The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1900-11-15

But la. You might as Wen Idlh 10 tue
wind as to talk to brother John, when
his minds sot on anything"
Mrs. Thistlegrow. or Aunt Rodilla,
as tie neighbors called her, shook her
head eravely, as she sat down to peel
the potatoes for dinner.
AN here I am, with my lame back
a-cittin' lamer every day. an no help
to be had, fur love nor money. Brother
John a-comin home, too, an what l
am a-coin' to do with such a sster-in-
law as Serena Saxon, | can't see. SO
pertikler as John allus was, too, an
to think of him a-marryin' girl that
can't hardly cook a pertatO decent.
Them Saxons is all Il shif-less set but
Serena is the shif-lessest one Of the
hull lot; an it does rifle me heap to
think of her a-marryin' John, an
a-comin' here to be mistress of the ole
place. \ fine houseleeper she'll be,
an a pretty mess she'll make in this
kitchen, that I've allus tuck sech pains
with.
And the tears almost stood in Mrs.
Thistlegrow' eyes, as she glanced
deed, gave evidence of her thrift and
management.
The speckless window panes through
which the faintest ray of sunshine
found easy ingress; the long kitchen
table, white with its weekly securing;
the bright array of pots and pans. and
the polished china and glassware, ar
ranged on the spotless shelves of the
tall. old kitchen-d resser-all told of
careful industry and housewifely
thrift.
Mrs. Thistlegrow sighed as she
looked around, and thoGght of the
changes that would soon be made in
the tidy apartment
Il wouldn't mind John a-gittin' mar
ried," she continued, "ef twas only to
somebody smart an capable; fur what
with the rheumatic in my back an
that spell Of ager [ he'd in the fall
amt none too able to git about no.
how.
But to think of Serena Saxon
a-trappin' him like she did, purtendin'
to take him in arnest when he was
only Albumin all the time! 1t can't
be helped, though, now, I spose, an
1 must try to git some help afore John
comes. There'Il be heap O. cookin'
to do, an of course Serena won't offer
\ to help. She'd only be in the way
an clutter up the kitchen, eff she did.
1 must git Squire Brown TO put an
advertisement in the paper fer me-"
''You don't look none to chirk," said
Aunt Rodilla, critically scanning the
white face of a tail girl before her
a girl with silky coils of bronze-gold
hair, and eyes the color of wild forget
me-nots. But you Laint been sick,
you say and mebbe you'd do. Hain't
never hired out before, bleve you
said:"
NO" but I have done homework at
home. an think l could suit you"
81 think so, too" declared Aunt Ro-
dilla, heartily. But you haint told
me your name yet"
Its Bella-Bella Bitterswect."
smiled the girl looking wonderfully
pretty, Aunt Rodilla thought, with
deep dimples indenting the fair checks.
over which faint, blooming flush
had dawned, frightening their delicate
beauty.
VERY we'll, Bella. I shall be glad
of your help | know. There's heaps
O. nouse-cleanin' to do, fur I'm ex-
pectin' my brother John home every
day, row, to be married. An there's
fruit-cakes and lemon-tarts to be made
for the affair. An we might as well
make up some jelly rolls while were
about it. Brother John used to be on
common fond Of jelly-roll."
And when Miss Serena Saxon walked
into the Kitchen one day, as she fire.
quently did, with the air of proprietor,
she stared haughtily at the fair-faced
girl who sat whisking eggs, with up
rolled sleeves showing pair of white,
dimpled arms such as the Medlclan
Venus herself might have envied.
'Humph. so you've got a hired
girl!' remarked Serena, turning to
Aunt Rodilla, with a superciliouS smile
in her bold, black eyes. and Mt the
corners of her sharp, thin-lipped
mouth.
Il needed one, think" retorted Mrs.
Thistlegrcw, abruptly. with the
rheumatic IN my back, an all the trou-
Die of gett.4 ready for john
You won't have the trouble long,
then" observed Miss Saxon, compla-
Gently. For | shall soon be the mis-
tress here, and if you pay your
board
"John's a-comin'" cried Aunt 70
dlla rushing through the hall. Miss