. dts a sort of a wild place
up on the hill pasture, and Spottie
is ugly with her horns sometimes"
"Spottie and l are the best
friends in the world" said Mary
Bell, lightly stroking the smooth
sides of the horned animal in ques-
ton, as she walked along toward
the barnyard, with the milk-pails
in her hand. snake yourself easy,
Mrs. Dodd. l will fodder the cat
tie and see that the barn is safely
locked up for the night"
"I'm dreadful obleeged t'ys, Miss
Mary" said Mrs. Dodd. al dunno
what I'd ha' done eff 'twasn't for
you, in this ere tight spot"
$50 that's your boarder, is it
said Mrs. Madison, who had drop.
ped in to borrow a yeast-cake for
the morrow's baking. "Goin' to
stay lOngi7
"About a MONTH" said Mrs.
Dodd. "She's powerful fond of
the country. You'd ought to see
her ride old Dobbin to water! And
she lives outdoors, like a gypsy,
from mornin' till night"
"Nice-lookin' enough" said Mrs.
Madison.
"So.so,7 said the widow-'tor
them as likes dark-completed folk.
Nv Phoebe was as fair as a lily,
with blue eyes and a skin that
freckled if she so much as put her
nose out in the sunshine. But Miss
Bell has been very good to me
since Moses run off after the trav'
elm circus and my knee got bad
with the rheumatic. She takes hold
as handy as possible about the
house. Ioffered to pay her wages
but she laughed right out at the
idee." IN take your six dollars a
month, Miss Dodd,' says she when
Pm able to pay you for all the kind
care you've took of me since
came to Scramble Farm Not but
what she's paid her board as pune
tual as a clock, added Mrs. Dodd
"But there was a spell along when
she was rather droopin' and hadn't
much appetite, and billed up some
herb tea, and sort of cossetted heI
with nice little homemade messes
until she chirked up; and she ain't
forgot, it, you see"
"Sbop.gal, / s'pose y said Mrs
Madison. "These 'ere city folks
gets a sort of a stylish way witt
'em. She walks like a queen
though she hasn't got nothin' buI
shilling delsine and a caliker sun
bonnet"
"No, she amt a saleslady," sale
Mrs. DOod, whose "Phebe' was il
that business, and who never al
lowed the term "shop- girl" to pas
uncorrected in her presence. "Sh'
is a singist."
"Musical, ELI :" said Mrs. Matti
son, pricking up her ears. "In
church-choir I"
81 guess likely" said Mrs. DOdd
lifting the lid Off the stew-pan u
see if the dried peaches were in
proper stage for disbing up. "Bu
dunno, Mary Bell amt one tina
talks much. sort O. reckon though
that she sings at concerts and play
the pianny at parties for so much
night. My Phebe says there
folks as makes it a regular bushes
in the city"
"You don't say :" cried Mrs. Mat
tisOD.
eyes, a regular business. M,
PhGbe, she used to be a great hanC
on the ACCORDION, but
ayes, / know said Mrs. Matti
son, who had many time listeneC
to the recital Of "My PhGbe's'
varied accomplishments and knew
them all by heart. "But ii sh'
sings, Mrs. Dood, l guess the churcl
folks would te glad to get her Il
sing at our concert on Monday
uaak y