, 1862-08-02
A Story of To-day.
BY c. E. B. HOWE.


Mrs. Smith l-Of course you know her. Her
husband, Mr.. Smith, is a wholesale dealer in cod
fish, gimlets, molasses, cotton goods and patent
medicines. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are of the real
bon ton, the recherche of society, and the beau
monde consider Mrs. Smith the belle of their par
tcular element. You meet Mrs. Smith upon the
street and politely raise your hat, or more proba-
bly, duck your head in a bow, in token of,
would cut it off, if it would render you any pleas
ure." Now you would hardly believe that Mrs.
Smith-that richly-dressed and fashionable lady
with proud and elastic step, and a contemptu-
GUS cml at servant girls upon the beautiful and
naughty lip, was once a servant-ah, twice-ser-
want girl and factory hand in the Yankee land OF
Lowell. That's to her honor. For have not
Kings married Commoners, and Dukes made
Duchesses of peasant girls She was naughty a
few months ago, but there has been a change
Those who once thought her all arrogance, now
find in her amiabilty, and those that thought her
naughty now love her for her sympathetic kind
ness. Thereby begins our story.
Mrs. Smith at one time was the most unpleas-
ant mistress a servant girl ever attempted to
please and if, by dnt of perseverance, any one of
them, remained in her employ two weeks, Mr..
Smiths astonishment was plainly visible.
Well Smith puts on airs as well as Mrs Smith
If it was by lucky accident he got started and
followed up his fortune until he obtained his pres
ent importance. Tell Smith how he worked at
common labor, few years ago, or how he learned
the art of buying and selling for profit by gradu-
ating from boarding house waiter to stewardship,
and there learned his first idea of " Trade he
will probably reply: "Ah, them was old times. "
Old times, true enough Just a decade gone
since them old times"
The man at the intelligence office had sent five
different girsls to Mrs. Smiths employ in two
weeks, and on this particular morning Mrs Smith
wanted new servant.
"Mr. Smith," said the lady, addressing her
senior partner in a tone that said palmer than her
words have an order for you this morning. "Mr
Smith, the steamer has arrived see by this
mornings paper that there were three hundred
women on board, and should think that you
might get me real good servant girl. l want
no more girls about this house. 1 believe that if
have as much trouble another six months with
servant girls, as l have had within the past six,
shall go distracted, die, or be obliged to do my
own housework."
"Well, my DEAR" Smith replied, in a banter
ing tone of voice to his wfe-bantering witch Mrs.
Smith, was like boys venturing on thin ice
"Well, my dear, if You do the first act, shall
take good care of you-n the Asylum if the
second, will see you decently entombed and if
you do your own housework, l will pay you ser
wants wages regularly There !"
For a moment Mrs. Smith held her breath ;
then came low mutterngs. Smith began to move.
Then the first sharp drops from between her
pearl-like teeth and rosy lips. Smith was in the
hall. Then, with the laundering majesty of a
Zantippe Junior, she spoke-and Smith was max
ing his exit by the street door.
A boy and girl came running into the break
fast room while yet the clouds hung over the at
mosphere of that cosy place. Mrs Smith smiles,
and the sunshine breaks through "Not yet
dressed my darling P"-and the full tide of noon
day brightness shines resplendent all around mel
lowed by the tones of a mothers voice.
Il would like situation," said a mild, sweet
face at the intelligence office. The face was not
what is usually called pretty, but there was a
charm about the whole person that was rather
pfepossessing. The intelligence officer looked al