Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-06-02
"DI,s MAID.v

her maid, also young, ana NOR
than pretty--refined, accomplished
elegant, and beautiful, in intellect
culture, grace and dignity, far su
perior to her mistress. But Emil,
was very poor. Her fathers dealt
had left her and her delicate moth
er destitute and friendless, and IN
der the pressure of extreme neces
sity she accepted the position o
lady's maid to one who in happier
days had been her school-fellow
associate, and equal.
AS for me, l had always beer
Emily's bosom friend, and never
did she seem so dear to me as il
her fallen fortunes.
Things come about so strangely
We two girls wept so bitterly The
night before poor Emily went tc
her new home who could have
guessed that the thorny road she
was about to travel would lead to a
happy goal! and yet it proved so
in the end.
l knew very well it would be no
easy matter to get along comforta-
BILE with Di-she had been so pet
ted and humored by my uncle, and
it was therefore almost as much OF
a surprise as relief to me to find,
for quite time, things going on
smoothly enough between mistress
and maid on the occasion of DIS
grand birthday ball, however, /
began to fear something had gone
wrong, there had been such haut-
eur and temper shown toward
Emily. So | questioned Di about
it and her answer confirmed my
fears.
emily is so absurdly proud
said she pettishly. "Would you
believe that actually invited her
to be present at this ball as my
companion and friend, and she re-
fused Old Mr.. Brennan (enor-
mously rich) will he here. He's
crazy for a handsome young wife,
/ wanted to present her, and just
give him a hint, and who knows
what might have happened! But
no. She's too proud to accept my
favors, and l shall take care that
she doesn't again have a chance of
refusing them !"
"But, my dear Di! !" cried I. in
great surprise, for Di, in the char
acter of a Lady Bountiful, was
something extraordinary. "How
could she be at the ball? She is
in mourning, and
She interrupted with peevish
impatience.
"That was all arranged. ! would
have given her q dress as hand
some as my own-a white silk,
trimmed with lilies. Mine, you
see, is all warm pink and roses.
We could have kept together, and
formed the sweetest contrast peo-
pie would have named us THE Lily,
and the Rose but her stupid pride
has spoiled my plans !" She swept
her trailing silks across the room
until she stood before a large mir
ror. "Ah |" she sighed, shouldn't
/ have been a lovely little rose
with that elegant white lily be-
side me! My pleasure tonight
is destroyed y
How l did laugh ! Here was the
secret Of her wonderful benevolence,
she wanted q foil for her charms.
Still / wish she had not taken such
a notion; she had quick, pas
sionate temper and wholly unused
to ever having her slightest wishes
crossed or denied, and II was pos
sible she might conceive some way
ward prejudice against her maid,
whose position might thereby be
made too painful to be endured ; /
resolved to see Emily alone at the
very earliest opportunity.
A little before midnight the
chance came, and I slipped away
quietly to DIS bedroom. There
sat Emily, pale aud still, in the
large arm chair by the FIRE. Her
tired head was thrown back against
the purple cushions, her eyes clos
ed, and her hands that showed the
color Of cream among the folds Of
her black dress, lying loosely a,
rest upon her lap. / would no,
awake her, so stole on tiptoe across
the room to the toilet table, intend.
ing to turn down the glazing gas
lest it should disturb her slnmbers