The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-09-19
THE BOUND GIRL.

"I'll have to do everything alone y
Little Janet Rae stood with arm
akimbo, and looked about the grea
Mason kitchen. She was nearly TWEEN
ty, but under-sized. She had but on,
beauty-her pretty curly head. Sh'
was Mrs. Titus Mason's bound girl
bound tO work for that lady until sh'
was One-and-twenty. Such were TN,
terms Of the contract when Janet had
been taken from the orphan asylum, a
tiny creature of ten, nine years before
and il was the hard work and seani
fare which has prevented her growing.
There she stood, looking about hel
at the array of cooking utensils, the
row of milk-pans, the pile of wash-tubs
the shelf of flat irons, the eapaciOus
wOOd-bOxes.
That morning Mrs. Titus, the au-
thOritative, the energetic, had fallen
down the cellar-stairs and broken heI
leg. The doctor had been called. and
set it +; Mrs Titus had nap, and then
lifted up her voice and proved her sell
equal To the situation:
''Im laid up for a month, Janet
that's plain to be seen. I've done ev.
cry thing for you, now you must take
right hold and go on without me.
There'll he the cookin' to do and the
butter Ia make more than yOa have
done, extra. But you can do il, if you
try. You'll have, to anyway. Hayin's
over, and Mr.. Dent'll be go'in home
soon, - that'lI be one less To provide
for"
Janet heard in silence. She gave
Mrs. Titus her valerian, and then went
away, and stood looking around the
kitchen.
"I'll have to do everything alone ~
There was such large family, and
80 much work to be done, no wonder
little Janet shrank but she never
thought of shirking. With breakfast
at five o'clock, and supper dishes to be
washed at eight, she always had enough
to do but to undertake all the active
duties which Mrs. Titus had been ac-
customed TO perform, was almost ap-
palling.
Janet stood thinking how il was To
be done. She was such little thing.
1t took - many of her armfuls to
fill the wOOd-bOxes with hard and soft
wood. She must needs stand on Il box
To work ut the tubs on the wash-bench;
and her arms grew - tired at the
churning. She had been trained to
great capability but she was not strong
enough.
But there was no time for reflection.
There was supper TO get for the four
farm-hand-, Mrs. Titus Cruel 10 make
and carry up, the milk to strain, the
dishes To wash, the woOd-bOXes To fill,
and sponge To be set for bread.
Janet rushed for pail of water.
Mr.. Dent was at the well.
Mr.. Miles Dent was the summer
boar,ier. He had bought mill privi-
lege of Mrs. Titus and was building
mill.
He was handsome, very pleasant
perfectly healthy people are
ant T., l.. .uI a.. ,,-a.s t-arx- I.r,r.. anH
strong. In age he might have bcen
thirty or thereabouts.
''Very old, indeed" Janet had pro-
nouneed him; and she had always been
a little afraid of him, his manners were
- nice, and he had such nice books in
his room.
Whether he was aware of her exist
ence or not, she was not quite sure.
But he seemed Ia see the hurry
ing, anxious little creature now-for,
saying, "My arms are the strongest"
he took the pail, filled il and carried it
into the kitchen.
Have your hands full, haven't you
little one ~ he said pleasantly, glancing
about him. 'IOur shoulders hardly
look strong enough for all this baking
and brewing"
Janet smiled shyly-pleased, surpris-
Ell but she was too absiShed To more
than murmur some faint response, and
Mr.. Dent went away
But she felt cheered by the friendly
words of the big, brown bearded man;
and though Mrs. Titus seolded her be-
cause her Cruel hadn't milk enough and
she was obliged to go up and down
stairs three times before the lady was
served, she laid her head upon the pill
low more lightly than usuaI-all for
one kind word. Poor little Janet
But evil days were too surely AT
hand.
Ii made Mrs. Titus very cross Ia lie
in bed, inactive, and she could not give
up the oversight of the kitchen below.
\ score of times day she would call
Janet from her work To know what she
was at, and what she intended doing
next. Countless orders issued from
ler chamber.
These idiosyncracies added greatly
20 Janet's fatigue, ~ she toiled through
he day, and she actually sobbed with
xesriness one night, when she COM
nenecd To bring i'm the wood.
She was standing in the wood-shed.
she heard u step on the gravel
If the path in the yard
Ii was Mr.. Dent. He had not gone.
He came swinging along in his shirt