The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-09-25
the veranda, and Mrs. Gasparez raised


She sat down, very genteelly, on the
edge of chair. Her founces cracked
stiff1y. Five minutes later the bride APP
peared She wore big apron, and she
was turning down her sleeves.
''Ooh, am sorree to have disturbed
you. see you have been unpaoking, ="
said Mrs Gasparez politely.
'I'm very glad to see you, and 'ope
1 'aven't kept you waiting long, . said
Ellen, but didn't see you come, and
l couldn't make out what that boy Alb
dool was trying to tell me at first.
was out in the kitchen. Don't you find
it very tiresome 'aving your kitchen so
far from the 'ouse?''
"Ooh, yes, but you will grow used
to it presentlee. / am veree particular.
1 go into thee bawaohi khana everee
morning to see what my bawachi, the
cook, you know, is doing, and some
times in the afternoon also =
Mrs. Gasparez' S voice shrilled into I'M
expected cadences, and she emphasized
small words and laid great stress on ter
limitations with that Eurasian accent
which is as Understandable as it is unmis-
taxable. Ellen's voice seemed very full
and deep as she replied.
II 'aven't got a cook. don't mean
to ave one.
my, how will you eat?' screamed
Mrs Gasparez.
Cant you cook?"
my, mol can make lovelee metal
sweets, you know, but to cook thee
meats, and thee soups, and thee ourries,
ooh, nop'
81 don't like curries, said Ellen.
They're too spicy and all odds and
ends You never know what you may
be eating John says he likes my cook
ing the best of any he ever ate. ;"
"Ooh, but your handsp
Ellen glanced from her own capable
fingers to the tightly stuffed yellow
gloves that lay ON Mrs. Gasparez's blue
lap. One of the seems had burst, and
ring with a vast red stone cleaned
through.
''Use comes before looks, " said Ellen.
"Ooh, yesl' said Mrs. Gasparez
doubtfully.
F." Ave you been ere long? Do you
like it?" asked Ellen.
''Onlee six months. 1t is yeree dull.
There is no societee. / often say to my
husband, I think l shall run away
You see, we came from up countree, and
there it was veree jollee, so nance peo-
pie. Here there are onlee four houses.
do not know what to do with myself ahl
day long"
81 should think your children would
keep you pretty busy" said Ellen.
"Ooh, yes, there are four, but they
are veree small. The babee is only
months old, and they have their ayah
You see, they are so noisee, and am
not strong"
81 don't fancy these natives, " said
Ellen 81 shouldn't like to see their
black 'ands touching any child was
fond Of F" And then she remembered the
dark skin which so clearly proclaimed
Mrs. Gasparez's connection with the
country and felt very uncomfortable
but fortunately Mrs. Gasparez consid-
cred herself purely European and always
spoke of the England that she had never
seen as home "
My, yes, they are fearful, you will
see Your servants will always kikh
you, worree you, you know. "
II shall ave just as few as ever can
do with. Wouldn't you like to see my
dtchenP You see, she continued, lead |
ing the way into the next room, II
keep all the plates in ere and shall do
the pastry making and so on ere, and
wanted John to let me ave a stove, /
l,,f 10 1p 1,4
weather. -
They went out to the mud hut in the |
garden, which served as kitchen. 1t
had been newly whitewashed within
and without, and at the freshly planned |
table stood depressed looking scullion I
peeling potatoes He had scrambled
from his seat ON the floor at the sound /
of his mistress voice
That's the only servant I've got III
the 'ouse " said Ellen proudly.
''Ooh, thee hot weather will soon
make you lazee," laughed Mrs Gas
parez.
"Well, Imade bread enough for three
days yesterday and baked it in that
queer iron drum thing John doesn't
like the bakers bread ere There was
beetle in the last we 'ad. y
"Ooh, you will soon grow lazee, we
shall see. "
In the course of the next few months
something very like friendship grew
up between these two dissimilar wom-
en-. John Port was often away, up and
down the line, and Ellen became fire.
~ 10 70 II
was larger house than her own, but it
always appeared hopelessly crowded
The smell of savory meats fingered in
that house, and odors of garlic, kero-
sene oil and bad tobacco, strangely blend
ed, never left it. The dogs and the chill
dren left bones about, to be tumbled
over and kicked into corners. The
clothes of the household seemed to have
the habit of straying and were to be
met in unexpected places. The boots
and shirts of Mr. Gasparez, the brilliant
raiment of his wife and the battered lit
tie garments of the children had alike
no abiding city. Nothing indeed, was
in its right place. The baby was lulled
to fitful slumber in an armchair while
a tailor, hired for the day, squatted
sewing ON child s cot Mrs Gasparez's
abundant hair was generally brushed
and oiled ON the front veranda, and the
three elder children ate strange meals
at odd hours sitting ON the floor of any
room they happened to be in, surround
ed by servants, puppies and tame birds
Presently Ellen tried, both by precept
and practice, to instill little order into
the chaos, but Mrs. Gasparez, stout in
a white dressing gown, only laughed at
her efforts:
"Ooh, you are veree silloel What does
it matterY Wait till the babies come to
your house, and then you will not be so
particularlee neat.
Although Ellen was too courageous to
make any confessions, the cruel heat Of
Bengal summer was a revelation of
terror to her She fought the heat with
her favorite prescription Of hard work.
Indeed her husband. who was great
deal away, hardly realized how much
she did. She cooked and cleaned, she
mended and made clothes, she even
washed clothes sometimes, earning
thereby bitter headaches and tho scorD
of her neighbor but firm sense Of
right sustained her.
Just think Of what I'd be doing at
'ome, John, she pleaded when her
husband noticed that her fresh face had
grown white and her light step heavy.
II don't come out ere to spend all your
money ON living like fine lady, and
yet 'ere don't need to wash my own
dishes, and that Abdool is learning to
cook quite nice E can do lots of things
already And, as for washing wouldn't