The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-16
WIN d.

great Cream cOlOred farmhouse on the
top of the hill, was sore disquieted
within her.
ut always happens SO at spring
cleaning" said she despairingly. Ell
Their a lot Of company comes just as
you've got the carpets up and the bed
steads down or else your help clears of
and leaves you."
Don't fret, mother" said Sam. "I'll
help you. I'm a master hand at white
washing, and l guess l could scrub if
you would give me a brush"
Mrs. Levinbolt laughed in spite of
her veXation at the idea of SIM. the
fine gentleman of the family, who was
stud. ing for the ministry, %scrubbing
floors. But Sam himself looked per-
fectly serious.
"Why not l as well as you. mother?
I'm strong"
Eyes. but Hush! Who is that COM
ingy
A blue eyed girl was advancing up
the garden path with the springy, elias
tic football peculiar to those who have
been accustomed to plenty Of outdoor
exercise. She smiled frankly up into
the suspicious face OF the farmers
wife.
might I have a drink of water,
please?' she said.
Certainly" said Sam at once. 'Ill
draw some fresh for you out of the
well.'
"Tho are you?' questioned his moth
er rather more, warily.
my name is Jessie Maclane," she an
swered simply, land I am a stranger
in this country. l came from Abef-
deenshire, in Scotland"
What are you going to do?"
"I'm looking for work" said Jessie
simply. II was brought up on a farm.
and I'm handy and willing. Do you
know of any place they're wanting a
lass?"
And the upshot of the matter was
that Mrs. Leyinbolt took the Scotch las
sie-on trial, as it were.
Jessie proved to be the best and quick
est and most sunny tempered Of serv-
ing damsels and full of bright, good
humor.
The year crept round, and once more
the spring returned, and Mrs. Levin
bolt, true to the calendar, tore up her
carpets and deluged every room in
cleansing suds and steam. And Jessie
Maclane was with her still.
The housekeeping was in wild ca
reer. The carpets were or the line, and
Jessie was on a ladder doing a little
amateur paper hanging, while Mrs.
Levinbolt polished the inside of the
keeping room windows, when the car
rage from the depot rolled up to the
door.
Company" gasped Mrs. Levinbolt.
ut always happens So" Quick as
thought Jessie descended from her ae-
rial elevation and scudded to the bed
room for Mrs. Levinbolt's cap and a
rufled apron.
Its a young lady in a brown silk
travelling suit" whispered %breathless
Jessie. Mrs. Levinbolt groaned. Its
my cousin, Miles Henshaw's daughter
Sybilla. come to make a VISIT" she
sighed, Miss Sybilla Henshaw was
from the city, neither quite SO young
nor so pretty as she once had been, but
amazingly we'll preserved. She had
come out into the country ostensibly to
visit her Cousin Jerusha, but in reality
to marry Sam.
Jessie's heart sank within her at the
sight of Miss Henshaw's silks and laces
and chains and bracelets.
But Sybilla's eyes were keen enough
to discern a possible rival in the bloom
ing little Scotch girl, and she resolved
to get her out of the way. When Sam
Levinbolt came in to supper the third
day after Miss Henshaw's arrival he
found Jessie crying, his mother amazed
and doubtful and Sybilla wrathful.
"Of course she has taken it, cried
Sybilla. "Who else would touch my
p~ortemonnaie? And it was on my dress
ing bureau this morning when she went
in to make the beds, and now it is
gone"
"stop. sybilla,'' said Sam courteously,
but very firmly. mo one calls Jessie a
thief in my hearing. Mother, you should
know better than that"
But" stammered Mrs. Levinbolt, III
Sybilla's pocketbook is really gone
Sybilla drew out her pocket handker-
chief to wipe away al imaginary tear
of injured innocence, and with it tum-
bled out something on the floor. Sam
stopped and picked it up, handing 1t,
with a bow, to his cousin.
"Your pocketbook, Sybilla."
Miss Henshaw turned scarlet and bit
her lip.
"How very careless of me-" she said
in a choked voice. ~ must have put il
there myself and forgotten all about
it."
That evening in the purple dusk, aft
er Miss Henshaw had gone upstairs tt
pack her trunk-for the spring cam.
paign had evidently proved a failure
Jessie Maclane came to where Mrs