The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1847-04-23
THE APPRENTICE GIRL.

FROM THE FRENCH OF EUGENE FoA.
The warerooms of Madame Camille, one OF our
most fashionable Partisan mners, had one day
received an additional apprentice. Her name
was Gabrielle. Her father was mason. and.
like too many of the working classes, drank on
Sunday what he had earned during the week
Her mother did the best she could to support her
family, and found it hard matter with the little
she earned.
Gabrielle had suffered such misery from her
cradle, that she had never known that youthful
spring which usually makes to children the mere
consciousness of existence a ioy Mamma
what nice thing it is to be aliven' once said
child to her mother, as she bounded before her
Gabrielle was sixteen, and knew not what smile
was. Her fair but faded cheek bore an express
ion OF suffering and quiet resignation, which was
mere affecting than any open demonstration Of
grief. The child contrasted the house of her
mistress-'the abode OF order economy and M
dustry, and consequently OF ease and comfort
with her own home, where reigned every kind
OF wretchedness that poverty and disorderly hab-
its could produce, and where reproaches-most
just it is true, but consequently the more painful
gave rise TO mutual recrimination between the
husband and wife.
One evening, among others, the wife was COM
planning that the mason had not given her all he
earned
81 should have nothing to drink, if did, re-
piled the husband.
The dispute was beginning to get warm; Ca
brielle whispered to her father,
81 give my mother half OF what earn. father.
to buy clothes for my brothers and sisters will
give you the other halt for drink"
''Tbank you, my child" SAID the father, who
accordingly took the money from his daughter
and went out.
But this man, who could drink without any
seruple the fruit OF his own labor, ielt kind Of
remorse in expanding at the tavern the money
which had been earned by hls daughter; and
when he drew from his pocket the hard-earncd
pieces which the slight, delicate hand of his
daughter had placed in his, the sound of them,
as they jingled Oh the counter, went to his very
heart, and that evening, for wonder, he return
ed home sober. How much may be accomplish
ed by kind looks and words when all remonstran-
ces fail A trifiing act of kindness, with look
of affection had smote the feelings OF the hitherto
reckless father
The following evening, after having in a SINH
lar manner. received the half OF Gabrielle's
earnings, the mason went out; but he had hard
ly taken few steps, when he came back. "Ga-
brielle," said he, "come, aud we will take walk
In the country"
Gabrielle started up with alacrity You are
not going to the tavern, Father?' said she 10
him.
SIS IL with young girl like you Do you
tniih hic DTule 5dlu the man. The heart,
after ALL is the best teacher OF what Is becom.
ing.
Gabrielle knew how TO read and during their
walk she related to her father number of little
stories, which amused him, and made him forget
the tavern. The next week the mason's family
mad enough to eat and the week after, from the
united earnings OF father and daughter, the chill
dren were able to be sent to school, in short, at
the end of month, the aspect OF this dwelling,
formerly the abode Of misery, tears and quarrels,
was quite altered and the companions of the
mason, missing him from his old haunt, began
Jeerng him; but he told them what his daughter
had done.
" SO good daughter ought to make a good
wife," cried rich miller who had been listening
to him, 81 have an only son, and right glad
would be If you would give her to him. Good
sense, gentlemen, and modesty, are better IN the
poor mans house than riches" And immediate
ly, without even inquring whether Gabrielle
were ugly or pretty,h he demanded her in marriage
for his son.
Gabrielle is now the wife Of rich miller
She Is the mother Of children, and blessing to
her husbands family, as she had been to her own.
Those lips which had never uttered but words OF
patient genteness and sense beyond her age, are
no longer strangers to smiles; and the rosy hue
OF health again tinges the cheek which had fad
ed under early hardshps and over toll. Gabriel
le is still living.