Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-11-22
THE MAIDS STORY.

eYes, miss, certainly, I lived with
Mrs. Birch-Miss Grigg that was be-
fore she married Mr.. Birch. And
knew all about that affair. 1t was
very singular, indeed-very. I'm not
sure that / ought to mention it, for if
lady's maid can't hold her tongue
she can't find good places. Dear me,
I'm no talker. I'm as mum as a
mouse. Bushels of pearl powder and
quarts Of rouge have applied with
my own hands, and never so much as
hinted at. AS for cotton, bless your
heart, I've never breathed about it,
and did live with lady once that
took arsenic regularly for her COM
plexion. That's no secret, for she
took too much one day, by accident,
and died.
"There was an inquest, and it all
came out It's well it did, for sus-
picion pointed to her husband. Some
how, It always seems to strike jury
thar husband is the likeliest person
to wish wife out of the way. But
this isn't anything about paint; Miss
Grigg, being on the stage, made no se-
cret Of that. She played queens and
such, miss. I've often had tickets
given me and gone with my young
man to see her act. And when she
was naughty and curled her nose like,
miss, and looked at other folks, over
her shoulder, and talked away down
in her throat like o pigeon gurgling
she was splendid, miss. It made me
think how nice it would be to be
queen and to take airs over everybody.
swell, Miss Grigg was engaged to
be married. Mr.. Birch had fallen in
love with her when she was playing
Hamlet's ma. Perhaps you have seen
the play, missP The young man OBJ
jected to his ma getting married the
second time, so / seemed to make out,
and acted most impertinent, giving
sass to his ma and his step-pa, and
carrying on awful. And there was a
poor young lady quite out of her mind
that afterward got drowned.
'.Well, she was playing Hamlet's
! ma, and Mr.. Birch fell in love with
her, and sent her letter, and called,
and .asaao ofiar all in no tinao- Sho
accepted him, of course, and the prep
arations for the wedding began. I
don't think my lady ever had so many
dresses before. Silks and satins, and
velvets and laces. Dear, dear; Madame
Is whole establishment was hard
at work for o month, and If I'd had
twenty fingers, instead of only ten, I'd
have had use for them all.
.'At last everything was finished.
The trunks were packed, there were
fifteen of 'em, miss, and fourteen were
to 60 on that afternoon. and one--the
one with the wedding and travelling
dresses--was, of course, to be left and
90 with the bride when she started
next day. She was to be married at
10 o'clock in church and then drive
home, have splendid breakfast,
change her dress and catch the 8 o'clock
train. or course | saw the trunks,
and l was very careful; but just when
!. was needed most, just as the trunks
were going down stairs, Miss Grigg
called me.
''Miss Grigg was a lady who didn't
like to wait. / went to her at once.
miss, as was my duty, and | said to
Bridget Duster, the chambermaid:
'''Bridget, watch the black trunk
and see that the men don't carry i
S eff
a ..Bridget understood with her el.
bows, Of course, miss, and after. I'd
been to the lands end for two yards
of blue ribbon of exactly such shade
as she wanted. and got back, found
that she had sent off the black trunk
Grst of all, and was very proud 0i
having been so careful The trunks
6 were all miles away by that time.
There was nothing for it but to tel
Miss Grigg. She flew at me, miss.
didn't blame her for being angry.
would forgive her in such case. Sht
ilew ut me violent, miss, and then,
I mss, she had spasms. She. beat thu
sofa, she tore her hair, she screeched,
and me all the while saying.
.Remembcr your eyes, miss. Thinl
how you'll look. Your nose is swell
ing dreadful, miss
Finally she came TO and bathed
her face. And says she;
"sFlora, what what shalll-I dop II
ss.I don't know, miss. said I, sun
less you put of the wedding until Vol
telegraph for the trunk. NJ,
mo, said she, that's unlucky; be
sides, one never knows. None ain
to be depended on n eT'5 FsT 3F5
"tY ou might borrow a dress, said /
.As if I'd BIO married in one tha
didn'S iit,' said she. Stop, dom
speak q word. I've nm Mca.. = ss
"She sat with one finger on her lips
tor awhile Then she said:
nsMy embroidered dressing-gown.
The white one! That's herep
ssIn the bureau, miss said T.. i8.
\. Very well, said she. Ill be mar
n ried III that. Telegraph for the trunk
Flora. sgYs 5 d "
The white ressing-gownp" said !,
nearly astonished out of my senses.
4 Yes said she, sthc white dress
ing gown, goose You don't think Tn
going to be married In church In that
won't put off the, wedding, and
wont stand up. before b crowd In any
hing bnt my wliita satin dress! Blu
Ili be married at the appointed hotr
fsr I'LL that. Sp telasfaph f0r Hin,