The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-03-10
MISS LACONIC,
somewhat Peculiar, Perhaps, but Fer
influences Was Beneficial

Somewhat Peculiar, Perhaps, but Fer
Influence Was Beneficial.
That was not her name but her
own SO closely resembled it ia sound
That we came to call her by it en-
tirely, and she never took any notice
Of it although she may have pitied us
in her heart for our ignorance OF her
proper nomenclature.
| She was with us a number OF wears
in the capacity OF housekeeper, seams
stress and general assistant in house
matters, and was always treated as
one OF the family as nearly as was
possible. We knew from the first
that she was poor and needed a home
| and that she would never encroach on
ner privileges.
l have wondered since if she were
| not SO nearly dead that she had lost
all human feeling and so could not
respond to our mothers many kind
nesses.
She had told us children in sepul-
chral whisper when she first came to
US says writer in the Detroit Free
Press. that she had only one lung.
and her heart was affected, and that
she must never be startled.
All our mothers commands and en-
treaties had failed to mako US shut
doors softly and walk without Earring
the house. But Miss I.aconic's whis-
per frightened us into an instant
obedience, for we had dread of un-
utterable things if that other lurc.
were alarmed by any freak of ours.
Unconsciously we fell into the habit
of Whispering so that we no longer
shouted and screamed like the liStSie
terrors we had been. This did not all
happen at once but it was the gradual
result OF Miss Laconic's installment
in our family. One day my mothe-.
left us at home in the care of the
| housekeeper, who could not make her.
self heard and had her trunks packed
to leave when our mother returned
HAS it been quiet since I wens
out?' asked that blessed woman as
she noticed our mice like stiffness.
Quiet as Bedlam," was the unex-
pected answer
From that day we whispered and
Miss Laconic stayed.
At breakfast my mother would ask:
Were you warm last night Miss I
B--?'
i was"
Perhaps you would like another
comfortable on your bed:"
i would"
Have you butter on your platee'
Il have"
will you have another cup of COT.
| fee?"
| Il will"
| Sometimes my mother would try to
/ be companionable to this stranger
| within our gates.
| ELDER Smiths horse ran away and
| threw him OUT
| '.Did?"
DIR. Brown happened to be right on
the spot
| 'Was?"
They have telegraphed for Mrs
Smith -
| .'Have"'
The doctor thinks ne is very seri.
ously hurt <
"Does?'' y z<s'
! she could not raise her voice if she
desired to. and the widest alarm was.
only civilized by the same soasmodic:
jerks of speech. which she used on all
occasions. One day she went into.
the kitchen and confronted a strange,
man. who was carrying in sack OF
vegetables
':Mercy!" she gasped in he- DRAM
attic whisper:
No. ma'am; they're potatoes, an
| swered the man, not understanding
! her.
Help" she wheezed. standing as
I if grown to the floor:
Il guess don't need any: Tn used
to the cellar" answered the man. trv-l
ing to get past her.
In a moment she appeared in the
sitting room where we all sat.
':Man" she whispered pointing to
the kitchen. Then she sat down and
remained motionless for al hour
which was her way of bringing her
self to and regaining her scattered
senses.
She worked faithfully, and one
morning disappeared. as was consist
emit with such y character. She had
been paid her wages over uight So
we owed her nothing, and she took
naught OF ours except our good will
We have never heard OF her from
that day to this, but the spell OF her
queer ways has never departed. It
will always be e mystery whether she
was chary CT her words from choice.
or necessity. We heard OF her being
eloquent in prayer but with us she
faithfully confined her vocabulary to
the use OF monosyll;sbles
- -
SCcs, e Sife.
L the beginning Mr. Theophilus L
Glopster made a present of So worth
OF toys to the orphan aylum.
And the Daily Bugle credited the
kind deed to Theodore Globster.
And the Evening Radicator gave
honor to Thomas Gloster.
And the semi-weekly Eaglet gave
GREAT Dr3iSa tn ..n,,r astaop,,1 e,I1...