The Argosy — page 252: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Lady Postlethwaite’s Wull. 233 in your red shoes and sash—coming to help me with this weary weight of money! A quarter of a million. An awful charge for one poor old body. And one not brought up to the position either: your father will have told you that?” ‘‘ He once said something ———” I hesitated. “Told you I was Sir Josiah’s cook most likely,” she said, smoothing out the sheets of paper with a composed smile. ‘“ Well, I wasn’t. I was his kitchen-maid.” She stopped, enjoying my look of surprise, then nodded at the alderman over the chimney-piece. “Ves, there he is, a knight and alderman of the City of London. I must tell you how it came about, as your father hasn’t done so. You're sure you'll not take a glass of wine first ?” I declined again and yet again before she began her story, settling her cap ribbons and stroking the cat into a contented purr. “Ves, I was kitchen-maid at Sir Josiah Postlethwaite’s fine estab- lishment in Bloomsbury Square. There were three other servants, and nice times they had of it. All the house to themselves from breakfast time till Sir Josiah returned about six o’clock from the City. Once or twice a week there might be company at dinner, and very grand dinners those were. All the rest of the week nothing particular to do, or if there was I had to do it. I never set eyes on my master till one day about twelve o’clock he came home unexpectedly and rang the library bell. The butler was out on some errand of his own, the housemaid getting a new dress tried on, so I had to answer it. I found him in this very chair, with his overcoat still on and his hat in his hand, just as he had dropped down init. ‘I’m not very well,’ he said. . ‘Can you get me some- thing hot—soup or something, and a glass of wine?’ What a temper cook flew into! Se wasn’t going to serve meals all day long for any- body. I got it at last, but the butler had the wine-cellar and side- board keys in his pocket. However, Sir Josiah could touch nothing after all. ‘ What’s your name—you are a new comer, are you not?’ he asked. ‘Bessy Alison? And you come from Workington ?’ and he looked quite pleased. The butler came in just then, so I went back to the kitchen. Presently down came my gentleman looking very white and flustered. ‘I’m going,’ he says. .‘Me and master have had a difference.” Then he and the others had a long talk to- gether in the pantry. ‘ Bessy, master says you’re to go for Dr. Shaw —No. 15—just across the square.’ I thought he might have told me sooner, but I ran at once. I was kept some time, and when I got back I found the house open, but not a creature downstairs, only all their boxes fastened up and labelled in the scullery. Master and I were left alone in the house, and he was sickening for fever, so the doctor said. ‘“ Nurses weren’t to be had then as they are now; and, besides, Sir Josiah wouldn’t let anyone near him but me. So a woman was got to do the rough work, and I nursed him day and night till he got VOL, XLVI. 9 4 NOOKS.ECO COMA im