Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-06-13
LAS A COMPANION TO LADY. "


as YOU can afford the rent of the one
upstairs"
Here my landlady rubbed her nose
viciously upon her apron, and stared
straight out of the very dirty window.
As this was evidentally a challenge
to me to reply, said, as firmly rs |
could, few words which brought out
the woman's visit hat morning.
cam to understand, then, that you
wish me to leave?"
elf you please miss at the end of the
week, for there's the gent on the first
floor would like to have this bedroom"
"Very well, Mrs. Ruddock," | said
81 will find room elsewhere"
"Thanky, miss" she said sharply;
and giving her nose another vicious
rub, she left me to my thoughts-and
my tears.
For | was weak, faint, and heartsick
and the coins in my purse had dwindled
down, so that if did not succeed in Oh
tanning an engagement i'll II very few
days, | had no resource but to creep
back to the country and avow my fail
ure.
Just three months since, and we were
all SO happy in the little country vica-
rage, and then, III visiting one of his
people, my poor father caught dam
gerous fever while in tending him dear
mother was stricken with the same COM
plant, and ere three weeks had passed
Minna and | sat in the little study alone,
in deep black; for the struggle had been
brief, and those we loved lay together in
the green churchyard, and we were
Only intruders now in the little vicarage
that had been our home.
We were nearly penniless, too, but a
brother clergyman of my fathers quite
rs poor, came forward and offered lis a
temporary home till, as he said, some
opening should occur for us.
| gladly accepted it for Minna; but
for myself; | was determined to try
great London and, unaided, battle for
myself. In two years John Murray
was to come back from Australia TO
fetch me for his wife, and till then
would be independent SO the day
came at last when, with many tears,
we two girls had to separate, and with
aching heart left the old Lincolnshire
home, and reached the great dreary
void of London early one afternoon.
| was not long in finding place
where | could stay in the shape of II
second floor front room III one of those
heartaching streets near the Found
ling-streets that echo from morning
till night with mournful cries uttered by
vendors whose goods it was impossible
to surmise, and with the dismal echoing
tones of the various organs. So pain
full were these last to me, that often of
an evening, when have returned from
a weary, disheartening search for an
engagement, and sat alone and hungry,
fearing to spend my money in any
thing beyond the tea and bread-and-
butter upon which existed these dole
full misunderstanding may be to some
have had such an effect upon me that
have sat and sobbed, till, utterly worn
out, have fallen asleep, to wake, per-
haps hours after, to find it very late,
and crawl shivering off to bed.
AS the week passed on, and my adj
vertisements and fees paid to the vari-
Gus registry offices had been without
effect, used to crawl back to my room,
growing more and more disheartened.
| was always plain, sallow-looking girl,
and now in my fast-wearing black | be-
gan to feel that | was day by day grow
ing more shabby and weary-looking,
and that my feeble chances of obtain
ing post were growing less and less.
| used to sit and ask myself whether
had tried hard: and | knew / had;
but it was always the same. Whether
| advertised for situation as COVER
ness, or went from the registry office
to offer myself as companion to lady,
it was always the same: | noticed a
look of disappointment as soon as | en-
tered the room, for | was neither pretty
nor bright-looking, and my mournful
black helped to sadden my aspect. 1t
was always the same-the lady did not
think | should suit her. and in blank
disappointment l had to return. And
now it had come to this: that my land
lady had grown as tired OF me as the
people at the registry offices where |
had more than once been told rudely
that was not likely TO get a place as
governess or companion, but had bet
ter look lower. That afternoon, evi.
IDENTITY suspicious of my ability to pay,
and perhaps Disguised with my miser-
able way of living, and afraid ! should
be left an invalid upon her hands, she
had-rudely it seemed to me-request.
me to leave.
In my present circumstances | was
utterly nrostrated by the news, for
dared not take lodgings elsewhere; and
could see nothing now but to sell a
portion Of my scanty wardrobe, and 90
back to beg fol assistance from my ia
theirs friend
What changed and how soon had
my hopes Of independent action been
blightedl | was heartsore as | felt how
in that great city there was wealth be-
ing squandered and luxury around me
while | was literally starving; for my
poor living was telling upon me fast.
What should do? What should ! DO
1t was with weary iteration had said
those words, and wept till tears came
no more, and dull, stolid feeling Of
despair had come upon me. / had al
most shrunk away in the streets from
the bright-faced, happy girls passed;
and MT times / fonnd Ynvsoif asking