CAMELLA OR, AN IGNURANT WRANGLER.

Waikato Times, Issue 2920, 2 April 1891, Page 4

CAMELLA OR, AN IGNURANT WRANGLER.

.By Miw L. Fnosr Rattiuy (Author of " Un -tondell.'') CHAPTER XIII.—" Whex THE Cat's Away. Kaix, rain. Not a cheerful, showery day, holding out tempting promises of clearing soon ; promises which though frequently broken, still contained ;i measure; of hope, but a steady, persistent down-pour, ■which reclucccl ovr;n L»oycl -Li-aiuley to a state of ;ib;-;oliili' conviction that to day at 1ea..,1, there could be 110 bush c;:curt;ion u ith Stanley's; beautiful "lfe in search of wild llowers. Why .Jil :Jiuulil bother about them, ho could not imagine. His sisters let thorn uevtH'oly alone ; they withered iSO soon, and v. ere such a groat deal of trouble to ! (Jainella enlisted the services of her husband for the numerous little pieces of carpentering which .she required doing, and a very able assistant he proved. To his astonishment, she even found more work to be done in lli.■ drawing-room, which, to his untutored eye had looked completely finished th" previous eveing She kept him occupied all day. iiiont;h he vowed he had lots 01 things outside (hat lie could do, even though it was raining. Mr Tall of; had vanished all the forenooi:, and would givo no account of his abscnce. I Jut ( lie next day when tho buggy was brought; tound, the result of his morning's work was apparent in f lie imprvoment in its appearance, which elicited many compliments from Mr and Mrs TalFerson. 31r; Pri'-t natchcd the pari} dis-

appi"ir, then began to bustle about with great alacrity. '• i exp :ct Martha will iikc to liv.-. til U. lii! »V .V I ef 1.1. "tiling., quite a , ..wll as Mrs Tall'erson die's, when she ii:is company, .sin: said, .is sin; .s<-l the table for four. " They're real i,; trui. 1 don't know what all tiiein i ! >:lie-, ', 111.; e<it out. yo.tonliiy ;uv [nr, but line lit' 'em will make a. tin. fi odor fur ' iVi: Laws, lu re tie V emne. ' A :-'iit of spring carl, drove, up to the. door, and out of it alighted a biixi'tn. eniiiely woman, .Mrs l.'ritl,.-; nil-co, and her husband. r ,utyi:im:. Flint, who lifted down a little girl of three named " Pet. W bother this was her baptismal name or not, no one except her parents knew ; sin: was never spoken of by ;my other designation. " Well, Aunt Pritt. and how do you find yourself this hot weather 1 Lovely day, isn't it?'said .Martha Flint as she stepped into the house. " I'm warm," said Mrs L'ritt., " but that's only wlmt you might expect, and me standing over the tire cooking chickens and puddings, and seeing to the potatoes and peas at the same time.'' " Which room shall 1 go into ? asked Martha. " I think you'd better go into mine,'' answered the aunt. " Mrs Tafl'erson is off for the day, as far as I know of ; but fine ladies is that capricious, she might have a headache and come right back ; which if your things wtis in her room, might be a trifle awkwards, and not pleasant for nie either. Put I 11 take you round, and you can try tho piano, after we've had a bit of something.'' " And what do you think of Mr TaflV.rson's lady?" asked Eutychus. " I think we shall get on," answered the housekeeper. " She doesn't interfere with you, then asked Martha. "No, not much. \ou sec sites rather afraid of me, at present. She doesn't know how to do a thing. All 111 let her do is make up the butter ; that don t bring hor near the kitchen, and I'll have 110 line ladies fussing about that. ' "You're quite right, Aunt Martha. Why when 1 was up at Mrs Whiuis, it was just awful the way she kept asking mc, ' Martha, whore's that packet of candles?' 'Martha, why you've never used up all that soap. Flesh aud blood won't stand that sort of chivying, J. told hor. And she was that particular about Eutychus. If he happened to be in of an evening, she heard hiiu from the parlour, and shed send one of the children, ' Martha, Ma wants to know who you'r-j talking to in the kitchcn.' 1 said to her one day, 'And when Master was a-court-ing of you,' I said, ' wasn't you allowed to see linn indoors of n, wet night ?' Aud alio said she'd have none ot my sra;ee. >So i seed t what was a coming, and I gives warning, because of her interfering way." Martha had grown cxcited, aud forgotten the care she exercised over her grammar, which she usually put on with her best gown, aud took out with her. " And I cauio forward, and asked you to marry me at onec, didn't 1 Martha said Eutychus. " And I said yes. Aud take you altogether, Eutychus, you've not been .so bad a husband to me. as you might. Cut of course, I ve til ways kept you un to your duties, like. ' " Look at Pet !'" cried Mrs Pritt, tho child's choking ! "Whatever did you give her such a bone for Eutychus'.' asked the mother, dealing her oil-spring several vigorous pats on the back, which produced the desired effect " Have another cup !" hospitably inquired Mrs Pritt, as she saw her nephew drain his to the hist drop. " 1 won't refuse, since you're so pressing," he said, '• it s real good tea." " It's the best iu the house," complacently answered the hostess. " Aud the cream's gooil too. I had to give Mrs Tallersou precious little for breakfast, or there wouldn't have been enough for our tea and this lovely whip. Do taste a bit more, Martha." " 1 don't mind if I do. Whats Mrs Tafterson like—to look at, I mean." " Well, Martha, she's not your style," obsened Mrs Pritt, with an attempt at jocularity. " She s long aud thin, but she's got rather sweet eyes, aud holds herself like a duchess. Sue's gou a good opinion of herself, has Mrs I'aU'erson." " Is she pretty in the face i" asked Eutychus. " Some folks say so, but she's too white to please uie ; I like plenty of colour." " Well, you might spare her some of yours, aunt," said Martha. " Has Mr Tafferson got any new cigars?" asked Eutychus. Mrs Pritt produced a couple. "I spied these when I was dusting this morning," fiho said. " I can't iiuawer for them being good, for I'm no judge, but you can just try them." " Which is the drawing-room, Aunt Pritt T' " This is it," said tho worthy housekeeper, as they walked down the passage. I haven thad ti moments tuuo to .see it myself, but thc-y worked at it hard enough on Friday and Saturd ty." " Wha.l a love of a table, cried Mrs Flint. " Pet. iako your hands off that book, there s a lovey." " What "imerack chair -;." said Mr Flint. "Take an easy one, liiey re strong enough," said Mrs Pritt. onsconeing herself in a luxurious fautcuil upholstered in peacock blue plush and old gold satin of a very soft shade, " What are these queer things crawling up the curtains ?" cried " To get it ready for us. " T suppo';e." observed Eutychus, who had followed the two women. 11 You mnst'nt smoke here," said Mrs Pritt. 11 The gentlemen would never notice it, but she'd be bound to.'' '■ WlutL u. love of a table," cricd

