Year: 1868

was half afraid of her. She was moi
drunk, with those clear black eyes shi
ming so brightly, but her manner actual
ly savored of insanity. However, was
helpless, and then-Harry would como
home as early as he colld, and | could
endure to wait.


Tell me your name," said, as she
came up with the stride and stop.


"My name is Mary" she said in tone
so deep that it seemed to come from the
very toes of her CATERS.


"Well, Mary, first put the room in or
der before the doctor comes"


"Oh, il words could only picture that
scene! Fancy this tall, large ugly wo
man, armed Il use the word in its full
sense) with a duster, charging at the fur
niture as if-she were stabbing her mortal
enemy to the heart She stuck the comb
into the brush as if she were saying
'Die, traitor!' and piled up the books as
Iif they were faggots for funeral flame
She gave the curtains a sweep with hel
hands as if she were putting back tapes.
try for royal procession, and dashed
the chairs down i'll their places like a
magnificent bandit spurning a tyrant in
his power.


But when she came to the invalid, she
was gentle, almost caressing, in her man,
ner, propping me up comfortably, ma,
king the bed at once easy and handsome
and arranging my hair and dress with a
perfect perception of my sore condition.
And when she dashed out of the ROOM
| forgave the air with which she returned
and presented tray to me for the sake
of its contents Such delicious tea and
toast, and such perfection of poached
eggs, were apology for any eccentricity
of manner. l was thinking gratefully
of my own comfort, and watching her
hang up my clothes in the closet in her
own style, when the door-bell rang. Like
lightning she closed the closet door,
caught up the tray and rushed down
stairs. From the open door l could hear
the following conversations which must
say rather astonished even me, already
prepared for any eccentricity.


DIR. Holbrook was my visitor, and of
course his first question was:


"How is Mrs. Harvey this morning p
In voice that was the concentrated
essence of about one dozen tragedies, my
extraordinary servant replied:


"What man art thou?''


rs the woman crazy?" cried the doc
tor.


Lay not that /f1attering JUNCTION to
your soul p cried Mary.


"Hm--yes," said the doctor musingly,
then in his own CHEEKY, brisk tones, he
added; "you are the new servant, l sup
pose?'


"Sir, l will serve my mistress till chill
death shall part us from each other"
"H'm. Well, now, in plain English,
{go tell her 1 am here"


81 go, and it is done!' was the reply,
and with the slow stride and halt l heard
her cross the entry. She was soon at
my door. ''Madan, the doctor waits ~
she said, standing with one arm out in a
grand attitude.


"Let him come up" l said, choking
with laughter


She went down again.


"Sir, from my mistress l have lately
come, to bid you welcome, ,and to implore
you to ascend. She waits within yon
chamber for Your coming"


Is it to be wondered at that the doctor
found his patient in perfect commissions
Of laughter, or that he joined her in her
merriment


"Where did you find that treasure p
he asked.


'Harry sent her from the office


''Stage struck, evidently, though where
she picked up the fifth-cut- actress man.
ner remains to be seen.''


The professional part of his visit over,
the doctor stayed for chat. We were
warmly discussing the news of the day,
when-whew the door flew open, and
in stalked Mary, and announced, with a
swing of her arm:


"The butcher, madam


l saw the doctors eyes twinkle, but he
began to write in his memorandum-book
with great earnestness.


"Well, Mary" said, "he is not wait
ing:"


"The dinner waits = she replied. "Shall
I prepare the yiands as my own Judgment
shall direct, or will your own inclination
dictate to me p


Cook them as you will, but have a
good dinner for Mr.. Harvey at two
two o'clock"


Between the strokes twill wait his
appetite" And with another sweeping
courtesy she left the room, the door, as
usual after her exit, standing wide open.
She was as good as her word. Without
any orders from n-e; she took it for gran
ted that Harry would dine up stairs, and
set the table in my room. l was begin
ming to let my keen sense of the ludi-
crous triumph over pain and weariness,
and watched her, strangling the laugh,
till she was down stairs. To see her stab
the potatoes and behead the celery, was
a perfect treat, and the air Of martyr
preparing poison, with which she poured
out the water, was perfect Harry was
evidently prepared for fun, for he watch
ed her as keenly as l did.


Not one mouthful would she bring to
me,till she had made it as dainty as could
be; MASKING my potatoes with the move
mcnt of saint crushing vipers, and but
tering my bread in manner that fairly
transformed the knife into dagger. Yet
the moment she brought it to me, all the
atfectation dropped, and no mother could
have been more naturally tender. Evi-
dently, with all her nonsense, she was
kind-hearted.


1t took but one day to find we had Sc
cured perfect treasure. Her cooking
was exquisite enough for the palate of
all epicure; she was neat to, nicely, and
l soon found her punctual and trustwor-
thy. Her attentions to myself were
touching in their watchful kindness
Sometimes, when the pain was very Sc.
we're, and could only lie suffering and
helpless, her large hands would smooth
my hair softly, and her voice become al
most musical in its low murmurings of
"Poor child poor little child" think
I