Part 34 (1/2)

”But Nancy told me you wanted to borrow it,” said Mrs. Jordon.

”Nancy knew better,” said Bridget, with a face slightly flushed; but any one could see that it was a flush of indignation.

”Will you step into my house and tell Nancy I want to see her?”

”Certainly, ma'am.” And Bridget retired.

”These servants have been playing a high game, I fear,” remarked Mrs. Jordon, after Bridget had left the room. ”Pardon me, if in my surprise I have spoken in a manner that has seemed offensive.”

”Most certainly there is a game playing that I know nothing about, if anything has been borrowed of you in my name for these three months,” said I.

”I have heard of your borrowing something or other almost every day during the time you mention,” replied Mrs. Jordon. ”As for me, I have sent into you a few times; but not oftener, I am sure, than once in a week.”

Bridget returned, after having been gone several minutes, and said Nancy would be in directly. We waited for some time, and then sent for her again. Word was brought back that she was nowhere to be found in the house.

”Come in with me, Mrs. Smith,” said my neighbor, rising. I did so, according to her request. Sure enough, Nancy was gone. We went up into her room, and found that she had bundled up her clothes and taken them off, but left behind her unmistakable evidence of what she had been doing. In an old chest which Mrs. Jordon had let her use for her clothes were many packages of tea, burnt coffee, sugar, soap, eggs; a tin kettle containing a pound of b.u.t.ter, and various other articles of table use.

Poor Mrs. Jordon seemed bewildered.

”Let me look at that pound lump of b.u.t.ter,” said I.

Mrs. Jordon took up the kettle containing it. ”It isn't my b.u.t.ter,”

she remarked.

”But it's mine, and the very pound she got of me yesterday for you.”

”Gracious me!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed my neighbor. ”Was anything like this ever heard?”

”She evidently borrowed on your credit and mine--both ways,” I remarked with a smile, for all my unkind feelings toward Mrs. Jordon were gone, ”and for her own benefit.”

”But isn't it dreadful to think of, Mrs. Smith? See what harm the creature has done! Over and over again have I complained of your borrowing so much and returning so little; and you have doubtless made the same complaint of me.”

”I certainly have. I felt that I was not justly dealt by.”

”It makes me sick to think of it.” And Mrs. Jordon sank into a chair.

”Still I don't understand about the wash-boiler and tubs that you mentioned,” she said, after a pause.

”You remember my ten tumblers,” I remarked.

”Perfectly. But can she have broken up my tubs and boiler, or carried them off?”

On searching in the cellar we found the tubs in ruins, and the wash-boiler with a large hole in the bottom.

I shall never forget the chagrin, anger, and mortification of poor Mrs. Jordon when, at her request, Bridget pointed out at least twenty of my domestic utensils that Nancy had borrowed to replace such as she had broken or carried away. (It was a rule with Mrs.

Jordon to make her servants pay for every thing they broke.)