The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-09-19
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"Wednesday Sent 10. 1899.
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1888.
A DOUBLE TREACHERY.
CHAPTER III.

After two or three years of intimacy
years in which Sylvia acquired with ready
ease luxurious habits and graceful man
ners, the friendship was suddenly broken
up. For some time George had been
away at Harrow; Annie, in her turn, was
sent, with n wardrobe tit for a princess, to
a fashionable boarding and at the
same time the question was under dis
cussion in the Chipp domicile as to Syl-
Was future.
The two children promised to love each
other always, and to meet every other
Sunday. They kept their word, but. as
the young girls grew taller and older,
Sylvia began to understand the infinite
distance that divided them, and her dress
es seemed too plain for Mrs. Speeds
elegant rooms.
When the three were alone together,
their friendship made theirsocial relations
equal. but visitors now often came;
schoolfellow, or some tall girl richly
dressed, who was brought by her moth
ers maid to spend the day with Annie.
AS she watched her ascending the
steps, Sylvia felta strong desire to run
away at once The stranger soon embar
raised her with questions.
.where did she liver Did her .~.Sa
keep carliagcf &c
Hearing them talk of their school. oi
their mutual friends, Sylvia felt that she
lived in a world apart, thousand miles
from theirs, and when, ON her return
home. her mother spoke Of apprenticing
her to Miss Pixley-a friend Of the De
Lacys-who had an establishment in
eighboring street for the sale of imitation
pearls, it seemed as if her last hold on
happiness was slipping away from her.
Florence thought well of this plan.
"Let her learn her trade" said the
kind hearted fellow, "and by-and- by l
will furnish her with capital to start her
in business"
In fact, Miss Pixley talked of retiring
in q few years.
One dreary morning in November, her
father took Sylvia to an old householder
and dirtier than their own. On the door
was fixed small glass case, covered with
dust; within were some necklaces OF
imitation pearls, mellowed by time. and
the pretentious name of Arabella Pixley
surinounted the whole.
What a forlorn place it wasl A narrow
staircase ard narrower door; small rooms,
all sunless and cold and in one an elderly
woman, with front of false curls, and
black lace mttens, reading creased and
soiled number of magazine, and appear
ing somewhat ont of temper that she had
been disturbed in this lively employment.
Miss Pixley received the father and
daughter without rising; spoke at length
of her social position, of her father, and OF
faithless agent who had abseonded with
their fortune. She, therefore, became ex-
tremely absorbing to Mr. Chip, who al
ways felt a keen interest in sneh incidents.
He tore himself away from the thrilling
narrative with difficulty, telling his
daughter that he would come for her Mt
seven in the evening.
The new apprentice was shown into
the empty worlSroom, and was placed be-
fore n large drawer Of pearl beads, in
which needles and scissors, bodkin4, and
cheap novels. were thrown peil-mell.
Sylvia had only to sort the pearls, and
to string them in little lunches of equal
length to sell to small shopkeepers. The
other young ladies', Miss Pixley said, would
soon be there and would show her exactly
what to do. and Miss Pixley thereupn
returned TO her magazine,
At nine o'clock the workwolnen arrived
live tall, pale girls. faded and worn,
shabbily dressed, but with their hair
carefully arranged.
Two or three talked between their
yawns, rubbing their eyes, and saying that
they were dying for want of sleep. Then
they went TO work at u long table, where
each one had her drawer and her tools An
order had just come in for some mourning
ornaments and they must hurry. Sylvia,
who had been taught her duties by the
forewoman, began to string mechanically
quantity of black beads.
The others took no notice of the new
conner, except by an inquisitive stare, and
Al a
that was to take place that day at u
church round the coruer
LET us 60" cried one dark-eyed girl
at is at quarter to twelve exactly. We
shall have time
So Mt that hour the FIVE girls snatched
their shawls and rushed down the stairs
like a whirlwind, leaving Sylvia to eat
her dinner. which she had brought with
her, at corner of the long table The
girl thought it drearyi enough, and her
life intolerable. E8&
At once the workwomen returned, noisy
and gay.
Did yot notice the richness of that
white silk and the veil of real point 7
What luck for herr
And they continued to chatter in the
workroom as loudly as they had done in
the church, where, unawed by the
costume and appraised every material A
rich marriage, jewels, and fine clothes,
were the themes of their discourse. But
their fingers flew as they talked. The
walls OF Miss Pixley's close rooms no longer
bounded their horizon; their hopes and
their wishes had overleaped Them
aft you were rich, what would You dor"
said one.
"Dof Why, should live in Belgrave
square and keep six carriages"
Sylvia listened silently in her corner,
handling the black beads with the delica-
cy and precision of touch she had learned
from Dora
When her father appeared in the even.
ing, he received many compliments ON her
industry and skill. HenceiorwaId one
day was like another; the only difference
being that some days she worked on white
instead Of black pearls, or she strung red
leads that looked like coral. for Miss Pix
ley used only limitations and tmsel; and it
was thus "little Chipp' took her first step
in life.
For some time the new apprentice,
younger and better educated than the
others, found herself in solitude among
them. Later, as she grew older, she was
admitted to their friendship and their con-
She was too proud to run through the
streets to stare at n wedding, and when
she heard of their methods Of amusement,
she Shrugged her shoulders with disdain
Sylvia had higher aspirations.
Sometimes. towards the end of the year,
she was obliged to send her father ilcme
again without her. and remain with the
others to finish some pressing work
Under the Pickering light of the gas,
the pale faces bent over the pearls, white
as themselves. 1t was the same fragile
brilliancy. They chatted of the theatres,
and the minstrels, concerts, and music
halls. and the pearls ratified as they
talked.
In summer the work was less hurried,
and in the middle Of the day the appren-
tees rested, and one Of the girls would
read some work Of fiction aloud to the
others.
But Sylvia cared little for romances
she carried one in her own small head, in
finitely more Interesting to her than any
she could read.
Nothing had obliterated her interest in