The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-02
L.iDA.


 sf honor decorated her with the triumph al piaudits oi fame, and no monumen- tai record ever told the story of her sim ple and unsweeving devotion to duty yet none the less is her name written in inn perishabie characters upon the scroll of glorious EemembFance, witnessed and att tested to in the higher court, where her welcome shall be sounded. We'll done good and faithful servantl"
 For she was only servant girl, and had sat meekly and sorrowfally among the others in the forlorn city intelligence ef- flee. waiting for some one to approve of her, and take her into service. lust the day before her mother had given her the little red bible sbe had in her pocket and said with fearful voice:
 "Be good girl, Lida. If things don't go to shit you, and yos get down-hearted, think of your father and me, and read what he marked in this book, and don't forget once to say your prayers. That is all the help and comfort poor girl can get that lives out and hasn't any home"
 Lda was thinking this over as she sat there in the commercial exchange of flesh and blood, when she heard loud voice say:
 "What is the matter with this one2 "
 She lifted her eyes, shy as the wild flowers of her own country fields, and saw gentleman regarding her with a cool business look.
 "She is just in from the country and has never lived out," said the polite tones of the mistress of the office.
 "All the better then," said the gentle man. My wife will make a good ser. want out of her. There is nothing suits her better than to break in a raw hand. Hey, girl can you cook potato 2"
 His voice was rough but not unkindly, and as the girl timidly answered him, he continued:
 "Send her to the house, Mrs. Spence, and settle with my wife about the wages. We won't be particular if she turns out to be quick and wiling"
 Lida smiled thankfully and tried to say a few grateful words that stuck in her throat, but it was all the same-the gen. tleman who had hired her, Mir. Simpson, had turned away, and from that moment forgot her as completely as if she had never lived.
 She was engaged at his house, and soon learned how to cook city diet in a way acceptable to the family. She could wash and iron, sweep and clean, and in a month Mrs. Simpson told all her friends
 The new girl could do other things sew and embroider, sing very sweetly, play the melodeon prettily, read and re- cite better than either Belle or Maud Simpson, and had lovely cultivated thoughts about the people and the rela- ton of one human being to another. But the family never knew it. They did not even appreciate the fact that she spoke beautiful English and had refined man. ners. She was the daughter Of Scotch minister, and strong, plain, good hearted Yankee girl, who, when her young husband became blind was eyes and ears and feet to him till he died, leaving family of younger helpless and dependent children. The father had taught Lida, and in dying he had charged her to help her mother maintain the children. But not in this way. Oh, no 1! good man as he was, his pride would have revolted at Lida's going into ser vice.
 But she, brave little woman, had req soned it all out. Her education was too cratic to permit of her teaching school. Sewing would soon ruin her health. Other girls lived out. Why should not she9
 The fronts of houses are very insincere. They Haunt light and style, and the ap- pearance of comfort in the face of the passer-by. The skeleton is in back part of the house-a closet that has no stained glass windows to attract attention.
 Lida lived in the kitchen she worked alone all day, feeding upon herself Mrs. Simpson did not scold or interfere unless something went wrong. Then she did both.
 Alas, how easily things go wrong. She could excuse them for herself or her children but not for the servant within her gates." Lida had letter from her mother saying that little Benny had broken his wrist and cried all one night for sister Lida. Then she cried, and the coffee Drowned too much, and Mrs. Simp- son scolded her severely. She sent every dollar home and wore her summer clothes all winter. Then she did very dishon- est thing. She wore the ironing blanket under her thin shawl when she went out one bitter night to buy the yeast for the breakfast mufins. Mrs. Simpson came into the kitchen and saw the lining of poverty.
 "Perfectly shameful" she said, wear- ing my things out ip that manner. pay you enough to buy warm shawl every month. What do you spend your money for ?"
 Lida did not say. The next morning the mufins were light, but not her heart. If was heavier than lead She sun0 softly under her breath:
 "Dare to do right-dare to be true"
 Then she changed it to:
 "There's land that is fairer than day."
 It seemed to help her, and she forgot the wearying rub-a-dub dub of the wash board and sung higher. Mrs. Simpson looked in:
 @Lida, stop singing. It is enough to set any one crazy to hear that dismal tune never allow my hired cirls to xing p