The Girl at Cobhurst

determined to go to see the doctor's wife, and find out if that lady had acted on the advice given her. She had known Mrs. Tolbridge nearly al

. Kitty Tolbridge and she had scolded each other often enough, and had had many differences, but they had never yet seriously quarrelled. Miss Panney did not intend to quarrel now, but if she found things as she feared they were, she intended to

that this condition had been caused by a note which had just been brought to her from her husband, st

you were thoroughly used to that sort of thing. I supposed a

as particularly anxious that he should lunch at

up under it as well as you can, and I hope they wi

emed occupied, an

suddenly, "will you stay

ike it eve

have strawberries?

little, and then replied,

strawberries are small and sour this yea

brought her there. She would ask no questions, for it was Kitty Tolbridge's duty to introduce the subject, and she would give

Miss Panney was surprised at the scanty supply of eatables. There was t

"She isn't worthy to have any sort of a

ers in the centre of the

at meal-times she pref

a cup of tea?" a

she took some, and was just about to cast a critical eye on the bread, when a maid entered, bearing a dish contain

aterer in Thorbury, and a good one. He was patronized by the citizens on extraordinary festive occasions, but depended for his custom principally u

her own house, she could give him six times as much for half the money. And positively," she continued, in inward speech, as the maid presented the bre

church, far more expensive than she believed they could afford. She was engaged in berating Mr. Hampton, the minister, who, she declared, was actually encouraging his flock in their proposed extravagance, when the maid gave he

into a tirade against people who called themselves pious, and yet, wilfully shutting their eyes, were about to plunge into wicked wastefulness. She ate as she talked, however, and she had brought up John Wesley, and was about to give her no

ted the old lady, "somet

y this meal m

h, and not a minute more, Miss Panney's mind dropped from the consideration of congregational fin

cost a dollar, if they cost a cent; this sirloin, with mushrooms, was seventy-five cents;

same time, and the founder of Methodism never delivered so scorching a tirade

was now constrained to declare that she had nothing to do with the plans f

y. "Suppose Bishop White, when he was ordained and c

. The young and tender leaves of lettuce we

any difference, even if you send your own lettuce to be dressed." And then she went on talking

o not have cathedrals

y try to build their meeting-houses to

e dressing as good as this. But she remembered that the straw

weary road in the rain or scorching sun, and preaching sometimes in a log meeting-h

a pretty glass dish uprose a wondrous structure. Within an encircling wall of delicate, candied tracery was heaped a littl

yes from this creation t

, "is this the do

bridge, with a smile; "

then, p

idge shook

ve dollars at the very least for the meal. If the doctor makes tha

something she had never before tasted, and she became of the opinion that Kipper

r, named Lorenzo Dow. How I would like to have him here. He was a man who would let people know in trumpet tones, by day and by night, what he thought of wicked, wast

could not restra

o be nothing more, unless y

r a meal like that! I should think not. If you had had champagne durin

. Tolbridge, "because we don't tak

severely; "and I will say this for Kipper, t

is luncheon. It was prepared by my new cook. It is the first meal she h

er chair, and gazed ear

e asked, in her

etter that afternoon. Yesterday she came to see me, and I engaged her. And while

meal? She herself m

and made the biscuit. She says she is going to do a gre

culated Miss Panney. "D

t of thing is going to h

sort of a creature is s

ery mi

e way to the parlor,

pose you finish what you were sayin

ey stampe

tower, spire on spire, crypts, picture galleries, altars,

ne to call her Jane. She would like the family to use her last name, and the servants can do the same, or call her 'madam.' She is the widow of two chefs, one a Florentine, named Tolati, and the other a Frenchman, La Fleur. She acted as

th a made-up story; but after that luncheon I will believe anything she says ab

Tolbridge. "Her last husband left her some money, and she came to this c

it art?" ask

in Pennsylvania, with whom the doctor used to be acquainted. She had a letter from them which fu

salary?" exclai

dge, "and as I said before, the only question she

t matter?" as

of a college professor, for several months, and when the family found they could no longer afford to keep a servant who could do nothing but coo

odd creature," s

n and told Mrs. Tolbridge that the madam cook wanted to see her. The la

the 'sweet' which she gave us at luncheon is la promesse, being merely a pro

the dozen, philanthropists, kind friends, helpers and counsellors, the most loving and generous; but a cook like that in a Thorbury family is as rare as-as-as-I can't think of anything so rare. I came here, Kitty, to find out if you had written to that woman, and now to disc