Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-11-01


fearful to be sure It's the janitress' little
boy, if you please, my lady"
Phoebe, we are in America, and you must
try to say ma'am, as the other maids do"
said the mistress, with a smile, 81 am not
rich enough to play my lady here in my ma
tive country, though the title belongs to me
in England
eyes, ma'am, I'll remember, ma'am," said
the maid. "But if you please, ma'am, that
is the janitress' child a-howling. Sarah, at
the second fiat, ma'am, she told me how it
was. 1t isn't sickness, ma'am, its beatings."
''Beatings?" repeated the lady,
Eyes, my la mean yes ma'am. She does
beat it awful, she does"
s'Do you suppose she is doing it nows'
eyes, ma'am," said Phoebe.
''And the people in the house permit it?"
cried the lady.
''They don't interfere, said Phoebe. "They
have spoken if you please, but she says as
her child is her own property, please ma'am,
and she'll do as she likes"
The lady smiled
''Show me the way to the janitor's room,
Phoebe" she said.
''It's below; the sounds come up the regis
tiers, suppose" said Ph,nbe. Then the two
descended the stairs together.
Az d uOOf ledullS lfOIu UQe entrance udll--
a pretty door with little sliding panel be-
side it like those at the box offices-they
paused at the instant terrible scream was
heard within, and the lady opened the door
and entered.
A wiry, old woman in a black dress and
white apron, with little cap on her head
the very picture of neatness- stood in the
middle of an orderly room, holding a little
boy by the collar of his pink shirt waist and
beating him with bundle of tagged leather
thongs. 1t is the old instrument of punish
ment on some vessels yet, believe, but SAIL
ors make them and sell them to civilians as
furniture heaters" now.
This woman was putting the thing to its
original purpose, and the torture of such
blows, even when given by her weak, little
old arm, must have been terrible to SO small
child.
Take that and sass me again." she cried
stake that, and that!"
A moment more and she paused Some
one had coolly taken her by the collar of her
dress and drawn her back. Now lady, to
whose shoulder the janitress' head scarcely
reached, took the cat-o'-nine-tails from her
and drew the wailing child toward her.
'You ought to be ashamed of yourself"
said this unexpected visitor, curtly. 'If the
child needed correction little switch would
be enough. I've mind to have you arrested
for using this"
"And what right have you to interfere,
ma'am, I'd like to know!'' cried the woman.
81 am Lady Vernon" responded the other,
quietly.
She knew that the woman was of English
birth by her accent, and she chose to overawe
her by a title She succeeded
"I'm sure, my lady," cried the janitress,
"your ladyship can't know how the child
tries my patience, and all have to bear"
"And I'm sure" replied my lady, THAT
you'll have to control your temper, for
though the owner of this house is abroad l
could write to him and have you dismissed,
you know"
''I'm sure you'll not do that to poor wild
ow, my lady," sobbed the ianitress
'If you strike the child again l shalln said
Lady Vernon. "Phoebe, bring the child up
stairs and amuse him little Now, my good
woman, what is the price of this thing?"
Its my furniture beaten, ma'am," cried
the woman, 'worth dollarn
The lady placed some money on the table
and walked away with the cat-o'nine-tails
under her arm, while the janitress started
after her.
"a real lady," she said, in an awe stricken
voice. 'Ah, but they are 'aughtyl they're
born to it."
1t SO happened that Lady Vernon was born
in Massachusetts, Yankee girl to the back
BONE and a country minister's daughter, but
an Englishman of title had come to 1.-THE
! States" met her and married her. She had
| gone to England with him and there great
misfortunes had befallen her. Her husband
broke his neck while hunting, and a few
weeks afterward her little son was drowned.
| The nurse had left him for moment near the
shore at q seaside resort, to which she had
taken him; when she returned he was not to
be seen. His hat floating upon the water told
the tale And shortly the widow found that
the sad event had made a difference in her
means and position The estates went to the
second brother in the event of the child's
death, and that which was hers as his guar
dian during his minority passed away.
She cared very little, for her heart was
broken by this second blow, and with what
little remained to her she left the home en-
deared to her by such fond recollections
plainly seeing that the new heir was glad to
have her 60. He had always hated his broth
er's wife, that Yankee woman"
That was five years before. Time had soft
ened her sorrow, but life had little to offer
her. She had loved too well to marry again
Her parents were dead and she had been an
only child.
She had Travelled quietly over Europe dur
ing these years. and now returned to dwell in
her native land bringing her maid Phoebe
with her.
The girl now knelt on the floor playing
with the child, pretty little fellow, well
cared for as to cleanliness.
"Why does she beat you SO, darling!' she
asked. "How could any one strike him,
ma'am?"
Heaven knows" said Lady Vernon.
"Phobe, he is just the age my boy would
have been, | think" Her tears began to
fall.
a foolish fancy that the child was like her
lost son came into her mind.
''Trouble softens the brain, I fancy" she
sud to hsrself.
The child played with Phoebe for an hour,
and then the girl conveyed message to the
ianitress that Lady Vernon. would like to
have him come up whenever he chose, as She
had taken fancy to him.
The old English woman, overawed by the
fact that great lady patronized the child,
beat him no more and sent him up stairs as
fresh and tidy as hands could make him.
She had at least the virtue of cleanliness, and
hour after hour the child played in the taste
| full apartments of the dear good lady, as he
called her, showing no trace OF the obstinacy
Of WHICH his grandmother accused him.
He was gentlemanly little fellow, and
| never broke what he was allowed to play
with, and Lady Vernon, who fancied her
Eeart grown cold since the object Of her