Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-05-22

In 1876 we took house in one Of
the best streets and parts of B.
We were a small family-my hus'
band, a grown-up daughter and my
self; and we had two maids-a cook,
and the other was house and parlor
maid in one. We had not been a fort
night in the house before my daughter
said to me one morning: Mamma,
/ do not like Jane"-that was our
parlor maid.
"Why so?' asked. "She seems re-
spectacle and she does her work sys-
tematically. l have no fault to find
with her, none whatever"
"She may do her work" said Bes-
sic. my daughter, "but dislike inQuis-
itiveness.'
"Inquisitiveness!" exclaimed.
What do you mean? Has she been
looking in your drawers?'
mo, mamma, but she watches me.
It is hot weather now, and when l am
in my room, occasionally, leave my
door open whilst writing letter or
doing any little bit of needlework,
and then I am almost certain to hear
her outside. II 1 turn sharply around,
see her slipping out of sight. 1t il
most annoying. I really was unaware
that l was such an interesting per-
sonage as to make 1t worth anyone's
while to sry out my proceedings
Nonsense, my dear. You are sure
1t Is Jane?"
'Well-T suppose So" There was a
slight hesitation in her voice. IF not
Jane, who can 1t be?"
Are you sure it is not cook?"
"Oh, no, it is not cook; she Is busy
in the kitchen. l have heard her
there, when l have gone outside my
room upon the landing, after having
caught that girl watching me-"
III you have caught her." said I, 81
suppose you spoke to her about her
impropriety."
We'll, caught is the wrong word. I
have not actually caught her at it.
Only to-day 1 distinctly heard her at
my door, and l saw her back as she
turned to run away, when l went to-
wards her."
But you followed her, of course?"
"Yes; but did not find her on the
landing when l got outside"
Where was she, then?"
81 don't know"
But did you not go and see?"
She slipped away with astonishing
CELEBRITY" said Bessie.
81 can take no steps in the matter.
II she does it again, speak to her and
demonstrate"
But never have a chance. She
is gone in moment"
She cannot get away SO quickly as
all that"
Somehow she does"
"And you are sure 1t is Jane?" again
asked; and again she replied: IF
not Jane, who else can it be? There
is no one else in the house"
So this unpleasant matter ended,
for the time. The next intimation of
something of the sort proceeded from
another quarter-in fact, from Jane
herself. She came to me some days
later and said she was going to leave
as she objected to being watched
while at work. After close question
ing learned that while she had never
seen anyone spying on her, she sus-
pected Bessie. On several occasions
as she was sweeping or going about
her work, she said, she would hear
the rustling of a dress and on turning
about quickly could catch a glimpse
of disappearing skirts. She admitted
that while she caught glimpse of a
dress, which she described as light
cotton print-a kind of frock that Bes-
sic did not possess-she had never
seen the girls face.
After some persuasion I got her to
reconsider her determination to leave.
1t was not long after this that both
Bessie and the maid, Jane, came to
apologize to each other for their sus-
picions. Both had seen the mysteri-
GUS girl or ghost or whatever 1t was,
and again while they could find no
trace of her. they both had noticed
that she had red hair.
Hitherto l had not mentioned the
topic to my husband. l knew so well
that / should obtain no help from
him, that l made no effort to seek it.
He would "Pish!" and "Pshaw!" and
make some sighting reference to
women's intellects, and not further
trouble himself about the matter.
But one day, to my great astonish-
ment, he referred to 1t himself.
Julia" said he, Il wish you would
discharge that new. stupid, red-haired
servant you have introduced into the
house."
"Red-haired servant" I echoed.
Yes, that red-haired girl have
seen about. She thrusts herself into
my study in most offensive and OBJ
jectionable way. That girl must be
dismissed"
81 wish she could be dismissed" I
said.
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