Rewards and Fairies - Penn State University

Rewards and Fairies
other side of the pail, winked, and she went on with her milk- Ah, it’s a great responsibility, you’ll find, when you come to
ing. ‘He’s going to be a great French physician when the war my age. Last year Dad said I was fatiguing myself with my
is over. He makes me bobbins for my lace-pillow now—he’s duties, and he actually wanted me to give up the keys to old
very clever with his hands; but he’d doctor our people on the Amoore, our housekeeper. I wouldn’t. I hate her. I said, “No,
Green if they would let him. Only our Doctor—Doctor sir. I am Mistress of Marklake Hall just as long as I live, be-
Break—says he’s an emp—or imp something—worse than cause I’m never going to be married, and I shall give out stores
imposter. But my Nurse says—’
and linen till I die!”
‘Nurse! You’re ever so old. What have you got a nurse for?’ And what did your father say?’
Una finished milking, and turned round on her stool as Kitty ‘Oh, I threatened to pin a dishclout to his coat-tail. He ran
Shorthorn grazed off.
away. Every one’s afraid of Dad, except me.’ Philadelphia
‘Because I can’t get rid of her. Old Cissie nursed my mother, stamped her foot. ‘The idea! If I can’t make my own father
and she says she’ll nurse me till she dies. The idea! She never happy in his own house, I’d like to meet the woman that can,
lets me alone. She thinks I’m delicate. She has grown infirm and—and—I’d have the living hide off her!’
in her understanding, you know. Mad—quite mad, poor She cut with her long-thonged whip. It cracked like a pis-
Cissie!’
tol-shot across the still pasture. Kitty Shorthorn threw up her
‘Really mad?’ said Una. ‘Or just silly?’
head and trotted away.
‘Crazy, I should say—from the things she does. Her devo- ‘I beg your pardon,’ Philadelphia said; ‘but it makes me
tion to me is terribly embarrassing. You know I have all the furious. Don’t you hate those ridiculous old quizzes with their
keys of the Hall except the brewery and the tenants’ kitchen. feathers and fronts, who come to dinner and call you “child”
I give out all stores and the linen and plate.’
in your own chair at your own table?’
‘How jolly! I love store-rooms and giving out things.’ ‘I don’t always come to dinner , said Una, ‘but I hate being
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