The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-01
LuClTer Match Girls.

Lucifer Match making, according to
ayoung lady's statement, "was much
better game one time. But Pm a
speaking now," she continued, " Of
whom my mother was gal. She
worked at it, and 80 did my Aunt Loo.
She died In London hospital OF it,"
"Of what?" "Of the matches. There
wasn't no new-fangled ways Of making
matches In them times. at least so I've
heard my mother say, only birthstone
and fosterous, and the fosferous used to
getinto your.bones and cat 'em away in
your face jaws mostly that's what my
Aunt Loo died Of. But sec what she
used to earn, and my mother, too
Eighteen shillings or Il pound week ="
'And with the prospects Of Il dreadful
death by phosphorous poisoning ?" l
suggested. "That's 'cordln' to your
luck" responded the reckless young
matchmaker, "it's like being in raf-
flo, Some wins and some losses"
"And would you risk 1t II you had an
opportunity ?" "Rather," she replied,
with Oh emphatic wag of her head, that
left no doubt as to her earnestncss; :;
''would Mt you If you was me2" "I
should not" "Oh, but you dom
know what it is to find your clothes
and wittles OH four-and-sixponce a
week." said my young lady with the
forehead fringe and dilapidatcd shoes.
"You might altor your opinion If you
did," "The puzzle to me is how you
IN 01yn Il y
spread ovor whole week for food, let
alone oloths," remarkcd; "thcrc arc
not many girls Of your age who do 1t,
should imagine" "Oh, don't you
make a mistake; thcrc's dozzcns that
[ know that do 1t no less" "But how
Is 1t possible" ?" "Wcll, I'll tell you.
a pen'Orth of bread at breakfast and
tea, and a hap'orth OF coffee; there's
three-penco and twopcncc for dinner
there's h'ppencc; and five skies Is half
crown for the week, and you give
your mother slX-penoc for your grub
OIL Sunday, and there you are landed
with lS pence for olothos and things.
ISIS jolly soon counted up, you scc."
1t seemed to me to be anything but
'oAAAiJ SouiAto" HP ..'.'' 4Siiit,s NS,i,
"But you have Mt said anything about
meat for dinner all tho week. You
can't bay amcat dinner for twopcncc.
'"That's COS you've never tried it," she
remarked triumphantly. "I'vc had my
soup-and look here, ain't that meat
and bread rs we'll, and the whole lot
tupencc!" And rs sho spoke sho dis
closed the folds Of hor apron prodigi-
Gus and smoking hot sausage of the
"savelOy" kind and an inch thick slice
OF bTcad-soup tatfpcnny, bread
halfpcnnv, and "mcaL" penny.
"rherc's ono meal you have forgotten
now," remarked. "What about sup.
per" "Oh rs TO SUPPER" said she
laughing, but not blushlng, "you'vc
got enough to think about after You
leave of In amusement, without truub-
ling about supper. 'Sldcs, if she 'shnngry
gals sweetheart must be Il stingy sort
of a fellow If hc won't pay for some
thing to cat ifa girl wants it," But
what ifa sarl has not gotta swccthcart?"
"Ah, if" There was not much in IN
monosyllabic ejaculation, but for the
tone In which 1t was uttered, and the
indescribablc gesture that accompanied
1t. She--thc girl Of l6--had no pa
tience to entertain for moment the
supposton that Il female Of her mature
years should have nobody to "walk
out" with. [ carnQs say, however.
thnt was much surprised. The utter
absence Of maidenly reserve, that in
common with her companions, she cx-
hibitcd, the forehead fringe, the illshy
cheap earrings, all pointed rs unmis-
takaDly to q sweetheart and free and
easy evening recreation as the wealth
ercork denoatcs the way the wind is
blowing.