The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-03-01
THE TEMPER OF
OLD MISS PATIENCE.
Who Was Not Such Tartar as She
Seemed to Be.
BY MRS. JULIA rRurrr BISHOP.

From the Philadelphia Sunday Times.
Iwouldn't advise We to tackle Miss
Patience, " said the hired man. "She
amt got no work bat what / kin do, in
the first place an she's jes' as like as
not TO bite your head off, the very frs
pop. The whole country knows Miss
Patience is a Tartar from the head ~
the creek
The young fellow in the worn clothes
looked at the house, and then glanced
down the long, frozen road.
81 guess I'll risk it, he said, with
spirit. 81 can't be much worse of than
am now-even with my head bitten
oil, - be added, with twinkle in his
eyes. Besides, must have work. 1t
isn't matter of choice any longer"
And with that he walked resolutely
up to the kitchen door and knocked,
aud the door was opened as promptly
as though some one had been standing
with his hand on The knob.
That somebody was sharp faced
little old woman, with the fiercest of
silver-rimmed spectacles perehed on
the fiercest of aquiline noses She wore
a piece of white cloth tied over her
head and under her chin, by way Of
cap and she was so little. and her
check apron was so large, that it SEEM
ed to swallow her up completely.
"What are you standing there gaping
for?" she demanded sharply. "why
don't you wipe your feet and come in?n
Walter Land took the hint without
delay, and not only wiped his feet and
came in, but made straight for the
stove, which was glowing like fur
mace in the corner. After a little he
became conscious that the Tartar was
watching him.
BEG pardon for taking possession in
this way" he said, between shivers;
''but came in to ask for work, and the
sight Of the fire was too much for me. I"
"And no wonder exclaimed Miss
Patience severely. "What do you
mean by going around through the
country dressed like that, at that time
of the year? 4? Trying to take yoor death
Of cold, so as 10 have somebody to wait
on you, reckon. What was Jim Long
saying about me out there?"
Miss Patience had a way Of pouneing
at one with sudden questions that was
simply awful. Walter found himself
caught and held up. as it were, and
Looked as guilty as though it had been
he, and not the hired man, that had
made those uncOmplimentary remarks
about Miss Patience.
"He said he didn't think you had
any work for me- he replied, after
careful pause.
Nonsense p snapped Miss Patience
with smother pounce. Maybe be did
say that, but he called me an old cat,
and all the other names he could lay
his tongue to-you know he did You
needn't deny it."
Walter looked thoughtfully at the
stove, and wondered why it was that
he should have to wear the guilty look
that properly belonged to the hired
man. But Miss Patience-how had
she come to be named Patience?-was
not to be appeased by bis silence.
"Jim Long r. she cried with grim
and portentous sniff. "rd Ike 10
know where he'd be ifI hadn't taken
him up and looked after him like bis
own mother. But I'll pay him for this.
I'll turn him off to morrow morning,
and he aud his mother shall move out
of that house Of mine, and nobody else
will take iem in at this time Of year,
aud they'll starve 70 death and freeze
by the roadside. and good enough for
'eal p
Poor Walter stared at her with wide
eyes, his face growing pale. Nowonder
the hired man had called hera Tartar !
He began To think that Tartar was
very weak aud meaningless word
when applied to this dreadful cruel,
bitter, bloodlhirsty old woman.
"Bssides, he doesn't know anything
about it, she went on with another snap
and a bounce. al have work for you
plenty Of it. You sit down there and
get warm while FIX you bite to eat. I"
And that was how Walter came to be
hired by Miss Patience, after three
months Of idIensss in the city, and
month Of tramping through the coun-
tr,., looking for work A seat by that
glowing stove, something TO eat;
regular feast, after fast of twenty-four
hours; an opportunity TO get WARM and
sleepy; was there ever anything like
it2
Afler awhile, dark having fallen,
tn fierce little old Tartar put candle
into the tired boys hand, aud showed
him the way 10 the attic bedroom,
where there was real bed, with noun
tains Of covers on it. Il had all hap
psaed 50 suddenly, and was almost
past belief
Bat then, there was poor Jim Long,
who was going 10 lose his place in the
morning; who was going 70 be turned
out, with his mother. homeless and in
want aud all on his account. In spite