Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-09-02
Comfy FOR HIS SAKE


held the Japanese screen between her
delicate face and the ardent fire.
She was a handsome woman, who
wore diamonds and velvet as n queen
wears her royal robes; a wealthy WO-
man used to command and control;
naughty and dogmatic in her positive
ness.
And this evening she was in her
most positive, imperious mood, as she
sat there, making J ct decision about
Lila Barton.
Then she rang for lights and by the
servant sent a message for Miss Barton
to wait on her us soon as Master
Horace and Miss Ginevra could dis
pense with her services.
1t was ten minutes later when Lila
Obeyed the summons and came into
Mrs. JeTningham's presence slender
pale-faced girl Of sixteen or seventeen,
with lovely brown eyes, soft as velvet,
and a mass of brown hair on her small,
graceful head-a delicate, refined,
thoughtful looking girl, who bore the
indisputable traces of having worked
almost beyond her strength
She came quietly near to Mrs. Jer-
bingham, and stood awaiting that lady'S
pleasure.
Il sent to have word with you on
a subject very distasteful to me, indeed
Miss Barton" Mrs. birmingham began
coldly, | refer to Il display of forward
ness and bOldness on your part towards
certain gentlemen | might name,
which has been called to my attention
more than once | desire to say that
shall not tolerate any further attempts
on your part, Miss Barton, to tiirt with
gentlemen visiting at the hOuse-nOta-
bly, with DR.. Dormer. All, do not in
tcrrupt me, and | am Indignantly sorry
to say, my son alsO!"
Mrs birmingham, you"
Lila attempted to gasp her protest;
but the cold relentless voice reSOlutc-
~ hushed her.
"Denials are more than useless, Miss
Barton. 1t is notorious fact that you,
Il mere Seryant-a common nursery
gOyerness and scamstrcss, boldly at
tempted to cngross Doctor Dormer's at
tention last night and one or two even
ings last week when you were ordered
to attend to the children in the drawing
room. Again, upon more than one oc-
casion, you have inveigled my son into
conversation with you-yOu, whom his
mother hires as a servant Miss Bar
ton | have"
Lila was standing there, white and
shivering, her eyes full of Mortified
modification and insulted pride.
Mrs birmingham, she interrupted,
holly, 81 cannot permit you to launch
such a torrent of abuse at me. 1t is
not true that | have tried to fiirt with
your guests or your son. Doctor Dor
mer spoke to me, and | aswered, as
anyone would have done. AS 20 your
SON
And her lips curled involuntarily-a
gesture which did not escape Mrs. Jer-
mngham's eyes.
1--WE will not discuss the subject
further. You have acted disgrace
fully, and, in justice to my little inno-
cent children, | have decided to remove
them from your care over them. You
are discharged from tonight, and in
place of months notice you can have
a months wages, as is my custom with
all my servants As to a character"
and the cold eyes took Il malicious look
ut the pale trembling girl, "of course
that is out of the question. That will
do, Miss Barton"
She pushed some gold pieces towards
her, but lila did not touch them.
Instead, her face grew suddenly cold
and naughty, and she walked out with
out any further protest.
And, somehow, Mrs. birmingham re-
oIIyCl h,l dana i,,m
more than simply discharge servant
Its shame-a burning shamen
Aunt Tabitna said, Indignantly. at
seems to me that nowadays the rich do
nothing but grind the poor. You poor
child, you-don't cry any more about
it, That birmingham woman isn't any
very great shakes herself, you take my
word for it, or she'd not be thinking
such things about you. Don't cry, Lila.
Cheer up, and We'll go out for a walk
in the park this afternoon, eh?"
But Lila would not cheer up, nor did
she go with dear old aunt Tabitha for Il
walk to the park Instead, she had
cried and worried herself into a hot
fever that defied all home remedies for
fever that ran higher and hotter, until
even aunt Tabitha thought it was best
TO send for a doctor; and a doctor was
sent for by little Tony Winton, next
floor above.
And be quick about it, toe" slipping
penny into his grimy little paw. You
can run round to Doctor Browns in a
few minutes, l know, and tell him to
come round"
But DR.. Brown wasn't at home-out
of town for several days-and Tony 5
wits were puzzled to know whether, SO
long as Miss Lila was so awfully i'll, one
doctor wasn't just as good as another;
and, in that full belief, he rushed of
for his mothers family physician, to
find DIR. Sampson also not available
And then, to stand diSconsolately at
street corner, wondering what on
earth would become of Miss Lila, just
as a doctors carriage passed him-evi-
IDENTITY a doctors, and a well-tO-dO one,
too, as witness the well-appointed
brougham, the proud-stepping horse
the handsome robe.
And ragged little Tony, all unaware
he was an instrument of unalterable
fate, succeeded in attracting DIR. Dorm
er's attention.
''Hi! stop, You're wanted at Miss
Lila Barton's, No. "A Canford street
sharp tool Coin %