Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-01-07
here and it's no use to have things ruined

The winter was now past, and beautiful
and early Spring set in. Little Hilda grew
healthier and prettier day by day, and re
ioiced in the possession of four pearly teeth
which were the pride of her nurses heart
particularly as their coming had been at
tended with no i'll effects, and which
made her more than ever desirous to dis
play the darling to her parents admirine
gaze.
"Here's note for you, Miss Stevenson
said Mary Ann, the under chambermaid
entering the nursery one day with three
cornered missive in her hand.
Ellen opened the note and her counte'
nance fell as she perused its contents.
"Dear me, this is very bad," she eXclaim
ed in a troubled tone. "Whatever shall
do?"
"What's the matter, ma'am ?" anxious
ly inquired the young attendant.
"Why, there's my sisters little boy gone
and broken his leg. He's boarding, you
know, with the Martin family, on account
of going to school, and Mrs. Martin has sent
for me to go to him, and 1 don't really sec
what Pm to do about it! 1 can't leave
baby"
"Why, as to that" exclaimed Mary Ann
who was very obliging girl, "pll take care
of baby, and welcome, if you want to 60
The poor little fellow will feel bad if you
neglect him, and his mother away, too"
ayes, that's the worst it. But baby's
mother is away, as we'll as Jacks mother
and she's left in my charge, and promised
Mrs. Fairfax to watch oyer her night and
day, and never trust her out of my sight,
"I'm sure you might trust her with me-
anything"
"I'd trust her with you, my girl, as well
as with another; buta promise isa promise,
and 1 daren't break my word. No, it's q
bad case, but Jack must do without me, and
I'll offer Mrs. Martin extra pay to have him
we'll taken care of. Who brought this
note?"
"Mrs. Martins oldest girl, Sarah"
"Ask Sarah to step up here"
Sarah Martin, tow-haired, bashful girl
of twelve, came shyly up the broad, carpet
ed stairs, and entered the luxurious nursery
on tip-toe. In answer to Ellen's question.
ing she stated that her mother was lawful
put out" by Jacks accident, as it had hap
pened while house-cleaning was going on.
and the two younger children we're sick
with colds, and there was nobody to help.
"Nobody but only just me-" Sarah added,
"and my mother doesn't want to keep me
out of school,"
II want your mother to hire nurse. III
pay 4he wages" said Ellen. "Of course,
don't expect her to give her time to jack
"Mother amt willing to have stranger
around the house while we're all at skies
and sevens," explained Sarah. "She says
I was to tell you So"
"Mercy on us! then what does she want
child? She doesn't expect me to leave
home to come there, does she? Ican't take
care of the boy. Don't you know Pm in
charge of Mrs. Fairfax's baby, and the
house, and everything in t?"
''She thought maybe you'd let Jack be
sent here to you"
"Make hospital of Mrs. FairfaX's house
and she absent? No indeed; I'll take nc
such liberty. Say to your mother I'll see
her myself. I'll bring the baby around
some time this afternoon, and have talk
with her, and look at the boy. l wish tc
mercy my sister was at hOme," exclaimed
the troubled Ellen. Adding Indignantly
when Sarah was out of hearing, "Mrs. Mar
tin was always fussy, unaccommodating
sort OF a woman. She is the worst sort tC
get on with in an emergency of this kind
AS if it mattered about her house being out
of order, when there's sickness to think OFF,
Jacks leg had sustained a compound frac'
ture, and being totally unused to suffering
of any description, he found himself in q
very bad case indeed, and betrayed the fact
that he had none of the stuff of martyr in
him. Indeed, his complaints and lamenta'
tions were so excessive, that Mrs. Martins
pity was quite lost in veXatiOn, and she
scolded the poor little lad so harshly as tC
bring on a fit Of vehement crying and Sob
bing, so that when his aunt came there
according to promise, she found him al.
Iol; mi a p6
pain.
Sympathy for her own flesh and blood
overpowered, for the time, all other feelings
and Ellen, in order to devote q few minutes
to him, consented to leave little Hilda in
the sitting room in Sarah's charge, regret.
ting, as she did SO, that she had not thought
of bringing Mary Ann along.
Sarah was highly gratifed at the honor
conferred upon her, and being anxious tC
display her Importance in her new charac-
ter of nurse, conveyed her little charge to
the front window in the hope of exciting
the admiration of the neighborhood. Un-
fortunately for the attainment Of this object
nobody was near to take note of her posi-
ton, except half-idiot boy named Jenny
Long, the son of q washerwOman who lived
across the street. Sarah felt contempt tor
Jenny, but finding him better than no
spectator at all, she encouraged him to ap.
proach the window, which was low, and
opened directly on the sidewalk.
''See here, Jenny" she remarked in a
patroniZing tone, as the boy came lOunging
up, "ain't this a beautiful child? Wouldn't
you like to take care of herr"
81 could," answered Jenny, confidently
nodding his head. "1've minded babies
lots of times"
Sarah laughed, and dandled little Hilda,
who cooed and gurgled, and stretched out
her fat hands, smiling at Jenny, who stood
with open mouth and lack-lustrc eyes star
ing at her.
"Kin she walk" he inquired.
"Why no, of course not" rejoined Sarah.
"She amt year old yet-not more than
eight or ten months, spect. You don't
know much about babies, Jenny"
kin she set down?" was the next ques-
tion.
"Why yes, of course, you silly! See, I'll
put her in this little rm-chair-Bessie's
chair, you know-and tie her with a hand
kerchief. So! There she is, the pretty wit
ty little girl! See her kick her little feet
Amt her shoes pretty? And see the lace
on her frock, and everything. My! her pa
and ma must he rich"
"Who's her pa and MAJ"
'Oh, people who you don't know any
thing about. pve been to their house.
such an elegant house." said Sarah in an
impressivemann "Big high marble steps
in front, and an iron railing, and carpets
inside so thick you can't hear yourself walk
and great tall looking glasses that show you
from head to foot"
"Must be one of them shops down town.
suggested Jenny.
"Shops, indeed! tell you it's house
Mr.. Fairfax's house, on Laurel street
Don't you know Laurel street,"
"Course I do"
HWell thpy live tharn -