San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-11-25

HtlDCu utI.
This is my niece, Miss Craig" said I'm
Gle Sandy to the "dour" looking woman:
"ye'n 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 quicki if they are so minded"
she said, less harshly.
Then Uncle Sandy led Mona through the
museum, the dining the drawing
room, the library.
You see it's no poor hOose." he said,
with satisfaction. Moo, come AVA to
your ain bed-chamber. You'll like it fine,
am thinking" Uncle Sandy stumped
down the passage and introduced his niece
to pretty airy chamber, the windows OF
which looked over the garden, with a side
glimpse of the lOch. MY room is next
you. thought if were sick, or bad with
the rheumatics, il would be well to have
you nigh hand me. have had a bell put
there, We see, just over the head of your
bed. can reach tine rope frae mine, and
wake ye ony time want ye."
"a delightful arrangement" said Mona,
laughing. ut is charming room, and
when unpack shall make it look quite
pretty. The house has evidently been ar
ranged by men, uncle; it seems awfully
bare"
'Aweel, women have their uses. II l
had been able to marry the lassie l loved,
i would be different mon this day"
Mona soon found that life at Craigdar-
S,,c &C tbo hot crrrnnnH-
ed her, was not bed of roses.
Mr.. Craig viewed housekeeping expenses
through the small end of his mental tele-
scope, and tried to keep them down to inn
possible limits; while at the bottom of his
manly heart he feared Phemie, the cook,
far too much t. do more than grumble in
definitely.
''She is wastefu' 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 l can. She just
drinks pounds O. tea; twa ounces ought to
do her and the grille for week, and then
the fiesher's bill is just fearful. They twa
want good meat meals every day"
But, uncle, they must have meat every
day-no one would serve you without it."
"Well, it's just bad new fashion.
Scotchmen grew to be what they are on
good oatmeal"
81 shall do my best uncle, but am not
economical, warn you. know what it
cost Madame Debrisay and myself to exist,
and it will be sort of guide. May look
at your books?"
Books! never kept any. justknow
the siller slips away over fast"
mo wonder you think so, if you keep no
accounts. | will not undertake impossi-
bilities, but if do not give satisfaction,
you must turn me away Craig of Craig
darroch ought to live like gentleman"
"Eh, but that's weel saidn cried Uncle
Sandy, with sudden enthusiasm, which
showed Mona she had hit the right nail on
the head. "Weel, do your best, dearie; but
you mauna ruin me-"
81 will not try, uncle"
So Mona took up her cross with courage
and found as is often the case, that diff
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 secureit. Fortunately she
succeeded in winning the allegiance Of the
cook, who having anticipated that the
stinginess of her master would be intensi-
fed by the minute inspection Of a mistress
was relieved to find greatly increased de-
gree of Justice and liberality in the domes-
tic government.
The furniture, too, veXed 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, few cheap Oriental rugs,
and some small ct cGterds, the choice of
which Mona confided 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 additions 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.
l think you ought to be obliged to Miss
Black for the trouble she has taken"
''Weel, and who says l am not? She
and her people are Kenneth's friends, hey?"
"They are. They were so kind and hos
pitable to me when 1 arrived, weary and
way-worn, in Glasgow, that l should like
immensely to ask her to spend few days
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