The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales: With Condensed Novels, Spanish and American Legends, and Earlier PapersHarte, Bret
General
The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales: With Condensed Novels, Spanish and American Legends, and Earlier Papers
Harte, Bret
Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Western stories
I am upper housemaid to the family that live at No. 27 Limehouse Road,
Pultneyville. I have been requested by Mr. Wilkey Collings, which I
takes the liberty of here stating is a gentleman born and bred, and
has some consideration for the feelings of servants, and is not above
rewarding them for their trouble, which is more than you can say for
some who ask questions and gets short answers enough, gracious knows, to
tell what I know about them. I have been requested to tell my story in
my own langwidge, though, being no schollard, mind cannot conceive. I
think my master is a brute. Do not know that he has ever attempted to
poison my missus,—which is too good for him, and how she ever came to
marry him, heart only can tell,—but believe him to be capable of any
such hatrosity. Have heard him swear dreadful because of not having his
shaving-water at nine o’clock precisely. Do not know whether he ever
forged a will or tried to get my missus’s property, although, not
having confidence in the man, should not be surprised if he had done
so. Believe that there was always something mysterious in his conduct.
Remember distinctly how the family left home to go abroad. Was putting
up my back hair, last Saturday morning, when I heard a ring. Says cook,
“That’s missus’s bell, and mind you hurry or the master ’ill know why.”
Says I, “Humbly thanking you, mem, but taking advice of them as is
competent to give it, I’ll take my time.” Found missus dressing herself
and master growling as usual. Says missus, quite cairn and easy-like,
“Mary, we begin to pack to-day.” “What for, mem?” says I, taken aback.
“What’s that hussy asking?” says master from the bedclothes quite
savage-like. “For the Continent—Italy,” says missus. “Can you go,
Mary?” Her voice was quite gentle and saintlike, but I knew the struggle
it cost, and says I, “With you, mem, to India’s torrid clime, if
required, but with African Gorillas,” says I, looking toward the bed,
“never.” “Leave the room,” says master, starting up and catching of
his bootjack. “Why, Charles!” says missus, “how you talk!” affecting
surprise. “Do go, Mary,” says she, slipping a half-crown into my hand. I
left the room, scorning to take notice of the odious wretch’s conduct.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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