Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-07-11
4 BROWN STUDY.

4 BRO WV STUDY.
A little low brown house painted in blocks
| OF light and dark blown, with blinds OF the
same tint, and wooden fence that matched
it all. Even tho doorstep shared the same
hue, and the bare trunks of the elms, that
swayed to aud fro, with branches that clutch
ed the passing crowd, we're only shade OF
two darko than the rest Aud in the neu-
traltintod rooms sat three girls whose rich
brunette complexions harmonized with their
surroundings. They were sitting, too, in q
brown study, till the eldest Marta, spoke
at last with a profound sigh in her tone
"Its no use, girls the garden is closed up
for the season. Mother is no better and
still no word of father" She spoke the last
word in a husky Whisper adding, "What are
VIC to do for money!"
The youngest of the three, who could not
have been more than fourteen, tossed back
her golden brown ourls, and running her fin
gers through them. suggested, Take me to
a BARRIERS. Marta T.
ut may come to that some day, Lo1se, -
returned the eldest bitterly, and then turning
to the silent sister, who had been sitting in
| quiet meditation, she asked "IIast thou no
solution for this problem, most thoughtful
| Christie ?"
Tho girl started, hositated, and said 81
WAS thinking, girls, what slaves we are to
fashion and to the convontionalities. Here
| have been following the beaten track Of mu-
sic-teaching, walking miles of sidewalk for o
pupil at 81 month, and not able to earn
enough to keep myself in respectable cloth
| ing. Louise, with her deft fingers, has load
cd down q table of pretty but unsold goods
at tho Woman's Exchange, and Martas sales
of Christmas cards and other art work do not
remunerate her for the outlay of paint, the
| time spent and then the worry, the strained
| eyes that are already beginning to suffer with
such close application. My poor Marta"
Silence fell on the group. 1t was early
evening, and, to save expense no lamps were
| lighted as they talked.
1T seems strange" began Marta, at longth,
| that We get no word Of fathers ship. Moth
or says it has often been as long, but she has
never before felt the lack of money. The
failure of the Exchange bank has swept away
all the savings that were kept there for rainy
days. have no ORDERS Christie has only IS
| "A month coming in, and Louise has had to
| leave school. We must look ii squarely in
| the face, and see if there is no other way Of
earning money than those We have tried SO
| far. We can not 60 out to leave mother, and
We must earn money to give her more nour-
| ishipg food, for that is what she most needs. "
Then Christie spoke 'Signor Belino gets
| 81 a lesson from the young ladies in one of
the houses where l teach the younger chill.
dren. listened one day when waiting in
the hall, and was surprised to learn how east
| ly his money was earned. Girls, Pm going
to give it up, and turn washer woman"
Are you crazy 2 asked the nstonished
Marta.
II soon should be IL kept up music teach
ing in such a spiritless, f-paid way. No /;
/ will tell you my idea"
please do, If you have ono" said saucy
Lou.
II don't mind your sarcasm If you will on.
| ly agree to what | suggest" said Christie, a
little timidly. "And to begin, l was in Mrs.
Muldoon's the othorday know she keeps
| boarding house on James strect-and
thought some of her boardors might buy
| woollen ties or cuffs, or these warm mitts
Lou knits; so took q sample in, and whilo
| waited two young men were talking in the
| parlor. One remarked that his shirts had
| been sent home without single button, and
as yellow as old gold. The other laughingly
answered it was enough to make fellow get
married without waiting for a competence,
to have 10 sew on his buttons before he could
start for church, and added, why don't some
of these girls that talk about woman's sphere
| and the avenues Of employment open for
| them, start first class laundry, where wash
|
such perfection as to be classed among the
fine arts ? But, my dear fellow drawled
tho other it lowers them in the social scale,
| don't you see. A man can dance with these
girls who dabble in paint or literature or any
of the arts and sciences, but he couldn't come
down to dancing attendance on his washer
woman Elevate the business, said the
other one, hotly; and just then Mrs. Mul-
doom came in, and, Lou she ordered three
pairs of mitts for her boys something use
ful sells best, you SEQ.
Now let us start a laundry. We can't 90
out into society," anyway, and we must have
money. We have good stationary tubs,
thanks to father, and an out-kitchen that is
comfortable at all seasons. l have money
enough TO buy q box of soap and a steam
washer. We will not tell mother till she ID
stronger, but Marta shall write and cause tc
be printed few neat cards, stating that we
wash, iron and mend gentlemen's under
wear on reasonable terms. Marta is a splen.
did clear starcher, and likes ironing best
You know you always pleased father, dear
and he was very particular. will undertake
the washing Our garden gives plenty o
space for drying clothes, and Louise can pu
her fancy stitches into mending socks and
darning whatever is needed. The buttoni
must be all in order before the garment il
sent homo. l will get box of pearl buttonl
to begin with"
When Christie had done speaking ther,
was almost an enthusiasm in her tone, anc
after little more debating as to ways and
means, the lamp was lighted, the girls put OF
an air of cheerfulness and freedom from
care, as they gathered up the different worl
they had been employed with when twiligh
befell, and went upstairs to spend the even
ing in mothers room, after carefully closing
the hampers to save fuel, and making sucl
preparations as frugal housekeepers only
know of for the morning meal.
Whom Hugh Brown married and took hi
wife to the little home he called Brown cot
tage, he was only mate on a coasting vessel
but for many years before our story opens hl
had been captain of a merchant ship, and o
late years made long voyages to Mediterra
mean ports. 1t was now six months since ht
had sailed away, intending TO return befor
that length of time to his home and des
ones there. But time passed on and no wore
camo from him, and then the banks failur,
and mothers mAlarial fever brought finance
to a low ebb, and as she lay in the uppe
chamber, worn with illness aud anxiety, tn
young girls planned and saved and worked
downstairs, hiding their fears from her ant
each other. But week from the time the stor
opens the cards were printed and sent to tn
principal boarding houses in the city by post
And wheA Christie called at Mrs. MuldoonI
with Lou's well knitted mitts, she was reward
ed by an order for sll the washing of tn
boarders, while some of the young men prom
ised to speak 70 their friends of the new ven
ture. 1t was so neat aud unique in its way
this little bit of pasteboard, that one wa
forced to read and remember it.
GENTLEAIEN's UNDERWEAR
, Washed, ironed ana mended
Az Brown cottage, Blank street.
% Fine linen a speciality.
} Woollens washed without shFinkag
= Kitty O'Keene, whose boy was hired
0 fetch and carry the Clothes called at the col
0 tage and asked for work. "Sure and it's me
8 self can wash for yez half or a whole day
maam an Ted can hang out the clothes
. Rndlls tho girls knew her To be honest an
p poor, they engaged her services for half
day during the first three days of the weel
Tho work progressed without any confu
: sion, and when sent home was promptly pal
I for each article being specified in the printe
!. bill, which was inclosed in an envelope an