Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-16

shall tear them to tatters; still / ha,
better begin washing them at once"
The girl had high spirit and Low
ing heart. The former would hav,
driven her into rebellion against Mrs
Witherington. The latter made heI
bear things for her mothers sake
She fell into the way of doing all thai
Mrs. Witherington required OF her, ant
that lady nourished efond delusion thai
she had secured a treasure for life at .
cheap rate. But all the time Iris was
biding her time patiently, in order thai
her first struggle might be an effectual
and last one.
Soon Bond could not have competed
with her in the deft handling of Mrs.
ed costumes. Adroit, light-handed,
gifted with taste to rare degree, she
''made the best of her task-mistress'
personal appearance in way that
caused a spark of gratitude to ignite at
last in that self-adoring lady's heart.
When she had done this, Iris made her
first move.
Mrs. Witherington, she began one
night, when her mistress was sitting
exultant before the glass, studying the
good effect of recently placed "old
point and diamonds on her head, s.anl
l a good lady's maid now?'
There can't be a BETTER" Mrs.
Witherington said enthusiastically.
81 am glad, for you will give me a
character that will get me what want"
"a what?n
"A character. am going to get into
some place where can make money to
pay for something must have
"And what is thatpn
lessons for the stage"
Then Mrs. Witherington scolded,
scorned, espostulated, pleaded. But
Iris had learned her own value during
this time of iron servitude and she stood
out now either for good wages or good
character.
''Mr. Witherington will sink under
the disgrace of relation of his going
on the STAGE" his wife urged; but Iris
only laughed.
IL shall not proclaim the relationship
l shall be too much ashamed to &C
knowledge how relation has tried to
degrade and keep ME down, if l ever
do get among ladies and gentlemen on
the stage"
What has put this idea in your
headP"
Seeing that Miss Tremayne is adver-
Using for maid, and offering f40
year wages. Miss Tremayne wouldn't
be the grand actress she is if she hadn't
the heart to feel for such poor foot
ball of fortune as / have beenn
"Your wicked ambition will bring
you to ruin," Mrs. Witherington said,
spitefully, tears ofvexation coming into
her eyes at the prospect of losing her
''cheap treasure" II wash my hands
of you, but the world shall know that
you preferred life of wicked excite
ment and temptation to a safe and
happy home with your own relations"
Your world and mine will never be
the same, luckily for me-" Iris said,
coolly, and Mrs. Witherington could
have slapped her for being SO indepen-
dent, though penniless.
Iris went to the beautiful, popular,
clever Miss Tremayne, as maid, and re-
manned with her in that capacity one
hour. At the end of that hour the
warm-hearted woman who was at the
top of the tree had learned the story of
the poor little aspirant at the foot of it.
You shall stay with me as my friend
and pupil, Iris" she said, with all that
gracious grace that has made her such
a sovereign lady ON the stage; 'and as
it will be impossible for you really to
study while your mind is half absent
with your mother and her troubles,
those troubles must be relieved at once.
1 am alone in the world; they shall be
my mother and brothers,
For fifteen months, Mr. and Mrs.
Witherington told all their friends Sin
confidence" that they washed their
hands of Iris, whose conduct and ca
reer had crushed all sympathy and in
terest for her out of their expansive
hears. At the end of that time Iris
made successful debut. Then for
another year she studied harder than
ever, always helped by Miss Tremayne.
Then she aground" for six months in
small parts in 1.-The provinces. Then
Miss Tremayne brought her out at her
Miss Tremayne's) own theater with
out any preliminary puff, and Iris
touched the peoples heart and taste at
once.
The second night of her performance
the Witheringtons were there, letting
every one near them know that the
young actress was their cousin. The
next, Mrs. Poppinger received an offer
from her cousin of moderate income
for her life, and at the same time he re-
minded her that had it not been for his
excellent wife's admirable training of
Iris, Iris would never have been able
to approach Miss Tremayne with a prof
fer of services ''In fact" he said, 81
hope our dear girl will never forget that
this most gratifying result is entirely
due to the circumstance of our having
given Iris a home and taught her to be
useful. This is most pleasing refec-
ton to us, and | trust you will always
keep this truth before our dear girl.
So, as Iris SCARED higher and higher,
the Witheringtons eulogized themselves
more and more to their own little circle
as the benefactors and guardian angels
of their ''little pet cousin Iris.'