The state herald., 1892-03-18
MSS MoNlc.
Somewhat Pecyfiar. Ferhsp'. but Her
InnuoY<c Was beneficial.


That w9I not her name but hor
own so Aosely resembled 1t In sound
that W. came to- call her by 1t on
tirelY and she never took any notice
of X although she may have pitied us
ipfhcr heart for our ignorance of her
proper nomenclature.
She was with us II number OF years
in the capacity o. housekeeper seam
stress and general assistant in house
matters, and was always treated as
one OF the family us nearly MS wns
possible. We knew from tho first
that she was poor and needed home,
and that she would never encroach on
ncr privileges.
] havo wond6red since II she woro
not so nearly dead that she had lost
au human feeling and so could not
respond to our mothers many kind
nesses.
She had told us children in o. sopul-
chral whisper when sho first came to
us says writer in tho Detroit FREQ
Press that she had only ono lung.
and her heart was affected. and that
oue must HeNer De sldFblcu.
All our mothers commands and en-.
treaties had failed to make us shut
doors softly and walk without iarring
the house But Miss Laconic's whis.
per frightened us into an instant
obedience. for we had dread OF un-
utterable things II that other lung
were alarmed by any freak of ours.
Unconsciously we fell into tho habit
OF whispering, so that We no longer
shouted and screamed like tho littlo
terrors we had been. This did not all
happen ut once, but it was the gradual
result Of Miss Laconic's installment
in our family. Ono day my mother
left us at homo In the caro- OF tho
housokeeper. who could not make her.
self heard and had her trunks packed
to leave when our mother returned.
''Has 1t been quiet since | went
out'' asked that blessed woman as
she noticed our mice like stiffness.
Quiet rs Bedlam." was the unex-
pected answer.
From that day wo whispered. and
Miss Laconic stayed.
AT breakfast my mother would ask:
Wore you warm last night Miss
B--" -
Il was
Perhaps you would like another
comfortable on your bed"
Il would"
"llavo you butter on your platc?"
Il have"
"Will you have another cup OF coi-
fee?"
Il will"
Sometimes my mother would Try TO
be companionablo to this stranger
within our gates.
ELDER Smiths horse ran away and
threw him out"
.DidP"
"Dr. Brown happened to bo right on
the spot"
WASP"
They have telegraphed for Mrs.
Smith"
''lIavcP"
The doctor thinks he is very seri.
ousiy hurt"
"Doesp"
She could not raise her voice II sho
desired 10. and the widest alarm was
only cvinccd by tho same spasmodic
jerks OF speech which sho used on all
occasions One day she went into
the kitchen and confronted n strange
man, who was carrying In sack Of
vegetables
''Mercyl' sho gaspcd in her dram
attic whisper.
NO. ma'am; They're potatoes. ~ an
swcrod tho man. not understanding
her.
Help" sho whoezod. standing us
II grown TO tho floor.
Il guess ! don't nccd any; I'm used
10 the cellar" answered tho nfan. try
ing TO get past her.
In moment sho appeared In tho
sitting room whcrs-wc all sat
MAN. she whispered pointing to
the kitchen. Then she sat down and
remained motiouless for an hour.
which was her way OF bringing her
self to and regainlng her scattered
senses
She worked faithfully aud ono
morning disappeared. rs was consist
ont with such n character. Sh0 had
boon paid her wages over night 70
we owod her nothing, and she took
naught OF ours. except our good will.
We havo never heard OF hcr from
that day to this but tho spell OF her
queer ways has never departed It
will always bc mystery whether sho
was chary of hor words from cholco
or necessity. Wo heard OF hor being
eloquent In prayer. but with us sho
fa!thfully confined her vocabulary to
the use OF monosyllables