The Penn's Grove record., 1889-01-26
BARBARA BLAKE,s TEMPTATION.

BARBARA BLAKE'S TEMPTATION.
"Ivhat q selfish, hcartless world this
isl" murmured Barbara Blake to her
self, as she sat by the window, mend
ing, with deft, delicate stitches, the
holes in old Mrs. Dickinson's black
silk hose. Here I am, girl to whom
gaiety and amusement and sunshine
would seem as natural as the fall of
dew, yet l am cooped up in q gloomy
brownstone house. the mere shadow OF
across, exacting old woman, whose
wants are never satisfied.
"Companion indeed" as she broke
off the needleful of silk floss with q
snap. Il am anything but that.
Drudge, mountaineering, ifyou please
but nothing like a companion. And
all to earn a raltry living. Oh. dear
why cannot People live on flowers and
fresh air, as the hummlng-birds dol
Wig isit necessary to toll so for bread
TO eat and clothes 10 cover usP 1t does
seem to me as If life were all a ~failure!''
Eyer since she had risen from the
bed that morning she had been at Mrs.
Dickinson's beck and call.
Mrs. Dickinson was not always in an
amiable mood. There was hot water
to bring up for her bath; it must be
steaming from the kitchen, and the old
lady would trust no one but Barbara to
carry it, because, as she said, the serv.
ants were SO careless and spilled it on
the stair carpets.
There was her stiff gray hair to be
brushed and curled, her tea to be made
and her toast to be toasted after an ex.
act pattern; the two chapters in the
Bible TO be read; the newspaper to be
SKINNED through-and woe betide Bar.
bara if there was a paragraph left out
or a sensational item omitted; the two
poodles to be washed and ribboned; the
invalid chair to be wheeled up and
down the length of the two parlors ex.
actly one hundred times; and when at
last she had played Mrs. Dickinson tc
sleep with the old Scotch piano-tune:
that she liked, there were the old lady's
caps to be done up, her dainty silk
stockings and mitts to be cared for
and a thousand petty occupations be-
sides which Barbara thought might
just as well be delegated to the hands
Of Mary, the llousemaid.
"SEe can stand at the area gate will
pink ribbons in her cap, and lirt witt
the postman ard the butchers man.
thought Barbara, bitterly. II have NJ
leisure for even such relaxations a.
that. And her wages can be sent home
to her mother i'll Ireland. while my
meaere salary scarcely more thar
Mary's in actual dollars and cents
don't suffice to keep me clothed up t,
my position, let alone the possibility O.
laying by anything. And when l him
at an increase Of salary, Mrs. Dickin
son wonders if / think she is made o.
money, and asks what more l can wan
than such a home as this. l believe
Eugene Dickinson" Ia pretty fiusl
lighted up her ordinarily pale cheek a
the thought crossed her mind "woul(
have asked me TO go 10 Tue CASINO con
cert with him last nlght II Mrs. DICK
inson had not said so Grossly that sh'
didn't believe in young girls being ou'
SO late nights, Oh, dear! what is thu
use of being a young girl at ALP"
Just then the door softly swung open,
and in tripped a bright, pretty damse
of two or three and-twcnty, In a coquet
fish fall hat trimmed with scarlet pop
pies and bows of cherry velvet, and
beautiful letted mantle.
"Clara!' cried barbara, nearly up
setting the work-basket In her surprise
and delight. "llow came you here?"
"In spite of the edict No follower:
allowed?" laughingly retorted Clari
Belden. "My dear, l ran the blockade.
| bribed the housemaid, and crept W
the stairs as softly as a mouse. DOM
be alarmed--the ogress is snoring witt
forty woman power"
GLOW beautifully you are dressed.
Claraln said Barbara, with admirlnl
survey. You have got a situation Al
lastP'