Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-04
the only handkerchief she possessed, and an old

NJ
piece OF cotton lace which she designed for her
neck. The gloves were great deal too large
lot her. but with needle and thread she labored
all through the remaining hours OF the short
afternoon to take them up a. the seams and
Draw them down at the fingers ana shorten
them at the wrists The result TO FrowZy was
| splendid success. She could at least keep
| them by little management on her hands ana
! like the boy who Z" couldn't freeze with new
boots on, she felt that she could not be utterly
| failure from an artistic point OF view In
| pair OF white gloves SO, strong In the moral
| support of the gloves, she braided her hair
| and then went to ask her mlstIesa's permits 7on.
| her to slip out softly. after the kitchen work
| was done. She could so easily; for Mrs. Briggs
| for her, but Frowzy was an honest girl, aud
something within her repealed the idea with
| scorDl Drawing long BREATH she opened the
| door OF her room. The stairway waa dark, but
down, partly to keep her courage up aud partly
because she was thoroughly chilled. at the top
| the dining room door. the signal for the settling
| OF the ea-table; and yet. when she reached the
bottom OF the last flight, and knew that only
| thin Wan separated her rom her mistress. she
stopped. Il will count 100 FIRST" she said to
| herself, trembling all over with actual frlght;
| go. 81, 9S, 80, l0O," came out at last On her
| would have fingered there we cannot tell, for
| "Frowzy! Frowzyr'
eyes, mum: I'm COMM"
"Wall, sh'd think 1t was high time. Your
teakestle Is sizzltn' over on The stove, an the
boarders want supper half an hour earlier, on
| don't stand staring like an u IT,
1t was nOtU or ,aeoer With poor Frowzy: yes,
mum, aud wanted to say as how wanted to
| go to the ball, too. For Mrs. Germaine invited
| me to go.'
| Mrs Briggs had sufficient presence OF mind
| to cross the kitche and deposit the kec o5ene
| lamp firmly on the table. She turned and
| looked at Frowzy very much as she might have
looked If that girl had asked permission then
| and there to ascend to the moon.
"YOu go to the ball! Mrs. Germaine Invited
| you to 90 to the ball!''
The enormliy OF the thing was evidently
growing upon her. When she began. aston
fshment was the only expression OF her face,
| but her last words wee repeated. through lips
absolutely paling With tn rage rag MRS. Germaine
FrowZy knew that her case was lost; but she
steadied herself Dy the door and looked into
her mistress face as she replied: "Yes mum,
she had the use o, two sttings 10 the gallery.
and Bridget said. as how she said, IL would
give me chance
.'She did' indeed! and what business have
you to go begin and Whuin' around for
chances?"
~ ~ didn't beg for chances, mum My Teddy
1t was tbs, after all. that poor Frowzy
Rugged close to her heart more precious to her
than any thought OF sight or sound, this that
no no. pnk1naness could lake from her; but she
Briggs rage knew no bounds.
"YOW Teddy, indeed! Take Htatr' and sac
dealt her poor victim a blow that sent her reel
Who Is your mistress! And now pick yourself
up ard git that supper on the table," for she
had caught the sound OF approaching steps,
and she hastily beat retreat to the dining
Fer fears for Frowzy were being realized.
Somebody was finding her Quit. "That little
Gn1fied, stuck-up thing over the way, too. Why
thought: mot that I'd demean myself to take
it,. Thank fortin, my moneys sgOod's other
iolEses.' she exclaimed aloud, as sudden
One by one the boarders came troopng In and
seated themselves at the table, ten Of them,
Morgan, the overseer Of the Vernon paper mill,
! at the head. Mrs. Briggs "waited." and
! Frowzy busted herself at the kitchen sink, aud
kept within 'call" Amid the clatter OF
knives and forks, there came to her fragments
OF the conversation. 1t was Morgan who was
| speaking.
Its The Germania from Boston, coming out
at o'clock. Ali the telephones along the line
are to be put In communication, at Worcester
| ard Palmer. and Spl tDgheld,-a great idea"
Whats the use OF going there, If one can
have the music at home" remarked the oppo
site. "Your little instrument would do the
frtisiness for fellow, II he didn't leave the
room."
"Wall, White. to hear you talk one would
'spose there was nothing to a ball, anyway, but
the music" put In third. Jones, pass the
mustard!'
Frowzy had finished her clearing out" a,
the sink, and sat resting her face on her hand
before the fire; she heard the tax, but did moi
understand one word OF 1t. Size was thinking
how all her plans had died out, as those embers
were dying out In the range.
Mrs. Briggs passed the tea and served tbs
edlole5 With determination In her eye and ar
pnWOnted color IN her cheek. An hour later she
ted the strings OF her best bonnet Ia square
l'ow under ber chin, and settled her double
Woo'en shawl hrmly On TO her shoulders, Wit
the air OF one who is resolved upon immedlate
action. She had often been heard to remark
that ''nothin' short OF an arthquake" would cal
@ Inc lot
prayer-m meetings, concerts, even the Sight OF
the great Mogul himself would be as the fire
GUST In the balance, weighed agairst the com
fort OF her 1lreside and easy Chair, but this
Invitation to Frowzy she felt 20 'oe such a ,ar
s1nai afront that nothing short OF her az /,
visible preGe at the ball would suffice IN
90. II 1t rains broomstickS" was her Comment
IN teach thst stuck-up hussy over the way
mat l can enjoy some privileges without
6eggin1,' for EN-. FroTzy! FrowZy come here
4 call to the "settin' ROOM was such an nm.
usual occurrence that poor FrOwzy. VINO it must
&c confessed had made but sorry work tn try
ing 10 convince Bridget. at the back door, that
she ought not and should not go to the bal
without her mi3tress's permission answered the
summons With aiacrlty. wondering II Mrs. Briggs
was taken sudden sick. Great was her sur
OF her best clothes.
"FFrowzy, be your dishes done?"
fast?" iA'A ''' o'0aA'
Yes, num-"
. "Ans G Ionm ground and hash choppeds"
$. "A And BINDINGS ready and coal brought up?'
Ives mum"
"Well. then, you're to sit right here and
Watch the fire and mind the telephone for
morgan I'LL come. When the coal gets red In
Tue stove open the upper door, and shet the
campef-so; and as for the telephone two rings
Is Morgan s and you're to listen and rememper
what is said to him, and II he is wanted sudden
you're TO say that he 1s-wall declair for t,
I'VE Den so kind o. clustered, l disremember lest
Were ne Is, but presume to say he could be
found at the ball."
" Be you goin' to the ball, NUM-" ventured
troWZy, her eyes opening Wide.
" Traps am and then ag1n 'praps n not,
US noDodyS business where 60 IL I'm not
beholden to DO one. | Shall lock all the doors
and you're not to light 10 lamps: II Morgan
comes he's got night key and will let himself
u" and suiting the action to the word She
tnrned the key upon herself and put 1t In her
| pocket.
FrowZy sat, for what seemed to her q very
| iopS time, on the stool before the fire her
crows ON her EneoS-thinking. She Wishe
ILat her life could go On forever lust like thisi
There was such suggestion of comfort In the
| glow OF the warm, red Goals, such sense OF
| rest and ease in the very looks OF the Old hair
! cloth sofa and the stuffed easy Chair. II this
! would only last always just tbs. Mrs. BRIGGS
| never 10 return, and morning never to d AVN