The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-02-07
hi i sc e liza n @ O N g.
Our Little Servant Maid,

/ never thought 40 little of Barbara Oar
ling as did that July afternoon when she
stood by the window with pout on her
lips and frown on her brow, looking out
on the road with eyes that saw nothing, and
utterly oblivious to the fact that her dear
rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed little sister was
Juggling at her skirt with one small hand
and holding up her doll with the other,
while she piteously complained, "There's
sumfin berry awful wrong er matter wifi nv
baby, Bahia hers broke in her inside, an
can't cry any more to sabe her life," until
the speaker, as though to make up for this
deficiency on the part of her baby" burst
into loud, long, and fearless cry herself,
and even then Barbara only pulled her dress
out of the dimpled little hand, and said, in
decided unamiable manner, "Oh, both
erl"
Barbara Darling was not pretty, that is,
not very pretty-at least there was a diver
sity of opinion about her. The young men,
abiding to her eyes and hair, spoke of VIC
lets and bnttercups, the young women, on
the contrary-young women are so unpoeti-
cal when by themselves !-sneered, @Blue
china and molasses candy; the Young men
liked the deep dimple in her chin, 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 accomplishments, unless singing ballad
or two passably well could be called one:
was eighteen years old, poor, and-ard-
well, to tell the honest truth, rather high
tempered. And yet she had for lover
handsome, talented, proud, wealthy An
thony Ditto, the match that all the girls in
her circle had been making eyes at for a year
before he, with heart still untouched, had
met "wee Bah" as he called her.
How he came to notice her at all good
ness knows, unless the comicality of the in
PRODUCTION Struck through the dignity
which enveloped him as a mantle, and soft
ening his heart, as honest fun always softeps
hearts, let her steal into it, and then being
bury sort OF little body, he couldn't
get rid of her afterward.
Miss Barbara Darling" said that pro-
voking Ned Parker, mr. Anthony Ditto;''
and we Eyes, we Pm Bah Darling) burst
out laughing, the names were 50 odd fol.
lowing each other in that manner, YOU
know; and from that moment we were ex-
cellent friends until the day we ceased to
he friends and became lovers.
Papa and mamma were delighted with
the engagement, and so was |, for of course
| loved him dearly and yet for the life Of
me couldn't stop what he called flirting
| though Pm sure I didn't mean it for that
| You s. e every body is go gery kind to it'll,
woman that it is almost impossible for hel
to be dignilied. She gets used to being
treated like child, and accepts pet name.
and bouquets and honbons and gloves and
the best of everything, and talk and laughs
and sings with pleasant people of the oppo
site sex Just as a child would.
Now Anthony didn't like it-absurd fell
low wasn't l going to marry him 2-an6
he used to look. oh so gerry grim ant
ogreish, and lecture me on the propriety o
my conduct, until felt myself the mos
miserable of sinners; butt don't know
how to account for i'll always forgot til,
lecture as soon as it was over, and was il
disgrace again Immediately.
Well, the other evening-Fourth-of J ul,
evening it was-a party of us young folk,
went to the village green to see the pyrotech
mic q had to consult the dictionary befor,
I ventured on that word) display, and arriv
ing there rather late, found ourselves til,
last corners, and consequently on the out
side of the crowd. Ned Parker and triet
to push our way to the front, but W,
couldn't; and didn't see a thing, excepting
a few rockets and blue-lights, until the yer,
last, when Ned lifted me in his arms so tina
/ might at last catch a glimpse of Washing
ton blessing his countrymen and womel
with one fiery hand, while he pointed to
Roman candle that had just gone up will
the other.
Anthony was few feet away, talking Il
Meta Brooke; and when Joined him, ex
pecting to meet with O terrible frown, h
greeted me with a charming smile. Ant
all the rest of the evening he was as amiabl
as possible, and though he had several five
minute chances to scold me, never said
reproving word-never even referred to tn
George w. episode, but he did worse-h
Jlirted himself.
That had never dreamed of and mus
say that ! thought--at the time-it was
real mean thing for great tall fellow lik
him to do to revenge himself on mite lik
me.
Yes, he fiirted for two long, gerry lon,
hours and when the party ended at GU
house, the children proposed kissin,
game, he, my naughty, reserved lover, joine
in with that bold Brooke girl, and chos
her for "a partner" every time, kissing he
on the mouth-and she has pretty mout
AS he did 80.
should have liked to box her ears, an
his too, for that matter, but I didn't
course not. l sauntered about with Ne
Parker, and looked up into his face
though every moment I discovered som
| new bpauty in IL. and xubar Matte hal, -,