Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-08-14

W@&HSs1MM8y esque relief, he
S'sr"'"hfsssSa~ stood on the
ranch-house YER,
anda, his face full Of suppressed ex-
citement.
''You telle me-" he muttered, "who
boss, now Mr.. Allandale get mallied?'
"All same as before" was my ready
rejoinder.
The crafty features relaxed, and All
Cling disappeared kitchenward, his
pig-tail having struck the dominant
note in my first impressions of Va
quero Water.
Cedric smiled at me approvingly.
"Glad you were SO diplomatic, else
he'd have left by the morning stage.
It's awfully unromantic, darling, but
the drive has made me beastly hun
cry. Let's see what the old chap has
for u.s."
We dined in long, low room, hung
with spurs and sporting prints, SOU
venirs of English days, the happiest
couple in California.
In its lack of excitement, ranch life
proved disappointing. Lynchings
were unknown-bandits and despera-
does conspicuous by their absence.
So life flowed on, smoothly, monot-
onOusly, till after the birth of Bill
kins. All Cling then announced his de-
parture. "Better girl cook" he de.
clared. "No likee baby. Heap tlouble.
Alice time ely"
The next Celestial left after hasty
glance at the kitchen wall. "Me faid, ="
he explained, pointing to red hero
glyphic unfortunately unnoticed by
us: "Ah Cling he write, 'Debbil in
this house,"
"He meant the baby" suggested
Cedric.
''He say debbil. Me 60. No China
boy stay here. Heap scared of deb
bill"
'Try girl, implored Cedric. "It's
no joke driving ten miles day to the
station"
We tried, in turn: Gretchen, who
left within the week to 'learn relig-
ion;" Bridget, who declined working
under an Englishman; the widow,
whose tears, as she recounted her
woes, sizzled over the stove; Dicie,
who disliked low wages, though she
found no fault with me, and Saman
tina, who objected to the lack of
''scenery." Useless to point out the
Brush Hills mellow charm, distant
mountains, oak-dotted meadows, Sa-
mantha remained obdurate. "It may
suit you, Mrs. Allahdale," she con
tinued, pityingly, "to see nothing but
land. I like it like it was in Tulare.
There you kin see houses thick as
peas in a pod an people pnssin' all
day. That's the scenery for me, 80 l
guess I'll pack my freight"
Which she proceeded to do, and
had barely driven out of sight when
a young girl, tall, slim and neatly
dressed, stepped on the veranda.
IF you please, ma'am," she quiet
ly said, "I heard that you wanted n
girl; can have the place?"
I heard her history, which was
simple. The previous year she had
come from England to join her broth
er on n claim, had fallen ill, had gone
to the county hospital at La Huertn,
had come thence to me. While hear
ing these details, Cedric returned.
But one conclusion could be drawn
from his utter detection. "No girl"
was stamped on every feature. Sa-
mantha had recommended me to
Odessa Green, who, less exacting in
regard to scenery, was willing to leave
the family pig-pen for months
change, provided the washing was put
out, Mrs. Allandale helped with the
dishes, the afternoons were free, and
horse every Sunday was at her dis
posal. I knew the type, ignorant,
slatternly, familiar. Contrasting with
it the newcomer, my resolution was
taken. "No, Cedric, L have a servant
already"
"Where did she come from?"
LA Huerta, where she has been in
the hospital"
''Is she pretty?"
'That's an irrelevant question. Yes,
rather-blue eyes and short, curly,
yellow hair"
"You know nothing about her."
But I know that Billikins has the
whooping-cough. 1 must nurse him,
and you can not cook. Help is needed,
and behold Anne"
80 that's her name?"
eyes, Anne James"
He still dcmurred.
Prudence is all admirable virtue.
Cedric, but you carry it to an ex-
treme."
Cedric yielded, still holding to his
own opinion. Keep her! Keep
her" he cried; "but remember, ii
anything happens, be iton your head"
Since the days of All Cling, life had
not been worth living. Annie came,
and comfort followed after. Capable,
retiring, vague sense of mystery
pervading her, she proved in our
monotOnous existence q source of in
exhaustible interest.
II scent o romance?" Cedric de.
clared; when Anne draws near, find