Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-06-24

Mr.. Malcolm, she sobbed-"very hard
on me, / did my best for them.
worked-and / am not very strong,
though am blacksmith's daughter =
from morning till night, and yet could
not please them. And it was not ny
fault about the mirror. 1t was not-it
was not - it was not. Though Miss
Cameron insists that l stopped sweeping
to look at my curly hair-I can't he'll
its curling; l did everything to make it
straight; tiedit back so tight, over and
over again, that my head ached awful
and knocked it with the broom. She
was little better before you came, but
after you came, and complained so much
about the tea, and the coffee, and your
shirts, and-and everything"
II complain !" exclaimed her listener,
breaking in upon her rather confused
narration of her wrongs. "Why, l
never complained of anything. How
could I? ?-there was nothing to be COM
planned Of"
She said you did. But 1 beg par
don, sir suddenly remembering the
difference between the candy-and- kisses
time and the present. 'She is your
c1otCLy aAO-Ano LII llOuOlCb dAC AOtn-
ing to you"
''She is my sister an extremely long
step off, he replied, gravely; "and
your troubles are a great deal to me;
and furthermore, 1 think l see way
a pleasant way-out of them. Let me
walk with You to your aunt Nanny's,
and there, with her to advise us, we'll
talk matters over"
"Oh, it's such poor place, Mr.. NAL
colin Miss Cameron called it hut,
and said it was only fit for kindlIng-
wood"
i" I've been in much poorer places,
Molly" said he, and picking mp her
bundle, he walked by her side to the old
woman's cottage.
Two weeks passed by. poor drudge
from the work house, whose chief Tin
fact whose sole) recommendation was
''no wages" had taken Molly's place in
the Misses Camerop's kitchen. Mr..
Malcolm had gone away on business
directly after her coming, and on the
evening appointed for his return, the
two sisters, attired in dresses of dull
gray, unrelieved by single touch of
color, sat everything in the house be-
ing in heart-chilling, dreadful stony
order), one at each parlor window,
awaiting his arrival.
He must be coming; think hear
wheels, said the elder, in her usual
precise tones.
Wheels repeated the sister.
And wheels they were, but not the
wheels of a carriage, but those of a
truck, and this truck, on which lay a
long wooden box, stopped before the
cottage door.
"a mirror for Miss Cameron" the
driver called out as he jumped down.
ga mirror ~ repeated the spinster,
unable to restrain gesture of surprise
And "a mirror |" said Miss Georgette,
with another gesture of surprise.
Eyes, ma'am from Wizards, New
York. Where is it to be taken ?"
"First unpack it out here" COM
manded the lady, recovering her self
possession. ''I can't have the house
Uttered up with splinters and shay
ings."
"No, indeed" chimed in Miss Georg-
cite, also recovering her self-posses-
sion. "Splinters and shavings p
So the box was unpacked at the road
side, and the mirror taken from it
proved to be better and handsomer in
every respect than that it had been sent
to replace.
1--WE brought wire to hang it with, -
said the man, as he carried it into the
house; $50 there'll be no danger from
moths this time"
"Moths p said Miss Cameron, glar-
ing at him. And Moths !" echoed
her sister, also glaring. And they both
continued to glare, as though called
upon to superintend a piece of work
highly repugnant to their feelings, un-
til the mirror was hung, and the driver
again in his place on the truck.
"Of course George sent it." said
Miss Cameron, when the man had
driven away. "But Mary Brown must
pay for the other all the same. Our
having this makes no difference in re-
gard to the agreement with her,"
"No difference in regard to the
agreement with her." assented Miss
Georgette-when who should walk in,
in gray silk walking dress, bunch of
crimson flowers at her throat, and an
other in her belt, and the most coquet-
tish gray hat, adorned with more Grim
son flowers, but Molly herself.
GOOD evening"" she said, smilingly,
81 have called for a receipt in full !"
"a receipt in FULL And for what,
pray? Have you brought the money ?"
asked ner whilom mistress. And,
"Have you brought the money %
echoed her other whilom mistress.
"No, have not brought the money, g"
answered Molly "but have sent you
a mirror that more than answers all
your requirements.
"You y from both sisters at once.
again, for the second time in one short
hour, they were guilty of being sur
prised, and letting their surprise be
seen.
eyes, /. have the bill with me. A
receipt in full, if you please"
Miss Cameron arose, walked in a
stately manner-Molly following her
to her desk in the dining-room, seated
herself, took pen, ink, and paper, and
began Received from Mary B"
when
"Stop a moment" said Molly "my
name is no longer Mary Brown"
"And what may it be ?" inquired
Miss Cameron, regarding her with lofty
contempt.
IN answer that question" answered
MIR. Malcolm, suddenly appearing, and
passing his arm round the slender gray
silk waist, thereby crushing the bunch