The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-06-30

io'eci'iilc establishment" bless you y
employed some five-and-twcnty girls,
and that they generally came from dis
tance, and boarded while they staid
with an old woman close by, all in one
place, to keep them out of harms way.
Mr.. Williams insisted on that, and
had lot of rules about the hours they
were to keep and the way they were to
behaves good rules, and not so rigid
but that there was plenty of innocent
courting and more than one wedding in
season. As for we men, we went
where we chose. Some put up ut the
tavern, some with the people who
would ia Ike few boarders, and those
who lived in the place with their fami-
lies. There were very few girls who
had homes there to go to; for the vii
lage was an uppish kind Of place, full
of country-seats and villas, and the fac
tory stood all by itself, quite a distance
away, and the tavern and the few COM
mon houses were grouped close about ii,
as if the others were too gontcel to mix
with them. So Mrs. Munson's place was
always full. When new girl came down
somebody always had to be sent over to
Baldwin to bring her to the factory. |
had never been before, and why | was
chosen this time it was hard to tell.
However, | was willing enough, and
so, when / had taken a bite, | put on my
best coat and drove over. II was Il day
to tempt a man out-a beautiful Spring
day, with tender green grass on the
earth and tender pink buds on the
branches, and in the sky there were
only two or three flcecy bits of clouds,
like carded wool, amidst the blucnoss.
1t took only half an hour to get to Bald
win. I'd have been willing it should
be ten whole ones.
The train had got in, and there were
people waiting in the little house at the
depot-a couple Of stout old ladies, a
gentleman who looked like minister,
and Il young woman. | looked at her
and made up my mind she couldn't be
the new hand, not because she was more
dressed than they usually were, but be-
cause she wasn't dressed half so much
Generally they had on their brightest
gowns, and big beads around thcirnccls
Eand roses enough in their bonncts to fill 4
garden. This girl was al in gray, and
wore IL veil to match. The things were
cheap and not new, but they made hen
look like lady. Walked up and down
and waited. Tho fat women went away
in a wagon the clergyman had gig
sent for him; and there the girl sat be-
side her trunk, looking now and ther
out of the window and beginning tC
seem anxious. At all events it could dc
no harm to speak; SO took Off my hat
and stepped up with Il bow.
81 beg your pardon, Miss" said I
"but has there been anybody hero ask
ing about being taken to Mr.. Williams,
place."
81 want to 90 there myself" She an.
swcred; that is, if you mean the fire
work factory. Pm Annie May"
81 do mean the tircworll factory"
said. "Mr. Williams sent me down tc
fetch you. Pm Seth IIathron, ono of
the hands. The wagon is outside; will
you get in? Wait Il bit; I'll put the
trunk in tirst.n
} "Shan't | help you? ." she said, anC
she put her little hand to the handl,
nearest her. 1t looked so small | burs
out laughing.
81 don't need any help" said I-bu
: | thought could carry both the trunl
and its owner together, if | chose, anC
: she'd let me. She was the smallcS
creature, to be a full-groWn woman, tina
: | ever saw. y piece of the blue sky fo
her eyes, and bit Of the golden SUNSHINE
: for her hair, and some of those vii,
roses that would climb with the bar
. berries over the stone fences seen for hcl
cheeks, and you know how to pain
her.
After ] had helped her in and ha,
taken the rcins in my hands, ] KEEP
} stealing looks at her and thinking hoy
+ beautiful she was; and | tried to tall
about things that would please her, an,
l pointed out the places ON the road, an,
felt that, bright rs the day had been be
, fore, il was somehow great dca
| brighter now with her beside me.
> We stopped at Mrs. Munson's and sal,
good-by. | carried her trunk into tn
' hall and called the old lady, and droV
I the horse back to the stable. Then
= having holiday, | got ncWSpapc
b. and went out into the woods -- Bald
; wins Woods they called thcn-and
y think / knew every tree by heart.
. | sat down by chance under grca
. oak, where Jack Narnc, one of tn
c hands, had carved j. V. for his namC
n and O. G. for Olive Grcy's, and had pu
q II ring around them both; and us
& looked ut the work fell to wondcrin
+ why Jack Nurnc should have II sweet
n heart and ! none, and whether it wa
e only his pretty face or something O
other in our ways that made all Cir
like him and none me. And somC
= how | felt lonesome and unhappy, an
d couldn't read my paper, and sat dow
h with my head on my hands, sulkiC
:. than ever, ! suppose, to look mt. Mayt
), it was an hour, maybe two, that | ii
l. there before | heard a step coming owe
the grass, and looking up, saw the 81
had driven over from Baldwin
Annie May--coming toward ne. 81
d did not see me at first; but when she di
l, She started and stopped, and smiled I