Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-08-03
.nnr WAYS

H..
GAY, it is just thatl You'll grow strong
and weel. Hoo's a. WI ye, Kenneth? Did
you see Mr.. Macray, and get the papers?
Ell, we Gamma carry the two big boxes,
Can We do without them till tomorrow,
Mona, and I'll send the cart for them:'
Yes, uncle. l have my hand portman-
teau, which is quite enough"
The old cart-horse that with bent head
and patient toll dragged the vehicle up the
long ascent, evidently understood his task
too well to heed Uncle Sandy's 'gee-ups"
and occasional applications Of the whip.
When they came to gentle decline or a
few level yards, he broke into a slow,
heavy trot-his great feet beating the road
like sledge-hammers; then at the very first
upward tendency he deliberately checked
his pace to steady walk, from which
nothing could move him. Yet Mona en-
joyed the drive immensely. The beautiful
wild scenery; the soft, delicious, honey
sweet breeze, that from time to time
touched her cheek like caress; the restful
silence, and perhaps, more than all, the
unusually happy expression Of Uncle
Sandy's puckered face, gave her profound
pleasure.
At length, after following low moss
and grass-grown wall for some way, they
turned into a narrow road, at the diverg-
ence Of which a wooden gate, with one
broken hinge, lay helplessly open.
moo" said Mr.. Craig, with all the pride
of proprietorship, you are in the parks of
Craigdarroch."
What a delightful country! What a
pretty placer
'sWaft till you are up at the hoose. I
think you'll say it is better than West
bourne Villas"
They soon reached the choose" which
was turned in a contradictory manner with
its face to the hill and built of melancholy,
half-mOurning gray stone. At the door
stood a respectable Gray-haired 'dour"
looking wOman-the cook and general ser
yant-and behind, the "bit lassie" who
helped her.
"This is my niece, Miss Craig" said I'm
Gle Sandy to the 'dour" looking woman;
"ve'll just do a she tells ye."
She'll likely not know our ways, and
she frae the SOUTH" she returned, sulkily.
'Then you must teach me-" said Mona,
smiling SO pleasantly on her that her face
relaxed.
Folk learn quickif they are 50 Minded"
she said, less harshly.
Then Uncle Sandy led Mona through the
museum, the dining room, the drawing
room, the library.
''You see it's no poor hoose." he said,
with satisfaction. moo, come AVA to
your hin bcd-Chamber. You'll like it fine,
am thinking" Uncle Sandy stumped
down the passage and introduced his niece
to a pretty airy chamber, the windows OF
which looked over the garden, with q side
glimpse of the loch. My room is next
you. 1 thought if were sick, or bad with
the rheumatics, it would be well to have
you nigh hand me | have had n bell put
there, We see, just over the head of your
bed. | can reach the rope frae mine, and
wake ye ouy time want ye"
~ delightful arrangement" said Mona,
laughing. 1T Is charming room, and
when l unpacIl | shall make it Iool, quite
pretty. The house has evidently been ar
ranged by men, uncle; 1t seems awfully
bare"
"Aweel, women have their uses. If |
had been able to marry the Iassie L loved,
l would be n different mon this day"
Mona soon found that life at Craigdar-
roch, in spite of the beauty that surround
ed her, was not n bed of roses.
Mr.. Craig viewed housekeeping expenses
through the small end of his mental tele-
scope, and tried to keep them down to i'm
possible limits; while at the bottom of his
manly heart he feared Picnic, the cook,
far too much to do more than grumble in
definitely.
''Shc is n wastcfu' dell" he whispered to
his niece, the second day of her sojourn at
Craigdarroch, when he was solemnly hand
ing her the keys and instructing her in
the duties of her new position. you can
look after her better than | can. She just
drinks pounds % tea; twa ounces ought to
do her and the grille for a week, and then
the fleshcr'5 bill is just fearful They twa
want good meat meals every day"
But, uncle, thoy must have meat every
day-no one would serve you without it,"
well, it's just n bad new fashion.
Scotchmeu grew to be what they are On
good oat-meal"
Il shall do my best, uncle, but am not
economical. | warn you. know what it
cost Madame Dcbrisay and myself to exist,
and it will be n sort of guide. May look
at your bOOks?"
"Booksl never kept any. just know
the siiler slips away over fast"
"No wonder you think so, If You keep no
accounts. will not undertake impossi-
bilities, but If l do not give satisfaction,
you must turn me away. Craig Of Craig
darroch ought to live like gentleman"
"Eh, but that's wcel said!" cried Uncle
Sandy, with sudden enthusiasm, which
showed Mona she had hit the right nail on
tho head. "Wcel, do your best, dearie; but
you mauna ruin me"
Il will not try, uncle"
So Mona took up her cross with courage
and found, as is often the case, that diff
cultics vanish Mt the touch of bold
hand.
A week of this new life passed rapidly.
Mona found her hands full; nor was the
work unpleasant. Her nature was essen
TALLY feminine. She loved order and del
iCate nicely in her home, thought no trou-
BILE too much to securcit. Fortunately she
succeeded in winning the allegiance of the
cook, who, having anticipated that the
StingiucSs of her master would be intensi-
fled by the minute inspection Of mistress
was relieved to find n greatly increased de-
gree of Justice and liberality in the domes-
tic government.
The furniture, too, ve1ed her soul. 1t
was excellent as regarded quality, but
frightful In form and color. With much
persuasion she induced Uncle Sandy to
permit of her ordering pretty colored mus
lin curtains, n few cheap Oriental rugs,
and some small CT CUtCrGS, the choice OF
which Mona coutded to Mary Black.
These, with sundry baskets and pots of
flowers disposed about the drawing-room,
so transformed it that Uncle Sandy scarce
ly recognized the once stiff and dreary
chamber.
YOU'RE a clever lassie, he cried. "You
have made the place look grand atno great
outlay. Moo, I'm hoping you'll no ask
mair siller for long time
1--WE shall want some addisionS TO our
furniture and decorations, uncle. before
winter" returned Mona, who had learned
from experience that the less Uncle Sandy
was asked for, the less he was inclined to
give. But | will tell you about them in
good time. Now that you are going to re-
side here, You must have your house nice.
/ think you ought to be obliged TO Miss
Black for the trouble she has taken"
'Weel, and who says l am not9 She
and her people are Kenueth's friends. hev?n
"They arc. They were so kind and hos
pitable To me when l arrived, weary and
way-wors, in Glasgow, that l should like
immensely to ask her to spend a few days
here on her way home, if you would per
nit me. She IS n nice girl. I am sure Won
would like her"
Oil AZ, You may ask her as much as
You like. Can she sing n Scotch sonCr'