The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-05-21
MORNING, MAY 21, 1869.
md reported splendid fits and perfect sat.

and reported splendid hts and perfect sat
isfaction. 49,. q .--...-.. ...r. r..
The next morning Mrs. Sturgis came
for the bill. 1t was q matter on which
had bestowed some thought. had ques.
toned whether II would be the best poll.
cy to concillate custom by the moderation
of my charges, or to convey q sense OF my
own importance by their extravaganza.
One of my girls had formerly worked fol
Madame Lubec, who had stood ut the
head, hitherto ofB0ston fashion. After Q
with her made out my bill,
charging perhaps two or three dollars on
n dress more than Lubec would nave
done. |..
Mrs. Sturgis ran over the items.
"You are a little higher. In your rates
than Is customary here" she said "but
suppose we must be willing to pay yon
for your taste. My daughters
dresses were the loyllest In the room. Can
you make them some more next week!
They want some walking dresses, and q
dinner Dress" "Not next week, i am sorry
say. I am more busy than when you
came first. think might promise for
the week after next"
I had decidedly made hit. After that,
customers came In fast enough; and q
good many Of them spoke OF the dresses
Aggie Sturgis and her sister had worn ut
tile wedding. was able In two months
from the beginning, to bring on my mother.
and to take for her third room-a small
one that happened about that time TO
fall yacant-sO that she could be rs re-
tired as she wished. completed this ar
early In the winter of 1861, and
for the two years between that time and
the first appearance OF little "Bralns" In
my establishment, had been prospecting
beyond my hopes. But was not happy.
Success brought, indeed, a certain Kind
of satisfaction but missed sadly the care
free life Of the old days. the liberty to fol.
low my own tastes and ways, and l did
miss Horace Weir. had heard OF him
lie had come from France,
and was practising his profession In New
York, IwOuld have given much to know
he had thought Of me, Inquired
after me, tried to trace me out. Vain
II must have been lf he had. !
had given no clue to my former residence
10 n single old friend. Every one Ofthem
to the best ofmy belief had lost sight OF
me. Twas welded to n life very different
from my early dreams. had been sue
cessful, II Is true, beyond my expectlons,
/ was saving money. could make moth.
er comfortable. / had little to do with
the labOriOus details of my business. My
task was to invent graceful fashiOns-tC
suit cOlOrs to fair faces-t0 make charm
Ing toilet for girls living Just such lives ai
used to live once. God forgive mo II
sometimes / almost hated tliem-if now
and then a mad. rcbellious impulse seized
me. and cursed fate In my heart, forget
ting that fate was but another name for
Providence. -.. 4.
had been In one of these murinurlng
moods when little Susan Mory Interrupted
my meditatiOns with her fine small voice.
Alter she went away ] relapsed into IL
only partially, and reused myself with
at last, and went 10 my
to amusc her with an account OF
my dr0ll little visitor. After all. mother
had much more to bear than /. She had
not even the diversion Of Business, She
must sit through the long. slow days, re-
the past aud all Its good gifts
aud false prOmlses-stung by It's contrast
with the empty handed present. How
much more she had lost, too! What was
the sentimental regret OF young girl
over love that had never been declared,
to a wife's sorrow and longing for the
tenderness which had been
hers for a quarter Of u century" As l
opened her door l reproaclicd myself for
all my replnings. ...
I was glad TO perceive that she was
really interested about "Bralns." She
s,.lt 30, I,nr nj fhn tttn nn6
began planning about garments we could
give her To make over for herself anu
sister.
The next morning. curious to see
whether my small liand-malden had ar
rived, put on my dressing gown little
before seven, and looked Into the work.
room. / opened the door so quietly that
she ,l,l not hear IL. She had swept tile
room carefully, and now SHE stood In
chair dusting the window frame. IL was
very amusing To see her grave, wOmanly
patfcncc aud care. and her queer cxpe-
dients to accomplish the tasks for which
she was too dbsurfiy short. AS she
turned round | said.
GOOD morning, Bralns."
She dropped instantly from her chalr'
and made me her drOll little courtesy.
"Yes'in," she said clIeerfully, "Fm
cone. I've been trying to make 1t rs
clean here rs usual" And she glanced
at me interrogatively with her bright:
eyes, that looked so large ali
wistful In her queer, little, old young
face.
"Yes." said, lyon have made u very
nice; I think you will please me-
When her morning work was done ]
took her IN to see my mother, ana hcr
verdict was decidedly In the little one
favor. "Shc'll be tho best errand-girl
YOU ever had" she said to me after Brains
had gone back To the w0rk-roOni.
Time went OH, aud proved her right.
Through all the winter she was'the most
faithful of little maidens. Never did
pieces 20 astray, or bundles fail to reach
their destination; and she developed re-
capacity for matching dresses
with buttons and braid. and similar triiles.
I grew really attached to her, aiid would
not have exchanged her for any other
of twice her years.
Early IN March she took severe cold,
and began to cough. tried to make her
stay at home until she was better, aud
let some one else take her place; but she
insisted on coming. She knew just my
ways. she said, and she was sure IL didn't
hurt her. She was going 10 get better Of
her cold rs soon rs there were some
warm days. Still was not comfortable
about her. ] DID not like the sound Of
that constant cOugh-thc color on her
cheeks was too briglt--sho was growing,
TOO. into u mere little shadow.
One morning when I entered into the
work room missed her. Some one else
had been sweeping and putting away
things, but It was not In the accustomed
order.
"I,rains didn't como. I'm afraid she's
WORSE" Miss Granger said. They had
fallen into tho habit Of calling her Drains
the name seemed SO nppropriate-ti'ere
was So much thought, aud care aud wo-
lnanliness In such n little body.
Half an hour later there was timld
knock on the door, nnd In came q girl
whom had never seen before. i recOg.
uized her mt once for the ten year-Old
sister Of my little crrand girl-recosnlzed
her, as one oftcn does, by some mys-
terious family likeness. which seemed To
vanish when I looked at her more steadily.
This one was 70 real. actual child-Iarge
Of her aye, with full, rosy cheeks, and
rycs round rs beads. She came straight
a s.rI9 ia