Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-04-13
OUR LITTLE SERVANT MAID,

OUR LITTLE SERVANT MAID,
| never thought 50 little of Barbara
Darling as | did that July afternoon
when she stood by the window with a
pout on her lips and frown on her
brow, looking out on the road with ewes
that saw nothing, and utterly obiivious
to the fact that her dear, rosy-cheeked,
bright-eyed little sister was tugginp at
her skirt with one small hand and hold.
ing up her doll with the other, while she
piteously complained, "There's sumfn
berry awful wrong er matter wifi nv
baby, Barba hers broke in her side, an
can't cry any more to save her life"
until the speaker, as though to make IN
for this deficiency on the part of her
" baby" burst into a loud. long and
fearless cry herself, and even then Bar.
bara only pulled her dress out of the
dimpled little hand, and said, in de-
cidedly unamiable manner, "Oh, bother p
Barbara Darling was not pretty, that
is, not very pretty, at least there was a
diversity of opinion about her. The
young men, alluding to her ewes and
hair, spoke of violets and buttercups;
the young women, on the contrary
young women are 50 unpoetical when by
themselves -sneered, "Blue china and
molasses candy" the young women said
it was lawfully babyish )" the young
men called her "a fairy" the Young
women "a dwarf"
She was the eldest of eight children.
had no accomplishment, unless singing a
ballad or two passably well could be
called one was eighteen years old, poor
and-and-well, to tell the honest truth
rather high-tempered. And yet she had
for lover handsome, talented, proud
wealthy Anthony Ditto, the match that
all the girls in her circle had been max.
ing eyes at for year before he, with
heart still untouched, had met "wee
Bab," as he called her.
How he came to notice her at all good
ness knows, unless the comicality of the
introduction struck through the dignity
which enveloped him as mantle, and
sOltening his heart, let her steal into it
and then being a bury sort of little
body, he couldn't get rid of her after
ward.
" Miss Barbara Darling" said the pro-
voking Ned Parker, "Mr. Anthony
Ditto" and we Eyes VEIN Bah Dar.
ling burst out laughing, the names were
SO odd following each other in that man
ner, you know and from that moment
we were excellent friends until the day
we ceased to be friends and became
lovers.
Papa and mamma were delighted with
the engagement, and so was !, for of
course | loved him dearly; aItN yet for
the life of me I couldn't stop what he
called " firting," though Pm sure |
didn't mean it for that. You see every
body is so very kind to a little woman
that it is almost impossible for me to be
digniied She gets used to being treated
like child, and accepts pet names and
bouquets and bonbons and gloves, and
the best of everything, and talks and
laughs and sings with pleasant people Of
the opposite sex just as child would,
Now Anthony didn't like it-absurd
fellow wasn't going to marry him p
and he used to look, oh so very grim and
ogreish, and lecture me on the impro-
priety of my conduct, until | felt myself
the most miserable OF sinners; butt
don't know how to account for it--I
always forgot the lecture as soon as it
was over, and was in disgrace again i'm
mediately.
Well, the other evening, fourth of
July evening it was, party of us young
folks went to the village green to see the
pyrotechnic Il had to consult the die.
tionaIy before l ventured on. that word)
display, and arriving there rather late
found ourselves the last comers, and
consequently ON the outside of the crowd.
Ned Parker and | tried to push our way
to the front, but we couldn't; and /
didn't see thing, excepting a few
rockets and blue lights, until the verv
last, when Ned lifted me in his arms so
that | might at last catch glimpse of
Washington blessing his countrymeu
and women with one fire hand, while he
pointed to a Roman candle that had gone
up Just then with the other.
Anthony was few feet away, talking
to Meta Brooke; and when l Joined
him, expecting to meet with a terrible
frown, he greeted me with a charming
smile. And all the rest of the evening
he was as amiable as possible, and
though he had several five minute chances
to scold me, never said a reproving word,
never even referred to the George w,
episode; but he did worse, he fiirted
himself.
That | had never dreamed of, and |
must say that l thought, at the time,
it was real mean thing for a great tall
fellow like him to do to revenge himself
on a mite like me.
Yes, he firted for two long, very long,
hours and when (the party called at our
house) the children proposed kissing
game, he, my naughty, reserved lover,
JOlneu III Win tne Dold Brooke girl, and
cheese her for a partner" every time,
kissing her on the meuth; and she has a
pretty mouth, as he did SO.
| should have liked to box her ears
and his too for that matter-but didn't,
of course not. / sauntered about with
Ned Parker, and looked up into mis- face
as though every moment | discovered
some new beauty in it and when Meta
bade me goodnight (Anthony could find
no excuse for Offering to walk home with
her, her brother Dick being there), l
kissed her, and hoped that he had en-
inuah hnraalf