Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-08-25
very sorrnMIuHY-

You'll have 4 servant, Miss Priscil-
Ia. rs long as I've pair u hands 10
do your WORK.
And for 10 reasoning VI Miss Pr!s-
elias would Mattie bulge al inch
from her decision.
Miss Lorimer lad a feeble constitu-
ton, aud the shock VI Ter brothers
sudden death made chronic Invalid
Of her. Miss Miriam WAS almost aS
helpless ia her way. and II Is hard 10
tell what would have become OF the
sisters had il not been for Matte. She
was their sole Support. but the REMARK
able tl.lus is that nobody knew II cX-
cept poor old Miss Priscilla herself.
The girl guarded her mistresses' pride
IS carefully as IL il were her own.
As soon ~ possible Matte started
the various small Industries by which
she managed to keep the pot boiling
for three. The little white house be
longed 10 the sisters, and that lessened
her difficulties somewhat. Still II was
no light task sire had undertaken. She
was nj work early and late and was
vithal the clteriest little woman you
would meet In days march.
TO the villagers who quiZzed her
about her industry and her earnings
she declared she was laying by for
her providing" she was not minded
TO bc n portionless bride.
Her visits TO the nelghboring town
with supplies Of fruit and vegetables
for the market had set the gosSipS
agog. and they had many dark hints
TO make regarding her honesty. When
the girl invaded their own ground,
however. and began TO buy and retail
the creels of fish, the sight of her
depravity could no longer be endured,
and they won't in dcputatiOn to In
form and caution the old ladies.
The only bad effect OF the Ignorant
Interference Of these busybodies was TO
make Miss Miriam more mtolerant in
| private of "llattie's eccentricitieS' anu
little suspicion that the girl was
greedy. Mattie's interchangeable energy
! became source of irritation To the
delicate old maid, who had not the
key to 1t, and poor Miss PriScilla's OF
| flee of mediator was not always Il
sinecure. But they seldom quarreled
| outright. for Matte rarely forgot that
Miss Miriam had been kept in the
! dark" and, besides. she had tactfuI
way with her. Scenes like the follow
Ing were of frequent occurrence, how
ever.
Mattles bright face would look
round the sitting room door of morn
ing. oh, Miss Miriam. II you're moi
too busy, would you mind plucking Il
few young peas? | must finish the
washing. but | would like to take then
to the market today. They're scarce
Miss Miriam would continue to nib
bic the end Of her Quill pen refectively
(She is seated at her desk. 1t Is Miss
Miriam's belief that she has the poetic
gift, and her time is much occupied IL
its eXercise)
ITS such lovely morning says
Matte persuasively.
Dear. dear. If you only knew wha
It means to be disturbed ut such mo
ments. But you have no tact, no con
sideratlon; you will never learn, Mat
tie" cries the lady pettishly.
I'm 50 sorry, maam, but the pea
will so soon be past their best and
"Thc peas, indeed! And what Of my
Ideas? If | do not pluck them wheT
they are ripe, they wither also"
But think Of the price They'll
fetch" cries the maid, her mind upol
the peas.
"The price! Thank goodness, l hay
never put my gift to base uscs-an'
never WILL Matte, it gricves me t
see you becoming 80 merCcnary. l d
not think l can possibly afford tim
for the peas this morning"
Dear Miss Miriam, not If | tell 20
I want the money to buy Chicken 70
Miss Priscilla? She enjoyed the las
so much. | assure you. it's not for my
self this time"
THAT alters the case entirely. Gel
tainly. certainly. we must get chicl
en- for Miss PRISCILLA" Then the goo
lady sets her cap straight. and take
her way contentcdly to the sum
garden.
1t was during the first winter-a 81
we're one, as luck would have it-tha
Matte had her hardest struggle
keep the wolf from the door. She ha
not vet started the little poultry farl
which yielded her tolerable incom
later on. The garden was empty, say
for the small household supply of VIII
ter potatoes. Fruits, flowers and veg
tables We're no longer available, an
the sailings and catches Of the tishin
fleet were most irregular. In spite {
the girls efforts to earn enough by he
needle, the pinch Of want was felt
the little home. 1t was Miss Priscilla
painful anxiety on account Of III
sister and Matte that reused the lattt
to her utmost endeavor. She bethougl
her of plan. and straightway entert
. into compact with n cousin Of her
q young fisherman. who had show
himself very friendly toward her
, late. He was to lend her his cobblc
, night to go a-fishing in the firth {
, her own account. and he would have
percentage of her winnings. She mac
, the stipulations that he was not
speak Of the transaction to any on
, and that he would row the boat to Il
water gate of her garden when 81
wanted it.
The plan worked well. and Matt
spent many long hour on the col
, dark waters after her old ladies we
, safely disposed of for the night.
Meanwhile it had dawned upon t
y heavy but calculating brain of Pet
4 Small, Mattie's cousin, that the &
!, would make a desirable wife; she W
so active and so well gathered, If l
port spoke truly.
7 Peter was not an Ill favored fello
/ aud Matte being one of those who n
LIZ. IL IL. Il