The Somerset reporter., 1891-01-08
SELECTED.
THE MANDARIN's HEAD.

| In one of those tall, New YORK fla
| houses, which without being very mag
nifcent, e very pretty, a lady was ar
ranging the ornaments and furniture O.
parlor, into which she had evidentl.
| just moved.
She was a very large woman, but o
elegant proportions, and her dress wa
handsome-a morning robe Of blue cash
mere, richly embroidered. Behind he
| q little white capped maid unpacked
basb ct of bric-a- brac, aud, having dustet
each piece, handed to her mistress.
Through the open windows came tn
sound of traffic-the rumble of wagon
and the roll of carriage wheels. Ne'
York was It's busiest and gay,st on tina
clear, late autumn day. Now and then
cry of some street vender was heard
and newsboy was striving to attrac
purchasers by rolling 'extraw, extraw,
In deep horror-stricbe tones, and annie
all these noises, ever and anon arose
walt hrill and plaintive as the shriel
of the banst ee-whiCh st emed to come
from the interior of the house.
"Is there sick child in the house
Phebe?n the lady asked, after she hac
iis,eued with q shudt er to thia sound fol-
several minu'es. "What fearful wailr
Eyes, my LADY,, replied Phebe, land
IT'S fearful, to be sure. It's the janitl cas-
little boy, II you pleise, my lady.
"phebe, we ale in America, and you
must try to say ma'am, as the other maids
TO-" said the mistress, with smile. 81
am not rich enough to play my lady here
in my native country, though In England
the title belongs to me in England.
Eyes, a'am; I'll rememte" ma'am,
said the maid. "But if you please, ma'am
that is the jantiress child ahowling. Sa
rah, at the second fiat, ma'am, she tolc
now il was. 1t isn't sickness, ma'am
us beatings."
"Beatiugs?" repeated the lady.
Eyes, my la mean, yes ma'am. She
Toes beat 1t awful, she does"
do you suppose she is doing 1t now?'
"Y,s. am" said Phebe.
"And the people in the house permit
it?" cried the lady.
Trey won't interfere" said Phebe,
They have spoken, If you p'cise, but
he says as her child is her own property
please, ma am, aud she'll do as she likes
The lady smiled.
SHOW me the way to the janitor's
room, Phebe," she said.
Its below; the sound comes up TIL.
f.gisters, l suppose" said Phehe. Then
The two descendei the stairs together.
At door leading from the entrance
hall-a pretty door, with little sliding
panel beside 1t, like those at the DO,
oifices-they psused at that instant {
errible scream was heard within, aud tht
lady opened the door and entered.
A wiry woman In black dress anc
white apron, with a little cap on her heac
~ ;,tu ,,f -atnnd iT
the middle of an orderly room, holding
waist and be ting him with bundle OF
tagged leather thongs. 1t is the old in.
,truu at ON some vessels yet, | believe
but sailors make them and sell them tc
civilians as "fl r liture heaters" now.
THIS woman was putting the thing to
its original purpose, and the torture VI
such blows, ev, n when given by her lit
lie, weak, old arm, must have been ter.
rible to so small child.
Take that. and sass me again. she
:ried take that. and that!
A moment more and she paused Some
one cody taken her by the collar Of hel
lress and drawn her back. Now a lady
to whose shoulder the jantress' head
,csrcely reached, took the cat-o-nine tails
from her and drew the wailing child to
Yards her.
you ought to be ashamed of yourself, ,
,aid the une xpe rted visitor. curtlv. al
me child needed correction little switch
would be enough. I've mind to have
you arrested for using this"
"And Whist right have you to interfere.
na'am I'd like to know" cried the wo.
nan.
81 am lady Vernon responded the 9th
er quietly.
she knew that the woman was of Eng
fish birth by her accent, and she chose
tn overawe her by title. She succeed
ed.
"I'm sure, my lady," cried the JAM.
tress. "Your ladyship can't know how
the child tries my patience, and all have
to bear"
"And I'm sure" that you'll have to
control your temper. for though the
owner of this house is abroad l could
write and have you dismissed, you know. =
"Tm sure you'll not do that to poor
widow, my lady" sobbed the janitress.
"If you strike the child again, | SHALL"
said Lady Vernon, "Phebe, bring the
child up stairs and amuse him little
Now my good woman, what is the price
of this thng?"
"Irs my furniture beaten, ma'am !''
cried the woman, "worth a dollar"
The lady placed some money on the
table and walked away with the Cato
nine tails under her arm, while the jani-
tress stared after her.
"a real lady she said in an e-strick-
en- voice. "Ah, but they are 'aughty
there born to it,"
It so happened thst Lsdy Vernon was
BORN in Massachusetts, a yankee girl to
the back bone, and country minister
daughter but an Englishman of title had
come to the States, met her and married
ner. She had gone to England with him.
and there great misfortune had befallen
her. Her husband broke his neck while
hunting, and a few weeks afterwards
h little son was drowned. The nurse
had left him for a moment near tie shore
At seaside resort. to which she had
taken him, when she returned he was
not to be seen.
His hat floating upon the water told
the tale. Aud shortly the widow found
that the sad event had made q difference
in her means and position. The estates
went to the second brother In the event
Of the child's death, and that which was
hers % his guardian during his minority
passed away.
She cared very little, for her heart was
broken BY this second blow, and with
what little remained to her she left tn
home endeared to her by such fond rec
objections, plainly seeing that the new