St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-08-29

and during the weeks that she remained
at the old homestead, Lisbeth did not
again meet her old lover. Miss Arabel-
Ia Downing was strong in her denuncia-
ton of the young girls project. '"To
think our Jim had an idea of marrying
her once" she said in moment of con-
fdence, "a common servant. It's q
shame for her. She might have taken
in sewing, or trimmed hats, or had
strawberry bed, that's fashionable now,
anything but that, well, she's lost caste
any way and Jim will likely marry
Amelia Blakely, who has little money,
though she isn't as pretty as Lisbeth
Morton. But then beauty's only skin
deep anyway" which must have been a
consolation to herif her glass was faith
full. And so in this small village,
where every one did their own house
work, where every farmers wife was
nurse, seamstress, housemaid, cook, )"
all in one, our little forlorn girl was an
outcast from society because she chose
to do whatever her hands found to do
well. Aunt Rachel, in a fit of spasmodic
generosity, made for her twelve large
aprons, of the coarsest crash towing,
suitable for a scullery maid in her pot
washing moments, and Lisbeth thanked
her for them with good grace. But
all these petty trials made the parting
from the old home less severe, and it
was almost with sigh of relief that she
babe farewell to her early associations,
and after planting rRse bush on the
graves of her parents, stepped out into
the world without further regret, than
to be SO far from those grassy mounds.
Mrs. Lyster was widow with two
unmarried daughters who were Just out
in society, and spent all the time they
could spare from that arrogant mistress
IN the pursuit of art, with little music
and embroidery that was also artistic.
Maud was not more than seventeen
but 'tall and stately with hauteur
OF manner that was not so pleasant
as the atfectionate disposition of Mig
non, the younger. They were good
girls, brought up in q gay, thoughtless
manner, without troubling their heads
over any social problems. In fact, they
considered all women out of place who
asserted their rights, and believed those
socially beneath them to be of differ
ent caste altogether stIsn't it curious,
mammal" said Maude, one morning, as
she idly cut the leaves of the latest fash
ION magazine. ttYour new housemaid,
Lisbeth, wears gloves, and such Epretty
ruft1ed aprons, and neat dresses. /
wonder it she wants to save her hands, |
or what is the reason?"
Mrs. Lyster smiled. ssThat is no fault, |
my dear child, the girl does her work |
well, and is treasure. She is rather |
superior and is ambitious, goes to the |
Art evening class, and gets one after |
noon in the week as well. Igot her for |
two dollars month less than the last
maid on that account, and she is far
more def and handy
Maude looked her establishment. sEThe |
Art class! why she's only housemaid,
and it's really too bad. Rene Lindsay |
and Tom Davis belong to thatvery class,
If it is Prof. Pontelle's. shall be very
much surprised if they stay: when
they find out servants go there
Nonsense, answered the mother,
ut is no ones affair aOho goes, so long
as they pay and are admitted. The girl |
is Thoughtful, and hopes to become an
art teacher, by and by, she told fme,
and am sure it is much nicer to have q
girl with artistic tendencies; she dusts
and arranges the parlors with exquisite
taste, every caller notices it, and thinks
you girls do it for me; and she handles
the choicest bric-a-brac carefully. /
really never had such a faithful girl
So Lisbeth continued to attend the
classes and worked IN the early morn
ngs in her attic bedroom, as soon as
daylight came in, and if her pictures
were s'skied, = it mattered but little, for
no one saw them but herself, and the
glmpses of the early sunlight, the first
glow in the east, that she watched in
those working moods, formed picture
hat always remained in her memory as
ong as life lasted.
lisbeth won the hearts of her fellow
servants by many little acts of kindness,
Jill Kitty, the par1or maid, told her one
lay in confidence that she was irving to
study arithmetic and bookkeeping, so
Us to take a situation in store some dav
IS salesWoman.
"Could she make more money and be
rs comfortable?" Llsbeth ventured to
ask.
NO" answered Kitty, sturdily, ''but
shall be treated as a human being in
he house where board, and be indie
pendent. | don't mind the work, that's
Easy, but it's having Miss Maude look
1t me as if ! was post, and talking to
'ther girls about the servants, as if we
we're not of the same flesh and blood.
She doesn't even wait till our backs are
urned, but treats us like the dirt under
Ter feet, and Kitty's democratic little
lead gave toss of scorn as she spoke.
1isbeth often saw the young ladies busy
With their desultory drawing, but they