Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-07
a Summer 9omeog.

there's a days work afore ye, Jack?'
screamed the landlady of the Anglers
Rest to the useful individual who was
waiter, coachman, groom and gardener
by turns, under the comprehensive
appellation of 1.-THE help" There's
them two ladies waitin' at the depot
for ye already, l reckon. Make haste
I'm ready now, missus," said Jack
sulkily. "WhO am | t ask fOr:"
LA, if they amt both Miss Smiths!
cried the landlady. "One of 'em is the
rich Miss Smith that is coming down
70 see about the estate that a peer
left to her by her grand'ther; and the
other is nobody in p~ertickler. Only
wants to Loard here for the summer.
Mind, you're perlite to the Miss Smith
for she's likely to settle down here
for good"
"How shall l know which is which,
asked Jack, d~oubtfully.
'You can tell by the looks, most
likely" said the landlady.
And as the help drove away, Mrs.
Mullen entered the house to give or.
ders to her chambermaid.
"Only two rooms left empty she
said-'the large one on the second
floor for the Miss Smith, Ann. The
other'H have to take the corner room
at the head of the stairs"
Ann nodded. DOmestics were fami-
liar in 'those parts" much after the
fashion of the damsel who figures in
the customs of the country" Mrs.
Mullen took a look about the parlor to
ascertain whether everything was in
order.
Everything was in order save a pile
of magazines and other papers spread
out before a handsome young fellow
who lounged idly upon a sofa under
the windows.
A man who, although he was "Only
a common soldier" and withal by
birth nephew to vulgar Mrs. Mullen,
of the Anglers Rest, was a gentleman.
He was recruiting his strength at this
pleasant mountain inn, and preparing
for the future drudgery at a certain
desk in a dark city counting house,
which appeared to be about the first
thing ever likely to offer itself to him
now
He was standing in the garden when
Jacks wagon brought the two Misses
Smith, who came from opposite quar-
tiers and were not related to each
OtE L, despite their names, to the door
of the "Angler's Rest"
For Once Mrs. Mullen declared to
herself Jack had not merited the APP
pellatiOn stupid" The best seat had
been given to a lady attired in gor-
geous silks and laces-a lady who wore
on her finger any number Of rings,
who vas so positively the rich Miss
Smith that any doubt ON the subject
would have been madness. A very
handsome lady, too, in Mrs. Mullen's
estimation.
She was not an amiable young
woman, plainly, and sat with her nose
in the air ignoring the presence of the
slender girl in a gray travelling dress,
who was, of course, the other Miss
Smith.
do alight, MISS she cried, cour
Asying and bobbing toward the com
iiitbllNtilS ISii WHICH 1ISiu dNSIC1NbCl'
"Such a disagreeable day to travel"
ct Us horrid hot" said the lady,
shaking out her skirts. '"rake care
of them trunks. will yOu-ive of EN-
and the poodle, and my parasol, and
basket and veil. Don't let nothin' get
lost"
The other Miss Smith waited for the
removal of obstructing property be-
longing to the Miss Smith.
She was a fair girl, with none of her
predecessors glowing color-quite
plain, Mrs. Mullen thought; and when,
in answer to that lady'S inquiry about
her luggage, she replied: Il have only
this small portmanteau and a trunk
there was no more doubt that she was
nobody"
But Arthur Hall, looking on. Il mere
unprecedented ~bystander, returned an
other verdict on the two ladies.
The rich Miss Smith was a full
blown. not Unlocking w~oman-but
vulgar and ill-tempered, and the other
Miss Smith. apparently a poor girl.
was a lady, and beautiful, too, thought
Arthur, with such a face Is [ should
like to see on the other side of my
fireside when l have one.
That day at dinner he was intro.
duced to the two Misses Smith, and
heard with his own earS the full-blowr
damsel declare that she should stay
at the "Angler's Rest" until "all was
settled" and the timid girl, who was
Snn1nyI-hat p1I1n1y aIsncS nJJnStinnn6 nv
her hostess, admit that she had taught
music and that she was an orphan.
From that day and hour Arthur Hal
became the knight and champion OF
this neglected guest of his aunt's
hotel.
The Miss Smith was fawned upon by
every mortal there. The Irregular
families were amply able to take care
of themselves. But little Rose Smith
was evidently not accustomed to g
public table. and would have been bu-
poorly served but for this Quixoti(
Arthur. While more prudent youns
men paid court to the "heiress,'' foI
Mrs. Mullen had published the fac
that she was one. extensive, III
treated her very coolly.
The mornings and outgoings of tn,
heiress, who reioiced in the name o
Georgina Arabella, were remarked
with more interest than those of Rose
for whom pudding was not kept hot
and for whom tea was never delayed
And so the weeks wore on. and
new phase of the character of Geore