Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-06-25
Bi3TSI.Y BLINEN.


Maine girl, and | calculate that can
earn my own living if anybody can
Miss Bliven was tall, erect and com
posed She had seen the world, and
wasn't afraid of it.
But to think of n Blven going out
as a hired girl!' said Mrs. Midget, a
feeble, pink-eyed little woman with
chronic catarrh and a detected snitllc,
who had been born Matilda Bliven and
attached supcrsitious respect to the
name.
"Wha,'s the odds?" said Betscy.
1--WE got my living to earn, and mean
to earn it. Now, you, 'Tilda,' with a
compassionate glance at the pink
eyed aristocrat, you're made to work
without any wages. just for the salts
faction of being called Mrs.
And BctScy picked up her bag,
shouldcrcd her umbrella, and stalked
out to meet the stage, whose rumbing
wheels were beginning to sound upon
the road like distant thunder.
Miss Blivcn had visited a Boston In.
teligence Bureau, and there they had
obtained for her the address OF a house
in the northern part OF the State where
a reliable girl was wanted in the capa-
city of a table waitress and chamber
maid.
.Wagcs?' demanded Bctscy.
"Fourtccn dollars" said the gentle
manly man who stood smiling behind
| the desk.
"Privicgcs?" questioned the young
woman.
"A whole day to yourself every
| month. and every other Sunday after
noon, replied the man.
Amy other girls kcpt?' asked Miss
BIiycn.
''Four,' said the man, complacently.
"llumph'' commented Miss Betscy.
"Family largc?'
''WcIl rather admitted the man.
| And the situation is very lonely, and
| 50.
II don't care anything about that"
| Interrupted Bctscy. I'D as soon keep
house for "A hermit. or 20 on desert
| island. I'm not very young, aud I've
| no followers. Let me sce--Graud
Iruue Railroad to Back Gorge, stage
| coach to Bleak iiaIl-ycs, I've got the
| directions all written down
Aud Bct,cy paid her fee, took her
| card, and creaked out Of the room in Il
| pair OF bramd-ucw calfskin boots.
Miss Biiven travelled comfortably.
Nne carried her lunch IN sPliht oas-
hci, anu ate comfortable on me road;
she bcgu'lcd the Tagging hours with q
newspaper ana was not very tIreo
| when al ta,l the conductor Uuhg open
tn" door ana yelled out 'biArN Gorge.
at the top ol Il 'i"htoflan par OF lungs
...t L.. b a
Ana Ms hrts'N l"Nh" h"r'''' Niahu'
ing on '"' P.AloEh'' '"i'o"huc" DS
0af, pine ""ouH'
mere : me stage, sh" 'Nc'a'iiieo'
'Ladh Ior hirAh man ueihahue.
an In'lnualInG No'cc c'o'e 10 her ear
An" the next minute she iouhu her
set "i'"d poIiieIy INTO ciose' aart
WAGON, with !cather-cuShoned seats
"Whcre's the othcrs?" asked the
driver.
What othcrs?" said Miss BIiven.
The two gentlemen who were with
you."
There were none" said Miss Biven
81 came alone
"Alonc?" said the driver. rlancinC
uncasily around. "All the way from
Bo>ton?'
Yes. all the way from Boston"
said Miss Betsev, little impaticntlv
why shouldn't /? You don't suppos,
| needed keepers. do vou?"
ION, no, ma'am; certainly not,
promptly responded the man, as h,
climbed into his seat and took tn,
: reins.
He drove circumspectlv. along
lonely road, Miss BIven observed, ~
to the very door of a great. dark stone
house, ncdgcd about with funeral look.
ing SpruCes and Ccdars. as Betsey coulG
discern in the star-sprinkled darkness
and narrow door was opened.
I've brought her. said the drive,
to a respectable looking man in black
whom Bctsey at once concluded to b,
the butler, .'aIl alone"
7 Alone. Bless my soulm cried til,
+ man. II hope YOU didn't have an,
trouble?'
None in the least" said the driver
"She's as quiet as a larnbn'
well, i neyer!' said Miss Bliven
"DO they take me for a raging liOness
! wonder?'
In an instant her arm was drawn
through that Of the respectable man il
black, and she was conducted along .
dark, stone-paved passage, lighted only
by a swinging lamp p that hung abov,
their heads.
. Very polite they are here, | mus
q say" thought Miss Betsey to herself.
But the idea WAS scarcely formed il
her mind when she found hcrsel
pushed, gently but suddenly. into
small, stone-paved room. with circular
walls, windows high above her reach