Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-01-02
foot Too I SINCE l last nights march through

the landlady, Nnette. Explain the
matter to her, and I nm sure she will
lend me something to wear until the
trunks are forwarded" and Violet
grows absorbed in the geese again,
At ton o'clock that day her advent
ure begins In good earnest. She
stands at the gate Of the old-fashioned
garden adjoining tho inn, looking
up and down the street in a
sort OF pleasant roverie. aud
weaving the great shadowy
elms overhead into her vision OF an
other time and place, The lAndlady's
dress -,a clean though faded calico
makes q feint st fitting after the belt
OF a white apron has caught the folds
snugly around the trim waist, and the
broad-brinmed, rough straw hat she
has on hides from her view the ap-
Proach OF the one great lady OF the
town-her Intended hostess, Mrs. Tor
rensham. .~.
"Girl, do you want u placer" This
Inquiry startles her from her day
dream and makes her aware, for the
first time, Of the august presence of
Mrs. Torrenstam.
When Mrs. Torrenshar drives as
she is driving to-day, with Jerry in
front and James behind, all Willough-
by holds its insignificant breath from
the blacksmith shop on Goose Com
mon to the furthermost outskirts of
civilization upon the opposite bound
aries OF the village. TO say that Mrs.
Torrensham does not enjoy the abject
look Of deep reverence upon all faces
turned like flowers to the sun of her
''heraldic-blazoned" carriage, is to say
an untruth. She is puling power in
this community; and when she sees a
comely young girl leaning in a moth
lng-to-do attitude upon the gate she
feels sure that a certain department in
her nearlyperfect household shall be
filed instanter.
"What kind of - place. ma'am, If
you please?" asked our Violet, glanc-
ing amusedly from madam's keen old
face to the green satin carriage trap
pings, the silver-gilt harness, the I'M
lovely calves Of the footman and the
spinx-like features of the immobile
groom, who has brought two pretty
animals to a standstill before the gate
Come nearer said Mrs. Torren-
sham.
'lf she finds me out now, we'll and
good; if not, I shall have some dis
traction as Finette say!' is Violet's
mental soliloquy, as she bangs the gate
to and crosses the sidewalk, threading
her way gingerly through d flock OF
frightful geese that look knowingly at
her.
Il need a girl who can exercise some
taste in arranging bouquets through
out the house; who can pour the coffee
and make the tea when / may be alb
sent; who can see to the busting of the
drawing, reception and dining rooms,
library and hall, and who in her unoc-
cupied moments can do mending. For
such services I shall pay a girl two
dollars week and see that her wash
ing and ironing is done for her."
I'll come" says Miss Field. after
summing up of this most extraordi-
nary case. IN be ready to enter
your service tomorrow, ma'am."
Il shall send for you then. Good
day" Mrs. Torrensham gives Jerry
the word. Jerry gives the horses the
whip, and they whisk around the
corner in grand style.
Next day at lunch time Miss Field,
in tidy calico gown, stands at I, side
table making tea, and at the same
time learning to keep her tell-tale face
from flushing at every mention of her
name There is Mrs. Tore nsham in
dainty null wrapper embroidered
within an inch of its life; there is
Dick. her son, glaring at a certain COL
umn in the Times; and there is a gem
tleman who has been addressed as
'nephew," '.Silvertop," "Silly" and
''Toppy," by both mother and son.
A handsome face is the face of Sill
vertop, as pure in it's outlines as the
sculptured features of an ideal god, with
chin that shows power as we'll as beauty.
a sensitive mouth, classic nose, and
clear, dark eyes that at this moment
look carelessly across the Times in
Dicks hands and rest themselves upon
the little brown bow of ribbon at the
back Of Violet's shapely throat
And while our heroine makes the
tea, and scalds her fingers in the opera
ton, I shall tell you who Silvertop is.
A nephew of Mrs. Torrensham's, to be
brief, and known as Laurence Reid in
the high circles of his aunt's aristo-
cratic world. A cripple who, wounded
In the late war, came home to his aunt
to live out contentedly, SO people said,
his life Of inevitable @bachelorhood-
inevitable since poor Laurence is proud
so, at least, every one says, and Aunt
Torrensham takes care to never con-
tradict the report, His pet name ...Sil-
vertop" was given him by Dick, who,
when q child, greeted his cousin on his
return from the war by this odd name,
because Of his gray hair under the SOL
dier's cap. s' ~. ri #t.
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