Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-08-18
A MYSTERY SOLVED.
-Harper's Monthly

A MYSTERY SOLVED.
The fatcs seemed TO be against my
MARI. ing Harry; we had SO many
mishaps connected with the event.
W. were to have had grand church
wcdding-four bridesmaids, IL maid
of honor and six ushers. nut one OF
the bridesmaids had pneumonia and
could not serve, another vino had
gone to Europe for a short trip de-
cidcd at the last moment not to re-
turn; with IL third diphthcria broke
out in the family so she could not be
present, and a fourth was thrown
from her horse and broke her arm.
Two of our ushcrs were detained by
a railroad accident, on their way from
New York, and did not arrive until
after the ceremony was over.
After our wedding tour was over
we began housekeeping in: a pretty
home my husband had prepared for
me in a small mining town in Penn
%sylvania, where his business would
Keep him for a year or SO. VIC had
but one acquaintance in the place at
first, a kind. mothcrly old lady, and l
should have been sadly helpless but
for her, for I found it impossible to
procure servants. The month fol-
lowing our honeymoon 1 spent over
the cook stove, recipe book in hand,
making the most of my limited ex-
perience in cooking.
With the help of kind Mrs. Wal
ton, l did not injure my husbands
ealth or give him permanent dys-
epsia by feeding him on ovcrdone
eaks and UNDERGONE biscuit. How
tterly l regretted the hour spent in
acticing my music and painting,
hen the time would have been so
much better employed in learning the
|rudiments of simple cooking and
bread making. My piano was now Il
useless piece Of furniture, for l was
too tired when night came to open it,
land my painting materials remained
unpaeked in my trunk. a number
of servants had applied as cooks and
housemaids, but on being informed
that we should expect them to take
their meals in the kitchen, they had
tossed their heads angrily. and de-
parted muttcring: III we amt good
: elough to eat with other folks, the
place Won't suit me-"
We advertised Ill the Philadelphia
paper, Offering the greatest induce
ment in wages, but no one would
come from the city to this:out-of-thc
way place.
Harry found me II day dissolved
in tears at the failure of some dish l
had spent the whole morning over,
and declared i'm the most decided
tones / had heard him use that he
could not have me worn out with
such unaccustomcd cXertions. II we
could not get Il servant at once, we
must close the house and hoard.
The thought of boarding made me
very unhappy for l greatly enjoyed
having a house of my own, and was
anticipating, when the domestic
wheels were running smoothly, hav-
ing my family and my girl friends to
visit me. Besides, there were all our
beautiful wedding gifts, our lovely
4, china and cutglasS and our quantities
oil solid silver. 1t would break my
heart to pack them all away and
eve use them.
1t had been a serious question,
when we first came to the place, what
we should do with our silver chest.
The vault at the bank was snail and
i could not be continually running
there for any extra silver l might
need, SO the che It was placed in Il
vacant room in our third-story front,
and we only took out silver for our
daily use.
One warm morning i'm June l Wa:
in the kitchen rolling out some pic
crust. when there came a: gentle
knock at the door, and opening it,
there stool Il neat, plcasant-faccd
girl, who inquired if I needed Il cook.
l eagerly answered: .'Ycs." Was
she looking for Il place.: And with a
few questions on both sides the agree.
ment was concluded and she was to
come to me the next day. Mary
came the following morning and soon
had things Strengthened out and
everything in good order.
We congratulated ourselves on the
treasure we had secured. Our neatly
served meals appeared as if by magic
on the stroke of the clock. Mary
never complained of the work, hui
lent n willing hand to help i'm the
housework as we'll as her own depart
mcnt.
She had nc visitors, for she said she
was Il stranger in the place. All hel
family were dead long since and sht
was quite alone in the world, shs
told me, with tears in her honest blu,
eyes.
soon felt 1 could trust her will
everything. she was SO faithful ant
seemed to have our inter
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