Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-07-21

Nora shut the ice box with bang
before she answered sullenly:
'Wipe it off after every meal"
"Well, just look at this!' With the
tip of her finger Helen touched a
blackened, grease-crusted burner.
"And this drip pan," drawing it out, lis
filthy"
Guess I know how it was when I
came. Guess keep my stove and my
kitchen cleaner than the girl you had
fore me-"
'"That will do, Nora. Now, this pan
must be scoured!e You'll have to use
ammonia to cut that grease, and take
a stiff brush to those burners. / want
this cleaned this morning-before you
begin the silver"
Helen left the kitchen with an angry
flush. Nora was getting more sullen
and insolent every day. She had made
a mistake in taking her back. She
should have known that once having
clashed, things could never be the
same. Now, she was sighting her
work. There was no excuse for that
stove.
'Thompson's here to fix that hot
water spigot," announced Nora, /ap-
pearing at the door a moment later.
"You said you wanted to see him."
Helen turned sharply.
''What did you say, Nora? What
did you call Mr.. thompson"
'I said Thompson's here to fix that
hot water spigot,"' defantly.
Mora, I Want this to be the last
time you ever call Mr.. Thompson
Thompson. I've spoken to you about
that before. He's the superintendent
here, and for you to presume to call
him Thompson"
''We1, that's his name, amt it?" her
face reddening with sulky temper.
And he calls me Nora, doesn't he?
I've got no use for that man. He made
my uncle come up on that servants
elevator-and my uncle's just as much
a gentleman as anybody that comes
to this house."
'sBut, Nora, that's the rule here
anybody calling on the maids must use
that elevator. They can't make an eX-
ception of your uncle"
And Helen hurried out to Mr..
Thompson, irritably conscious that
Nora was getting more and more on
her nerves.
It was after luncheon before
Helen went into the kitchen again. In
glance she saw the stove had been
only half cleaned, but she ignored it
not feeling equal to another combat
just then. Yet she knew Nora had
seen her look at it, and was furious at
her own lack Of courage.
where did these come from
Nora?" taking up monkey wrench
and a large screw driver from the
kitchen table.
"He left 'em when he was fixin' the
sink
"Who do you mean by hep" de
manded Helen, pointedly.
Nora hesitated. She dared not say
'FThompson," and her stubborn pride
would not let her say F'Mr Thompson
Then came an inspiration.
''The superintendent, ma'am.'"
'And what did tell you to call the
superintendent, Nora?"
Mister Thompson with sneering
emphasis. Then, under her breath
''But I'll call him what I please wher
you amt around
/, Pretending not to hear this last
mumbled comment, Helen left the
kitchen. She went straight to hel
desk and took up the calendar.
Nora's month would be up the fif
teenth-just nine more days. She
would tell her tomorrow that she mus
look for another place. She would
not keep her after the fifteenth!
That evening at dinner Nora waites
on the table with lowered, reddenet
eyes and an air of gloomy sullenness
whats the matter with her?' de
manded Warren, as she left the room
shes getting difficult again." ad
mitted Helen, with a sigh. "She ha
one Of her sulIen spells today"
"What'd I tell you when you too
her back?'
"Well, when her months up IT
going to let her go. I shall tell he
tomorrow that she'll have to look 70
another place"
Huh! I'd have fired her long ago.
you've put up with"
Hush, dear!" Through the partl
opened pantry door Helen caught tn
CLEAN of Morals white apron. "Oh,
believe she heard!"
Serves her right for listening"
When Nora brought in the salad he
eyes were lowered, but Helen saw he
hand tremble as she put down tn
dish. How much had she heard?
For the rest of the evening Hele
felt aO1plv Oh
thought of Nora out there broodin
alone, thinking, no doubt, they wer
still talking her over" She coul
never bear to feel that they were tw
against one-and Nora was so alone
Finally, yielding to her uneasines
she went out to the kitchen. Th