The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-07-07
mo. ma'am. -

crat. .sHere. Mrs. Intelligence Wo-
man, send some one elser'
Presently, a showily dressed woman
rustled in, with a great odour of pat.
chouli and tinkling of gold bangles on
her wrists.
II want young person as coppan-
ION and reader" said she, "and one
who can take charge of Madeline
education. I find Signora Bellini comes
too high
s'The very person you wants cried
Mrs. Grigson. miss Farquhar, come
heren'
/ Mrs. Belton shook her head.
II want an older, more settled per-
son. said she. ''None of your wax
doll beauties for me. Mr.. Belton's
brother is with us this winter, and /
don't want the companion making eyes
at him. And they all do it!''
| Miss Farquhar colored and drew
back.
II prefer not to accept the situation, !"
said she.
''But," persisted Mrs. Grigson, eager
to secure Mrs. Belton's fee, ''the young
woman, am sure, will pledge herself
The young woman will pledge her.
self to nothing!' said Flora.
"Hoity-toity!" said Mrs. Belton. :"
''What ails the girls nowadays?"
I And she gave audience to the next
applicant, stout, elderly woman in a
dyed silk gown, and weak eyes shielded
by blue goggles.
''Miss Farquhar," said the perturbed
Mrs. Grigson, chow do you ever ex-
pect to get place if No, my good
woman" to a timid little creature, who
was enIeayoring to obtain her atten-
ton on the other side of the big ledger,
1--WE don't deal in general housework
situations. We do only the genteeler
business. p"
81 want some one who will come at
reasonable wages to help me about the
house, and take the children out every
day." said Mrs. Dewford. ''It isn't a
hard place if
''Not in our line" said Mrs. Grigson,
protruding her chin.
Flora gave one glance at the troubled
pink-and-white face of the little house
keeper.
81 will take the position, if the lady
pleases," she said.
"You? Go out to general house.
work?''
Eyes, l!'' Flora answered firmly.
''Just as you please, of course, said
Mrs. Grigson with a toss of the head.
And Mrs. Dewford's eyes frightened.
Il can't give high wages" " said she;
"but-'
mo matter for that" said Miss Far
quhar. "It is a home / want. l am
tired of sitting here to be stared at
and questioned by insolent fine ladies"
Mrs. Bolton, who was waiting for
the blue-goggled woman to register
her name, smiled as she heard these
words.
Pride, prider' said she. 1t is the
bane of the working classes"
Flora returned her glance with in
tereSt.
'It is our PRIDE" said she, ''that is
our safeguard
Mrs. Dewford took Flora back with
her.
isn't it stranger said she. s'Those
Beltons live next to us. They are very
rich and naughty. He has made a
fortune on the Stock Exchange and
they take no notice of us because Mr..
Dewford is only an artist. We live in
a very small way; most of the house is
let out in lodgings. But l think you
won't find the work too heavy. l have
a woman in once week to scrub and
clean, and all the laundry work is put
out. Can you cook?''
NO" said Flora; ''but can learn.
/ am not in the least afraid of hard
work.
"And you have such sweet apple
blossom sort of face" said Mrs. Dew
ford. ''Oh, l am sure / shall like
YOU"
But Flora never told her new em-
ployer that she had danced with AL
fred Belton at the May ball, when she
was "sweet girl graduate" at Madam
school, and he was visiting
at Tor Castle, a mile or so away.
She went quietly about her work,
dusting Mrs. Dewford's tiny parlor,
cleaning the brasses,s polishing the
glass, and shaking rugs, early in the
before any one went by; and
when the sun came out, she took the
little ones to run and play in the park
close by, while she sat and sewed
under the trees on the baby's
new flannel sacques.
Alfred Bolton came there, too. 1t
was a pleasant place to walk, he said,
and smoke his cigar; and that nurse
maid of Mrs. Dewford's was such a
little beauty, and her whole history was
so romantic.
Il wish you would not. come here so
often, Mr.. Belton,' said Flora one
day.
:.The park is free to all, isn't it?"
was his gay response.
And one day he calmly announced
to his naughty sister-in-law that che
was going to bring home a wife.
"Miss Auraton?n said Mrs. Bolton,
smiling. $50 you have won the golden
prize! l thought
s.Not Miss Auraton at all, ;" Alfred
answered sharply "Do you think could
marry swarthy faced simpleton like
hat? No; it's Flora Farquhar. who
ives with Mrs. Dewford next door
.'The-maid!n screamed Mrs. Belton.
ssYes, the maid-the sweetest little
maid in the world!' Alfred answered
lefantly.
And neither tears, nor entreaties,
aor reproaches could move him one
sixteenth part of an inch.
Il love her, !" he persisted; ''and that
8 enough. She is lady by birth; 81
aer education is equal to mine"
He went that selfsame day to the
II. h,,vo for
glossy horse-chestnuts under the rust