The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1880-07-09
Miss Bilberry's Apprentice
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

Fl" 10 walk III, Mt. Itiliuots w
walk in,' said Miss Bilberry, her
withered face breaking into smiles.
" Well, now, if this isn't prOvideu-
tial. was just telling Lefty, my
Youngest apprentice, about your
delicious sermon last Sunday night.
| declare, 1t maue me feel as II l
had pair of wings and wanted To
tly. And says Lefty, says she:
Z" How | should like TO hear that
gifted divine Y Aud says |; " So
YOU shall, child, the next Sunday
evening as ever comes around.
For she's but IA giddy thing, Lefty
is, and dreadful inclined TO the
pomps aud vanities OF this sinful
world, and-but here you are stand
ing, all this while, and me chatter
ing on as ii my tongue were mill
wheel. DO pray be seated, Mr..
Primrose. an so glad to see you.
1t is such a blessed privilege to
have you n sittin' down under the
shadow of my humble r0Of!'
And Miss Bilberry showed her
double row OF false teeth like an
amiable shark, as she dragged the
biz cushioned easy chair into the
middle of the room, and jerked up
both the window shades, to,admit
more light.
"Run, Lefty, and cut a slice Of
the pound cake, and ask Matilda
for a glass OF wine," said Miss Bill
berry, in II stage whisper; and Il
slender, pretty young girl, who WAS
trimming Il hat with marabout
feathers in the back room, made
haste to obey.
~ beg, Miss Bilbeny, that YOU
will not send for anything on my
account said the Reverend Paul
Primrose, coloIing aud emOarraSS-
ed.
Miss Bilberry clasped her bony
hands enthusiastically. "Oh, it
ain't no .trouble," said she. "And
do so want to ask you about that
passage in your sermon last Sunday
morning. | always make Il little
abstract OF your sermons for my
apprentices aud make 'er write
them down. They are 80 improv-
mgw
The youn; clergyman listened
Nith evident admiration TO this
pinuS sisters edilying remarks.
Lime upon liuc,' he said mildly,
prerppt upon precept.' | wish
there were more like you, Miss
y berry"
alt ain't nothing more than my
duty" said the middle-agcd mil.
harr, pursuing mp her Tain lips.
"Nr'rr all poor, sinful creatures,
let us do the hest we can. Bat
here comes betty with the cake
aud wine.n
And as the young minister
glanced mp he caught Il glimpse OF
II rosebud face, with brown hair
curling in tiny tendrils around the
temples, deep hazel eyes shadowed
by long fringed laShes, and a fig
ure as slight as Il young birch tree.
Lefty Leigh shrank timidly into
the back ground once more as soon
as Miss Bilbcrry relieved her OF the
tray but the Reversed Paul Prim.
rose was somehow left with an i'm
preston that the .milliuer's young.
est apprentice had very winsome
face.
The wine was some abominable
homemade detection of over ripe
elderherrieS: the cake was marblcd
through with heavy streaks, but
the clergy man ate and drank, to
save Miss Bilberry's feelings, while
she discoursed in high-pitched
aud somewhat nasal voice of knot
ty theological points, and made
long quotations from Mr.. Prim-
roses last sermons.
Really Thought the clergyman,
as he went away, "that Miss Bill
berry is a most sensible and well.
informed womanw
"He's young" thought the mil
liner to herself, as she arrang-
ed the ribbons in the show
window "and his salary ain't
much. But I'm rich :and tired OF
this bonnet.trimming business
and I've thought | should like to
be a minister's wife,
From which soliloquy it may
be seen that Miss Bilberry was
playing spider to the Reverend Mr.
Primrose's fly.
The two apprentices, Clara Lin
wood and Lefty Leigh, were just
putting aside their thimbles and
needles late on Saturday night
when Miss Bilberry hustled in
."Here's astreak of luck girls, "sait
she, with a radiant face. "Lawyel
Downs wife isn't satisfied with thu
bonnets that Madame Stratelli ha'
sent her from New York and sh'
wants 'em all taken to pieces an,
trimmed over. Black velvet TO
her, with holly berries sand greer
leaves busted with gold; whit,
terry for the young ladies, will
double.iaced velvet ribbon, an,
wrcaths of Marguerites. Quick
light the big lamp, and get to wotl
at once "
"But it's after nine O'clock re
monstrated poor Lefty, in amaze
ment, "and Saturday night ~
~ can't help that,p said Mis-
Bilberry, sharply; !. Mrs. Downs an,
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