Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1885-06-25
Ida.
Mrs. N. L. Rayne.l

WIFI lnN
plaudits Of fame. and no monumental
record ever told the story Of her simple
and answering devotion to duty; yet
none the less is her name written In I'M.
perishable characters upon The scroll oil
glorious remembrance, witnessed and at
tested 10 in the higher court, where her
welcome shall be sounded: We'll done!
good and faithful servant"
For she was only a servant girl, and had
sat meekly and sorrowfully among the
Others in the forlorp city intelligence
office. waiting for some one to approve OF
her. and take her into service Just the
day before her mother had given her the
the little red Bible she had in her pocket
and said with fearful voice;
BE good girl, Ida II things don't
60 TO suit you, and you 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.
Ida 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 oneg"
She lifted her eyes, shy rs the wild flow
ers Of her own country fields. and saw
gentleman regarding her with cool bust,
| ness look.
aShe 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 servant
out of her There is nothing suits her
better than TO break In raw hand Hey,
girl, can you cook potatoy"
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 willing
Ida smiled thankfully and tried 10 say
o few grateful words that stuck in her
throat but il was all the same-the gen
tleman who had hired her, Mr.. 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 10 cook city diet in way ac-
eeptable TO the family. She could wash
and iron, sweep and clean. and in month
Mrs Simpson told all her friends what a
treasure she had in the new girl.
The new girl could do other things
sew and embroider, sing very sweetly,
play the melodeon prettily, read and recite
better than either Belle or Maud Simpson.
and had lovely cultivated thoughts about
the people and the relation 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 manners. She was the
daughter OF Scotch minister, and a strong.
plain, good-hearted Yankee girl who
when her young husband became blind
was eyes and ears and feet for him till he
died. leaving family of younger help
less and dependent children. The father
had taught Ida, and in dying had
charged her 10 help her mother maintain
the children. But not in this way Oh,
MOI good man as he was, his pride would
have revolted at Lida's going into service.
But she, brave little woman, had
reasoned IL all out Her education was
too cratic 10 permit of her teaching
school. Other girls lived out Why
should not she2
The fronts Of houses are very insin.
cere They flaunt light and style. and
the appearance 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 10 attract atten-
ton.
Ida 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 60 wrong.
She could excuse them for herself or her
children, but not for the servant within
her gates" Ida had letter from her
mother saying that little Benny had
broken his wrist, and cried all one night
for sister Ida Then she cried and the
coffee Drowned too much, and Mrs.
Simpson scolded her severely. She sent
every dollar home and wore her summer
clothes all winter. Then she did very
dishonest thing She wore the ironing.
blanket under her thin shawl when she
went out one bitter Dight TO buy the yeast
for the breakfast mullins. Mrs. Simpson
came into the kitchen and saw the lining
of poverty.
Perfectly shameful, she said, wear.
ing my things out In that manner
l pay you enough to buy a warm shawl
every month What do you spend your
money forY"
Ida did not say The next morning
Che mullins were light, but not her heart.
II was heavier than lead She sung softly
under her breath:
"Dare 10 do riyht-dare 10 he true"
Then she changed II to:
aIlaraia "A land tnat IL tho,
IL seemed TO help her, aud she forgot
the wearying ruba-dubdub of the wash.
board and sung higher Mrs, simpson
looked In
-Lida, stop singing. 1t is enough to set
any one crazy to hear that dismal tune
never allow my hired girls to sing.
After that she sang only in her heart
You Are dear good girl" wrote her
mother, and am so glad you like your
place and that the people are kind TO YOU
We should have starved this winter bat
for you. '
When Ida read this letter she laid her
head down on the kitchen table and cried
All the inanimate things that were her
only companions seemed 10 he sorry for
her. The stove shone warm and bright.
the room looked as coy, but OH Il was
not Monochrome, where mother and
Benny and the rest loved her. She read a
chapter in the little Bible went 20 the
small, dark, dreary room that exists in
most houses az sort Of catch all, and is
known as the girls room, and there by
the narrow bed asked of God that peace
which howeth as river.
II came TO her sooner than she expected.
Mira Simpson sent for her family pbysi.
cinn one morning and said
doctor, ] am in such trouble My