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Paste Jewels By: John Kendrick Bangs (1862-1922) |
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PASTE JEWELS
PREFACE It may interest the readers of this collection of tales, if there
should be any such, to know that the incidents upon which the
stories are based are unfortunately wholly truthful. They have one
and all come under the author's observation during the past ten
years, and with the exception of "Mr. Bradley's Jewel," concerning
whom it is expressly stated that she was employed through lack of
other available material, not one of the servants herein made famous
or infamous, as the case may be, was employed except upon
presentation of references written by responsible persons that could
properly have been given only to domestics of the most sterling
character. It is this last fact that points the moral of the tales
here presented, if it does not adorn them. J. K. B. THE EMANCIPATION OF THADDEUS They were very young, and possibly too amiable. Thaddeus was but
twenty four and Bessie twenty two when they twain, made one, walked
down the middle aisle of St. Peter's together. Everybody remarked how amiable she looked even then; not that a
bride on her way out of church should look unamiable, of course, but
we all know how brides do look, as a rule, on such occasions looks
difficult of analysis, but strangely suggestive of determined
timidity, if there can be such a quality expressed in the human
face. It is the natural expression of one who knows that she has
taken the most important step of her life, and, on turning to face
those who have been bidden to witness the ceremony, observes that
the sacredness of the occasion is somewhat marred by the presence in
church of the unbidden curiosity seekers, who have come for much the
same reason as that which prompts them to go to the theatre to
enjoy the spectacle. But Bessie's face showed nothing but that
intense amiability for which she had all her life long been noted;
and as for Thaddeus, he never ceased to smile from the moment he
turned and faced the congregation until the carriage door closed
upon him and his bride, and then, of course, he had to, his lips
being otherwise engaged. Indeed, Thaddeus's amiability was his
greatest vice. He had never been known to be ill natured in his
life but once, and that was during the week that Bessie had kept him
in suspense while she was making up her mind not to say "No" to an
important proposition he had made a proposition, by the way, which
resulted in this very ceremony, and was largely responsible for the
trials and tribulations which followed. Thaddeus was rich that is, he had an income and a vocation; a
charming little home was awaiting their coming, off in a convenient
suburb; and, best of all, Bessie was an accomplished house keeper,
having studied under the best mistresses of that art to be found in
the country. And even if she had not completely mastered the art of
keeping house, Thaddeus was confident that all would go well with
them, for their waitress was a jewel, inherited from Bessie's
mother, and the cook, though somewhat advanced in years, was beyond
cavil, having been known to the family of Thaddeus for a longer
period than Thaddeus himself had been. The only uncertain quantity
in the household was Norah, the up stairs girl, who was not only
new, but auburn haired and of Celtic extraction. Under such circumstances did the young couple start in life, and
many there were who looked upon them with envy. At first, of
course, the household did not run as smoothly as it might have
done meals were late, and served with less ceremony than either
liked; but, as Bessie said, as she and Thaddeus were finishing their
breakfast one morning, "What could you expect?" To which Thaddeus, with his customary smile, replied "What, indeed!
We get along much better than I really thought we should with old
Ellen." Old Ellen was the cook, and she had been known to Thaddeus as "Old
Ellen" even before his lips were able to utter the words... Continue reading book >>
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Literature |
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