The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-04-02

lec{ug nefSelI, went AROUND 10 the bluo
door. In answer to her timid knock .
lady came to the door.
rs Mrs. Copeland in,' inquired
Flossie.
II am Mrs. Copeland" the lady
smilingly replied, wont you come
IMP"
II heard that you wanted girl to do
general housework, so came to see if
/ could get the place." said Flossie,
flushing deeply.
@How did you know / wanted to en-
gage girl?" asked Mrs. Copeland.
II learned of it through your daugh-
ter's letter to Miss Templeton.
20, then you are q girl Miss Tenn
pleton sent? Very we'll. it is all right.
suppose you can do all kinds OF
| work?"
"Yes, ma'am; / think So"
"What is your name?"
Rachel Ray"
After few more questions, all of
which Flossie answered satisfactorily,
Mrs. Copeland engaged her for a
month.
The room to which she was afterward
shown was neat and clean, but rather
poor in its appointments, and Flossie
thought, with u regretful sigh, of her
own pleasant room Mt home. Il almost
wish hadn't come" she sighed, as she
descended the stairs.
Mrs. Copeland was so kind and pleas
ant in her instructions, and her new
girl was so quick to understand, that
they were mutually pleased. Work was
no hardship for Flossie, for she had
been accustomed to it from her earliest
infancy; besides the family at this time
was small, consisting only of Mr.. and
Mrs. Copeland.
Mrs. Copeland was rather reserved,
so Flossie did not learn much about
the family affairs, although she always
listened eagerly whenever Ids's name
was mentioned. From what was said,
however, she could see that the mother
loved her daughter as few daughters
are loved.
One day when her mistress was away,
Flossie, having finished her work,
wandered into the parlor. Seating
herself at the grand piano, she ran
over the keys with her little toll
hardened hands. Presently the ran
dom notes resolved themselves into one
of her favorite waltzes. Growing tired
at last, she rose up and began to ex-
anime the articles on table near.
The chief attraction was beautifully
colored photograph of Ida.
"How beautiful she is?" murmured
the little servant, gazing at the sweet
face. "But then she always was lovely.
Whom does her face remind me of?
Some one / know, but / can't think
who. wonder if 1 am half as pretty
as she is"
For answer she turns to the mirror,
in which she can see herself from head
to foot.
She sees a pair of wistful, question
ing eyes; flushed cheeks, beautifully
dimpled; brown hair, combed in fluffy
bangs" over the forehead; shell-like
ears, and little retrousse nose; fair,
girlish face, which you or 1 could not
have seen without wanting to kiss.
The door was pushed little ajar,
and a young man stood looking at the
pretty picture. Gradually his look of
admiration turned to one Of astonish-
ment. Advancing into the room, he
exclaimed, holding out both hands:
"Why, Flossie Templeton, how glad
am to see you'll L came in softly, in
tending to surprise my mother, but /
never thought of seeing you here"
At his first word Flossie had run
away from the mirror, mortified beyond
expression.
ooh, Mr.. Erlingtonl what must you
think of me, seeing me standing look
vain, so silly!" she cried, her face all
afiame.
Il think now, what / thought then,
that you made the prettiest picture /
ever saw. If / were half as pretty 1
would look at myself all the time" said
Norman, gallantly.
An awkward little pause ensues.
Flossie is greatly disturbed by the
thought of her position in the house,
and Norman, for the first time noticing
her calico dress and big bingham
apron, is surprised to find her SO
strangely dressed.
II must go to the Kitchen" said
Flossie, by great effort breaking the
| silence; Il ought not to be in here at
all. / am Mrs. Copeland's servant"
"What?" exclaimed the astonished
Norman. Surely you are not working
for my mother?"
"If Mrs. Copeland is your mother, 1
most certainly am. have often heard
her speak of her daughter, but never
heard her mention you
Seeing Norman still looked incredu-
lous, she went on:
Il wanted to earn some money for
myself, so when Ida Copeland, who
was my dearest school friend, wrote
and asked me to tell them of some
good girl to do general house
word, / thought 1 would come
myself. Ida was going away on a visit,
your mother never saw me, and 80 /
came here and gave my name as Rachel
Ray. No one would have been any the
wiser for my little experiment if you
had not known me-"
She concluded her story with merry
laugh, not looking bit like the blush
ing girl of q moment ago, and so Nor
man was forced to laugh, too.
II would not have thought you could
| Uain vour mothers consent said ba