Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-01-11
Harriet S Way

Harriet had temper. Harriet was
given to sudden quarrelsome freaks,
both upsetting and annoying-but Har-
riet made bread like unto feathers and
her coffee was nectar. Also it was
easier for the Bowencotts to endure
Harriet's disposition as she chose to
vent her temper on Lorena.
Lorena was the nursemaid, quiet,
little creature with pathetic eyes and
an inability to harbor resentment.
Mrs. Bowencott looked on helplessly
as she heard Harriet order, bully and
tyrannize and saw Lorena meekly sub
nit, but she did not attempt to inter
fere except indirectly. She had kept
house three years and had learned to
ignore family rows in the kitchen.
Only she wondered at LOrena's pa
tience and long-suffering and she won
ders the more that Harriet was not
touched by it, Instead it seemed to
1ncite her to fresh unkindnesses.
There was a curve to Harriet's lips
that was cruel in spite Of their red
ness and a flash in her black eyes that
was a danger signal to those who
knew her.
At times she seemed possessed Of a
demon of rage that shook her through
and then it was that LOrena suffered.
She was one Of those who are ap-
a scene, so almost tremblingly she
would do part of Harriet's work for
her, the baby permitting, take her
seedlings alphabetically and general
~ reef sail under the storm when
Harriet was flying about the kitchen
with crimson cheeks and glowering
br0wS.
Harriet nagged as well as scolded,
found fault unjustly and under Lor-
ena's long suffering developed traits
which would have done credit to a
slave driver. When she could re-
duce Lorena to tears Harriet became
almost mild in her pleasure.
For a week Lorena had been going
about her duties paler and quieter
than usual and Mrs. Bowencott
plucked up courage and politely re-
monstrated with Harriet. why do
you treat her 500" she ended rather
shakily, for Mrs Bowencott, too, IL
may be confessed, was afraid of a
scene.
Harriet leaned against the kitchen
table and frowned. She seemed to be
trying to formulate a reason for her
own enlightenment as well as her
Questioner's. Il dunno" she said at
last "She just aggravates me! She
just looks at yeh as though she ex-
pected to get bit and that makes me
want to-and she is so little and thin
she hadn't ought to work anyhow.
guess I just hate her. l don't like to
see her around"
Mrs Bowencott retired from the
conflict routed. She could not make
Harriet out. Her remarks seemed
contradictory.
That night Lorena went across the
city to see her mother and did not
come back in the morning The very
good reason was, the Bowencotts
found by dint Of telephoning, that Lor
ena had become so i'll when she
reached home that the doctor had
bundled her off to the hospital at
once.
Mrs. Bowencott dreaded to tell Har
riet the news. She was fond of her
little nurse girl and could not bear to
see Harriet when she found Lorena
And Harriet was too frank to pretend
any sorrow she was far from feeling.
It certainly seemed that fate was play
ing into Harriet's hands.
She was washing dishes when Mrs.
BoWencott told her the news, some
what severely, too, in faint, lingering
hope of making her ashamed of the
way she had treated Lorena.
'Humph!" growled Harriet, resu-
ming her dishwashing jauntily.
Mrs. Bowencott yearned to dis
charge her on the spot, but remem-
bered the coffee and refrained. Men
tally, however, she declared Harriet
TO be unregenerate and quite heart
less.
That evening Mrs. Bowencott dis
cussed the situa ION with her husband
ITS too bad, but I'll have to get an
other nurse girl" she said. 1T will
be weeks before Lorena can come
back"
Harriet was Strengthening the dining
room and parted the portieres fierce
ly. She looked as wrathful as she had
ever looked at Lorena and she
breathed hard. You'd never be do
ing that" she cried. "Why, this is
like home to Lorena-and her so fond
Of the baby and all-she'n just die if
she can't come back here! 1t won't
be many weeks and I'll be willing to
laol.a 5zola t. - 49, oa L. l.-..-- -