Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-01-28

eat and drink
But complained the man, I can't
20 for my boot myself, don't you see?
/ But see they would not. Jane had for
gotten all her duties about the house
/ in the excitement of her having her 10
seph there She had stolen into the
| hall, and got her policeman into a cor
ner.
When IS it your turn to keep guard,
joe? she asked.
Not for another hour he replied.
wish hadn't TO go out HI all
/ oh, Joe, I'll go and keep guard with
! you!'
Also the cook stole in with a bow
! and a sponge, and a strong SAVIOR of
vinegar She had come to battle the
warden's foot, unsolicited, moved only
| by a desire to do good, doubtless. AL
so the under housemaid's beady eyes
were visible at the door looking in to
see If more fuel were required for the
fire.
Clearly, there was no need for Bar
bara to summon her maids. AS dead
| camel in the desert attracts all the
vultures within q hundred miles, so
the presence of these men in the hall
drew to them all the young women In
the house.
When they saw their mistress en-
ter, they exhibited some hesitation.
Barbara, however, gave them nod
and more was not needed to encourage
them to stay.
Jane said Barbara, here is the key.
Fetch couple Of bottles of Jamaica
rum, or one of rum and one Of brandy.
Patience to the under-housemaid,
bring hot water, sugar, tumblers and
! spoons'
A thrill of delight passed through
the hearts Of the men, and their eyes
sparkIed
Then IN at the door came the boy
with his violin. fiddling, capering
dancing, making faces. In a moment
he sprang OF the table, seated him
self, and began to play some of the
pretty Don Giovanni dance music.
He signed to Barbara with his bow
and pointed to the piano in the parlOr,
! the door of which was open. She I'M
derstood him and went in, lit the
candles, and took a Don Giovanni
which her sister had bought and prac-
/ tised with ia per. Then he signed to
his brother, and Jasper also took down
/ his violin, tuned it, and began to play.
Let us bring the piano into the hall
said Barbara, and the men started to
fulfil her wish. Four Of them conveyed
| it from the parlor At the same time
the rum and hot water appeared, the
/ poems clinked in Tbs glasses. Pa
! tfence, the under-housemaid, threw
/ faggot on the fire.
/ What is that exclaimed the lame
warder, pointing through the window.
1t was only the guard, who had eX-
tended his march to the hall and put
his face to the glass TO look in
at the brew Of rum-and-Water, and
the comfortable party about the fire.
, Go back on your beat, you scoundrel!
shouted the warder, menacing the con
stable with his fist. Then the face dis
appeared: but every time the sentinel
reached the hall window, he applied
his nose to the pane and stared in
thirstily at the grog that steamed and
ran down the threats Of his comrades,
and cur ed the duty that kept him
without in the falling dew. His appear
ance at intervals at the glass, where
the fire and candlelight iIlumined his
face, was like that of a fish rising to
the surface of a pond to breathe.
Is your time come yet out ide Joe
dear?' whispered Jane.
Hope not grOwled Joseph, helping
himself freely to rum; putting his
hand round the tumbler, so that none
might observe how high the spirit
stood in the glas, before he added the
water.
oh, Joe ducEie, don't say that. I'll
go and keep you company on the stone
steps: Wen sit there in the moonlight
all alone, as sweet as anything.
You couldn't ekal this grOg,' ans !
wered the unromantic Joseph, If you /
was ever so sweet. I've put in four
humps of double-refned,'
You've a sweet tooth, Joe, said
Jane.
Shall l battle your poor suffering |
foot again?' asked the cook, casting |
languishing eyes at the warder.
'By-and-by. when the liquor is ex-
hausted, answered the warder,
Would you like a little more hot
water to the spirit?' said Patience,
who was setting-as It is termed in
dance phraseology-at the youngest
Of the constables
No, mi S, but I'd trouble you for
little more spirit he answered. TO
qualify the hot water
Then the scullery-maid, who had al
so found her way in, blocked the other
constable in the corner, ana offered
to sugar his rum. He was married
man, middle-aged. and with a huge,
disfguring mole on his nose; but there
was no one else for the damsel TO ogle
and address so she fixed upon him.
All at once, whilst this by-play was
going on. under cover of the music.
the door from the staircase opened,
and in sprang Eve, with her tambour-
inc, dressed in the red and yellow
costume she had found in the garnet.
and wearing her burnt he'd necklace of
bezants. Barbara withdrew her hands
from the piano in dismay, and flushed
with shame.
'Eve! she exclaimed. go back! How
can you!' But the boy from the table
beckoned again to her, pointing to the
piano. and her fingers; Eve skipped