Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-06-28
From the Tree of Love.
Copyright 1909
CHAPTER V.


stayed until they all got over the
whooping- cough.) And Dallas said he
had a pull, because his mill controlled
l forget how many votes, and the thing
to do was to be quiet and comfortable
and we would get out in the morning.
Max took it as huge joke, and some
body found him at the telephone, call
ing up his club. The Mercer girls were
Historically giggling, and Aunt Selma
sat c. a stiff backed chair and took
aromatic spirits Of ammonia. AS for
Jim, he had collapsed on the lowest
step of the stairs, and sat there with
his head in his hands. When he did
look up. he didn't dare to look at me.
The HARRISON man was arguing with
the impassiYe individual on the top
step outside, and l saw him get out his
pocketbook and offer a crisp bundle OF
bills. But the man from the board of
health only smiled and tackled at his
offensive sign. After while Mr.. Har-
bison came in and closed the door, and
we stared at one another.
81 know what I'm going to do" l
said, swallowing a lump in my throat,
I'm going to get out through a base
ment window at the back. I'm going
home"
"Home!" Aunt Selma gasped, jump
ing up and almost dropping her am
monia bottle MY dear Bella! Home?'
Jimmy groaned at the foot of the
stairs, but Anne Brown was getting
over her tears and now she turned on
me in temper.
It's all your fault" she said. Il was
going to stay at home and get little
sleep"
We'll, you can sleep now," Dallas
broke in. "There'n be nothing to do
but sleep"
'I think you haven't grasped the Sit
uation, DALI said icily. There will
be plenty to do. There isn't servant
in the house,"
NO servants" everybody cried at
once. The Mercer girls giggling.
Holy CATS" Max stopped in the act
of hanging up his overcoat. do you
mean-why, l can't shave myself! I'll
cut my head Off"
You'll do more than that" l retort-
ed grimly. You will cary coal and
tend fires and empty ash pans, and
when you are not doing any of those
things there will be pots and pans to
wash and beds to make"
Then there was row. We had work.
ed back to the den now, and l stood
in front of the fireplace and let the
storm beat around me, and tried to look
perfectly cold and Indifferent, and not
to see Mr.. Harbson's shocked face.
No wonder he thought them a lot of
savages. browbeating their hostess the
way they did.
It's a fool thing anyhow" Max
Reed wound up, Ito celebrate the anni-
versary of divOrce-especially-"
Here he caught Jim's eye and stopped.
But | had suddenly remembered.
Bella down in the basement!
Could anything have been worse?
And of course she would have hysteria
and then turn on me and blame me for
it all. II all came over me at once
and overwhelmed me, while Anne was
crying and saying she wouldn't cook If
she starved for it, and Aunt Selma
was taking off her wraps. felt queer
all over. and sat down suddenly. Mr..
of
brought me a glass of wine.
1T won't be so sad as you fear" he
said comfortingly. There will be no
danger once we are vaccinated, and
many hands make light work. They
are pretty raw now, because the thing
is new to them, but 10y morning they
will be reconciled."
1T isn't the work; it is something
entirely different" said. And it was,
Bella and work could hardly be spoken
in the same breath.
If | had only turned her out as she
deserved to be. when she first came,
instead of allowing her to carry
through the wretched farce about see
ing Takahiro Or if had only run to
the basement the moment the house
was quarantined, and got her out the
areaway or the coal-hole! And now
time was flying, and Aunt Selma had
me by the arm. and any moment en-
pected Bella to pounce on us through
the doorway and the whole situation TO
explode with a bang.
1t was after eleven before they were
rational enough to discuss ways and
means, and, of course, the first thing
suggested was that we all adjourn be-
low-stairs and clean up after dinner
| could have slain Max Reed for the
notion, and the Mercer girls for taking
him up.
"Of course we WILL" they said in q
duet. What a lark" And they ac-
tually began to pin up their dinner
gowns. 1t was Jim who stopped that
"Oh, look here, you people" he OBJ
iected, I'm not going to let you do
that. Wen get some servants in to-
morrow. I'll go down and put out the
lights. There will be enough clean
dishes for breakfast"
1t was lucky for me that they started
a new discussion then and there about
who would get the breakfast In the
midst of the excitement l Slipped away
To carry the news to Bella. She was
where had left her, and she had made
herself a cup Of tea, and was very
much at home, which was natural.
DO YOU know" she said Ominously
that YOU have been away for two
hours: and that | have gone through
agonies of nervousness for fear Jim
Wilson would come down and think
came here to see him."
NO one would think that, Bella,
soothed her "Everybody knows you
Ioathe him-Jim, too" She looked at
me over the edge of her cup.
"I'n run along now," she said, since
Takahiru isn't here. And If Jim has
any sense at all. he will clear out
every maid in the house. | never saw
such a kitchen in all my life. Well
lead the way. suppose they are deep