Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-08-26


light. She had secured 4 new cook at
the most ridiculous wages. OF course.
she had not told the new girl, but 1t was
quite true that she paid her not half
what she had been compelled to pay
the cook who had just left her. But
when Almira Pollers, a fresh, pleasant
featured young country girl, had ap-
piled for the place and had accepted
Mrs. MonrOe's offer of 81 week to
start with, her new mistress did not
think 1t necessary to mention that the
pronered sum was very low indeed.
''Of course. you shall have more as
you improve, Almira, but you know so
little about fancy cooking scarcely
feel able to pay you more at the start"
Mrs. Munroe had. smiling sweetly on
Almira, who did not know that very lit
tie fancy cooking was ever done in that
household. And 30 Almira took up her
burden. and for the first time in nine
teen years Of her life began to earn
wages.
The Pollers had always been farmers
and owned their own place, but AL
mira's father had somehow managed
to get behind and q mortgage had been
fastened upon the farm. The man who
held the mortgage was very well salts
ded to receive q good interest every
year and renew Peter Pollers' note. but
1t came to pass that 1t was hard to pay
oven the interest. This particular year
the crops had mostly failed. 1t lacked
but few weeks until the interest was
due, when Almira, the eldest Of the
dock-there were ten In all-made up
her mind to 20 out ito service" Her
determination created a great commo-
ton in the family. None Of the POllers
women had ever worked out. and the
idea was very distasteful, but Almira
eventually carried the day. Had her
education been thorough enough she
would gladly have taught school, but
the little Pollers had appeared at such
frequent intervals that Almira was OBJ
Nged to stay ut home most of the time
to assist her mother. and her educa-
tion was limited.
So, not without some inward strug-
she could help along would be by ex-
ercising her chief gift. cooking. Mrs.
Munroe's advertisement in the Week
ly Gazette had caught her eye, and
she was very happy when she secured
the situation. The wages were lot
large, but she could save all the money
for her father, a\1 there would be one
less to feed at home. That counted
for something.
Mrs. Munros family consisted of her
self and a brother. Mr.. Monroe had
died several years before and his wild
ow was quite wealthy. Her home, sit
uated in an aristOcratic suburb of the
city, although small, was handsome
and well appointed, and she had snif:-
Client Income to keep 1t up well. Mrs.
Munroe liked to call herself economic
al, and we cannot deny she was in
some things. She dressed elegantly
and gave largely to her church, bat
there never was closer woman Ia
some respects than she. The shop peo-
Die dreaded to see her come In, for al
though she always purchased the best,
she Invariably haggled at the price
until she got the goods for less than
their marked price. At the groceries
1t was the same way, and woe to the
servant whe wasted a scrap Of any
thing or presumed to eat more than
the mistress thought necessary. After
the first table Mrs. Munroe removed
any delicacies she considered unneces-
sary for q servants coarse appetite
without the slightest cOmpunctiOn.
Her brother Tom, who paid hand
some sum for the privilege of sharing
her home. once saw this performance
and demonstrated with her. but to no
avail
ut would be casting pearls before
swine," she remarked to his intense
disgust. a. she replaced a dish Of lem
on Jelly In the closet and substituted
saucer of molasses.
Tom Birney was one of those big |
nearted convivial fellows who, left
with more money than they needed,
succeeded In getting rid of 1t in differ
ent and Improbable ways. He was
not really bad. but he drank n good i
bit and never had done anything use
full In his life. He had been put in !
his fathers Office. but he was extreme !
cseded in mixing up the figures SO |
badly that 1t took an expert to un- |
tangle them. After that his father |
had not tried to make a business man |
Of him, but said that as Tom had been !
cut out for q gentleman he should be |
one
But this was exactly what poor Ton. |
vas not cut out to be-that Is, IL we
agree to the accepted meaning Of the |
man Of refined manners. He
loved horses and enjoyed the society
Of horsemen; liked better to hear n
robust German girl sing funny songs
1t the garden than to hear Patti at
the Grand. II he ever yielded to his
sisters opportunities to accompany
her to a dancing party he was sure to
step on his partners toes, to tear their
dresses by his awkwardness, and drink
too much champagne at supper In
fact ,,om, although kind-hearted and
honest, was very Ill at ease and out |
of place at society, and at last, after
himself very conspicuous at a
New York dance, his sister vowed she
would never ask him to go with her
lgain. She told him this very emphat-
cally the morning after the ball, % |
she left him to eat his late breakras
llone.
Tom was feeling very badly and IN
Gulging In q severe case of "katzen
jammer." the result Of too frequent Wis |
its to the punch bowl. but looked uy
when Almira came in with his break. !
pale.
what = the matter, Almirar' h'
asked.