M r.s Flint. •' Pet, tnke your hands tiff that, hook, there's ;i lovey." What gimcraok chairs,'' .said Mr I'iin'. '• 'Lake an easy 0110, they're .strong eiKui','ii." .siid Mrs Pritt, en.scon eitii; herself in a luxurious fauteuil uplio'.-'tcred in peacock blue, plush and old .satin of a very soft nliiulf. " W'lial. are these queer thinks iT.r.v lim; up the curtains T' cried .Mrs Flint, wh'-t was making a close e.\ iiaina' ion of the room, in order to report, to her particular friends. "Well, 1 never, what a rum idea,'' said ICut yehus, " if siie hasn't a imitation beetle walking on the mantel place." " I Teh,"' screamed Mrs I'ritt, "right ho re on this little tabic, just under my nose, there's a huge spider, creeping quite natural." " If these is new notions of what's lit things for a drawing-room, all I've got to do is just to leave my windows' open and all sorts of creepy crawly creatures will walk in and make themselves quite at home." " Give us a tune, Martha," suggested her husband. Nothing loth, Mrs Flint opened the piano, and sat down. " I don't expect she's got any of my music," quoth Martha, affectedly. " Let's have a hyir.n, seeing its the Sabbath," said Mrs Pritt. " Don't see a book," said the musical lady. " Play something lively, then, a hymn would send us to sleep."* " Not if you were to sing it, Eutychus. J mind the time you nearly took the roof off, your voice was that powerful !" Much gratified by this tribute to his vocal organ, Mr Flint rose, and having found a hymn-book with accompanying tunes, persuaded his wife to play whilst he sang. The result was that Mrs Pritt was ablu to assure liitn wi'.li perfect truth, that his magnificent voice had rather gained than lost in strength sincu she had last heard it. (Ti b<: t untiiitied.)