The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-08-02


gaunt female in blue spectacles, and
carrying lamp in one hand, came to
the door.
"who are you?" said the female,
whose large features and awkward
mien nearly set poor little Bessie of
into hysterical giggle.
'T am Miss Sparkle. the new COM
panion," said she. "Recommened by
Mrs. Montngu, of st. Cristoforo's
Church.
81 don't want companion" said
the blue spectacled parsonage, after
brief interval of silence.
Eyes, you do, said Bessie, remem-
bering what the district visitor had
told her rs to the eccentricity of this
Mrs. Edgecumbe. "Let me come in,
please. I'm tired and hungry"
The blue specialized woman seemed
to brighten up at this allusion.
"Can you cook?" said she.
"a little" Bessie answered.
"why"
Because the servant is gone," said
this very eccentric lady, "and i haven't
had my supper"
"But," stammered Bessie, 81 didn't
engage as cook.
"No, know that" calmly assented
the eccentric lady; "but thought on
n pinch You see. I'on't know how
/ to cook.
And she withdrew into side room
! hung with black-a-vised family por-
traits and folds of beautiful old tapes.
try, and sat down, with the lamp on a
table beside her.
''Show me to my room, please" !"
said Bessie. "And when l have re-
moved little of the dust of travel,
I'll see what can do"
Mrs. Edgecumbe jumped up again,
seized the lamp, and conducted her to
II pretty room furnished in pink and.
white chintz, with view over the tops
of the hemlocks toward the river.
"Think you'll like this room?" said
she. insinuatingly.
"Oh, it's delightful!" cried Bessie.
But whep the lamp had gone bob
bing down She stairs again, her heart
sank within her.
81 don't think Mrs. Montagu could
have known it," pondered she, "but
that woman is certainly touched in her
mind. | never saw such coarse face
in my life, and she wears wig, and
an ill-ftting one at that. And she ac-
tually behaves as if she were afraid of
meme, Bessie Sparkle! And won.
der if this no-servant business is only
an emergency or permanent arrange
ment?"
But she washed away the dust,
brushed out her brown hair where II
streak OF gray was beginning to oh.
strude itself here and there, pinned on
a clean collar and orffs, and boldly de-
manded the way T., the kitchen.
There she cooked dainty little
supper with the material she found on
hand.
"That'se,,a ..ess' said Mrs. Edge
cumbYncd she ate aud drank like a
very la .nsry person
81 wish she wouldn't drink her tea
so noisily out of tue saucer aud put
her knife so far into her mouth, "
thought Mrs. Sparkle.
Il say" proclaimed Mrs. Edge.
cumbe, as she pushed her chair back,
1--WE got n headache!"
Have you? I'm very sorry" said
/ Bessie.
"And think I'll go to bed"
"Won't you have some of my smell
ing salts?" timidly asked Bessie.
81 can always sleep 'em OFF best, "
said her employer. "And if any one
comes, tell 'em can't lie distur bed. "
So saying, Mrs. Edgecumbe, accom-
panied by her lamp, vanished from
the scene.
Bessie followed her With grave,
questioning eyes.
'It's very strange!' observed she
to herself. "Such "A supper as she ate,
too! Mrs. Montagu said she was a
very eccentric lady
And she busted herself clearing
away the table in expressive silence.
1t was nearly nine o'clock, aud she
was just going to her own little pink.
andwhite nook, when there came u
terrific knocking at the door.
She lighted n lamp, during which
time the knocking went on in nerve
racking manner, and hurried down
stairs.
"Please, who's there?" said she.
"Because the key is gone, and cant
open the door"
"Is Mrs. Edgecumbe at home?" de-
manded voice.
"Yes-but she has gone to bed with
a headache, aud can't be disturbed, "
Bessie answered, with an air of COM
mand.
"Who is it that is speaking?' the
voice still questioned, in puzzled
tone.
1T is I, Miss Sparkle-the new
companion"
A brief silence followed.
"Will you ask her." the voice once
more resumeed, elf any one looking
like tramp has passed this way since
noon?"
"Tll ask, said Miss Sparkle; and