Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-01

the affair." It was very singular, indeed
very. I'm not sure that ought to men
ton If, for if lady's maid can't hold her
tongue she can't find good places. Dear
me, I'm no talker. I'm as mum as q
mouse. Bushels of pearl powder and
quarts of rouge have l applied with my
own hands, and never so much as limited
at. AS for cotton, bless your heart, I've
never breathed about it, and [ did live
with lady once that took arsenic regu-
larIy for her complexion. That's no Sc
cret, for she took too much one day, by
accident, and died.
"There was an inquest, and it all came
out. It's well it did, for suspicion
pointed to her husband. Somehow 1t al
ways seems TO strike jury that nus
band is the Iikliest person to wish wife
out Of the way. But this isn't anything
about paint; Miss Grigg, being on the
stage, made no secret of that. She
played queens and such, miss. I've often
had tickets given me and gone with my
Young man to see her act. And when she
was naughty and curled her nose like,
miss, and looked at other folks over her
shoulder, and talked away down in her
splendid, miss IL made me think how
take airs over everybody.
"WeH, Miss Grigg was engaged to be
married. Mr.. Birch had fallen in love
with her when she was playing Hamlet's
ma. Perhaps you have seen the play,
miss? The young man objects to his ma
getting married the second time, so |
seemed to make out, and acted most in
pertinent, giving sass to his ma ard his
step-pa, and carrying on awful. And
there was poor young lady quite out of
her mind that afterward got drO gnd.
"Well, she was playing Hamlet's ma,
and Mr.. Birch fell in love with her, and
sent her a letter, and called, and made an
offer all in no time. She accepted him,
of course, and the preparations for the
wedding began. I don't think any lady
ever had so many dresses before. Silks
and satins, and gelvets and laces. Dear,
dear; Madame - whole establishment
was hard at work for month, and if I'd
had twenty fingers, instead of only ten,
I'd have had use for them all.
"Atlast everything was finished. The
trunks were packed, fifteen of 'em, miss,
and fourteen were to go on that after
noon, and one-the one with the wedding
and travelling dresses-was, of course, to
be left and go with the bride when she
started next day. She was to be married
at ten O'Clock in the church and then
drive home, have a splendid breakfast,
change her dress and catch the o'clock
train. OF course / saw to the trunks, and
/ was very careful; but Just when 1 was
needed most, just as the trunks were GO
ing down stairs, Miss Grigg called me.
"Miss Grigg was lady who didn't like
to wait. / went to her at once, miss, as
was my duty, and 1 said to Bridget Dus-
ter, the chambermaid.
i" Bridget, watch that black trunk and
see that the men don't carry it OFF,
bridget understood with her elbows,
of course, miss, and after I'd been to the
Lands End for two yards of blue ribbon
of exactly such a shade as she wanted,
and got back, found that she had sent
off the black trunk first of all, and was
very proud of having been so careful.
The trunks were all miles away by that
time. There was nothing for it but to
tell Miss Grigg. She few at me, miss. I
didn't blame her for being angry.
would forgive her in such a case. She
flew at me violent, miss, and then, miss,
she had spasms. She beat the sofa, she
tore her hair, she Screeched, and me all
the while saying:
" Remember your eyes, miss. Think
how you'll look. Your nose is swelling
dreadful, miss
FINALLY she came TO and bathed her
face. And says she:
Fora what-shali-I do?'
q don't know, miss said l, unless
you put of the wedding until you tele-
graph for the trunk
Ono said she, that's unluckY; besides,
one never knows. None amt to be de-
pended on
You might borrow a Dress said l.
GAS if I'd be married in one that didn't
fit said she. Stop, don't speak a word.
I've an idea
"She sat with one finger on her lips for
awhile. Then she said:
My embroidered dressing gown. The
white one! That's here?'
'''In the bureau, miss said 1.
Very WELL said she. I'll be married
in that. Telegraph for the trunk, Flora.
"'rhe white dressings gown, Iniss?' sai6
|, rearly astonished out of my senses.
eyes, said she, 'the white dressing
gown, goose, you don't think I'mgoing tt
be married in church IN that. 1 won't pu
off the wedding md l won't stand up be
fore crowd in anything but my white
satin dress! But will be married at the
graph for my trunk ard come bacl
soon.'
'When l came back found Miss Grigg
in bed end the doctor sent for. He was
puzzled, / could see that. He couldn'
tell what was the matter and Miss Grigg
was to faint to speak. He questioned
Dle. said she had been very wuch agi
tated. He prescribed something and
went off, bidding me send for him if sh,
seemed worse. The evening paper pub
lished the report that Miss Grigg wa
dangerously i'll, and Mr.. Birch came to tn,
hotel in a terrible fright, as pale as
sheet, to ask how she was. 1 took hin
down Her love, and she was very ILL.,
"Then Miss Grigg said tc the ladie.
who had come in: Leave me with my
faithful Flora and we were left alone.
can't say that was surprised when sh,
sat up in bed and said briskly:
Lock the door, Flora. I'm sick o
lying on my back. I've taken them In
haven't i: You see what l am abou
now?"
Exactly, miss said I; ito be too il
to be married when the time comes?'
No said she; 'to be i'll enough to b.
married in the white dressing gown. Tn
going to be married on my dying bed
Flora?'
Il gave screech and she laughed, anl
then she made a sHpper of sardines anc
biscuits end vine, and she threw tn,
mealclne out of the window. Early mex
day the doctor came. I answered hi,
question as TO what sort of night the pa
tient had passed by saying she had beer