The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-01-02
GRETA.


Creek-had just decapitated and
brought in. We've all been kept /
busy since the wreck. Eth? Haven't |
heard of tie wreckP La mel Why, I
everybody at Cassell's Greek is talking /
about it. 1t was n Western train, I
don't YOU see, with two emigrant cars.
and when the trestle-work mt Big I
Brook gave way, there was general
smash-up! Nobody killed, but lots O.
people hurt. We kept two German
women here for week. One of 'em
had n sprained wrist, and the other had
a confused head-oh, confused, of
course; you're right, Greta, but who is
/ TO pick and choose when words are so
much alike? Ii was lucky Greta was
here, or couldn't have understood
! the poor things. nor they me. Here,
4 Greta, you'd better fix the stuffing. It
| has a nicer flavor, somehow, when you
mix in the onions and sage. And the
ground was strewn for hundred feet
around, with the splintered bits of
cars, and broken trunks and boxes,
and the greatest lots of feather-beds
and blankets. that the poor wretches
were CARRYING West. Parson Post
| took up 4 collection in church to help
EN- out with their fare, and to buy the
necessaries that they had lost. ! was
glad o that"
So Mrs. Parkhurst chatted on with a
steady, even ripple of voice, like the
current of some mountain stream,
while Mr.. Stanley listened, sometimes
hearing what she said. and sometimes
not
The truth was, he was watching
Greta, the tall slight hand-maiden,
with the coil of blonde hair tw isted
like a glitteriIg rope about her head,
ard the big blue eyes, so full of limpid
light.
How strange were the inequalities of
this world,
Mrs. Parkhurst, his aunt. shapeless,
and rubicund, looked like dairy
woman.
Greta, the hired maid-servant, had
the mien and bearing of a princess.
Her voice was low and eXquisitely
modulated. her pronunciation was
; perfect
: Herbert Stanley had come down to
/ Cassell's Greek to see about the title
) deeds of neighboring farm, in which
: one of his clients was interested.
: He had anticipated n dull time while
the papers were being made out, for he
: knew of old how Aunt Parkhursi
would prose and IRcle Parkhurs'
preach; and now that rs pretty Cousir
: Nell was married and rone to Califor
mia, the sojourn would be simply un.
bearable.
: But here was Greta Harmon, per
feet symphony IN blue and goldi Wa:
. he artist enou sh to paint her, with hi:
: kit of water-cnlors? Could he fine
: fitting words To describe her, in tn
: novelette, he was writing for the Week
: ly BicepS2
IS One wanted model, now and then
and Greta was different from an.
l. woman he bad ever seen before
% Housework became an idyll when pei
y formed with such slow stately grace
II domestic service was elevated when
: girl like Greta Harmon stepped int
1t its ranks.
:. His first night Mt the farm was res
IL less and disturbed.
What was that roaring sound
IS heard soon after midnight he aske
e his aunt the next morning. 1T di
~ turbed me so / could not sleep"
IA "Roarin' sound? Amt it the fallsi
le said Mrs. Parkhurst, measuring out Il
i9 thick rich cream for the coffee with 4
el stingy hand.
No; heard the falls, too; but thi
~ is soothing sound rather than othe
III wise"
~ Guess likely they've put the mi
rs hands on night work, suggested Unc
Il. Parkhurst Them new steam-engin
aS is the dickens and all to make a ella
eo ter"
Might work-at this time o yea
On Are YOU crazy, Parkhurst?" demandC
~. his wife.
ne But Greta looked up suddenly, wi
ce such quick, intelligent light in h
'e' ewes, that Staaley spoke at once.
re "Ah," said he, Il see that you C;
unravel the mystery, Miss Greta."
Greta colorcd to the very roots
the golden hair.
md "Ig" she said. .'It must have be
I'VE the trees"
ly. And she jumped up from her srai
His at CasselTs Greek the "help" AVA
out sat down to the table with the rest
of the family-and went to the door
the drive the flock of young turkeys {
iu- of the high wet grass into the sun
ion pasture-field beyond.
his What very handsome girl I'll
my isl" said Stanley.
my ''Aint she, thought" said Mrs. Pa
aid hurst, with as much pride as if Cir,
nns belonged to her. And YOU nj
the the only one that thinks so, Meth
the She might have married well tw
hey since she came to me. Squire 5
on. voss's son was fairly bewitched alb
ing her, and Mr.. Larrabee, the foreman
'wn the new mill, courteC her steady
six weeks. But she wouldn't h;
ats nothing to say TO either of them.
ris- John Servoss is stupid lou
ptl- sharply spoke up Stanley. And
With for Your mill-workman-"
We John Larrabee's a forehandcd S
got of man." nodded Mrs. Parkhu
to land he owns ninety acres of g
iem land, with a house that's only just /
painted"
:. Pretty Greta did not return to
or1- breakfast-table, and Stanley strol
'au. out to the woods, when he had finis
ol his last cup of coffee, with his portf
way under his arm.
> 80 Il may as well be doing chal
= 70 or two for the Biceps, while that
~ idiot of a town-clerk is making out
luss title deeds" mused he. And the
ilch no getting a chance to write o
onu 5 think within ten feet of Aunt p;
lleu l: hurst's blessed old tongue. He
iel. it this deserted old barn by the ri
ueS eTS I'll go in here, and see if the fla
'sev won't burn up little. III: