New-York tribune., 1890-04-20
THE LADY'S COMPANION.
NOTHING But \ LADY'S MAID.

poverty makes strange room-mates.' observed ono
Of the transient boarders at Business womans Home
" At present share my fourthlOor hall-roo with
young lady who doubles her negatives and eats with
her knife. mill girl No: her profession. to let her
tell it, Is the same miIc-she is companion
lou say Nonsense because you novel reader and
arc undc- the delusion that lady's companion must
! be woman Of education ana refinement six months
ago | thought Just as you do. and so | gave up my
music pupils thinking could get easier berth as
professional companion. As / play and sing rather
well and am good reader and patient listener.
was sure that was Just the person for such place
and put live temcnt in the paper that brought
a lady to the very next day. She such
handsome sealskn sacquc that ! rather taken
aback By the salary she offered. but when asked what
my duties would be she replied that there would be
duties at ALL as she merely wished me to keep her COM
pany a younger sister might do. As she couldn't
have been far from sixty thought she might have said
daughter but II may be that after my music teaching
experience look older than my years. had ncrved
myself for washing the poodle and caring for the canary
bird but when I mentioned this she relieved me by
saying that she kept pets of kind. She told me
that although she did not play herself. she
sionatcly fond Of music and il only her weak
eyes that prevented her reading all day long Wen
suit another to r. thought /, and thereupon
agreed to 90 to her, and for $l25 year become her
younger sister
Il found her in a centccl boarding house. ard she
greeted me good naturcdly enough but her next wors
came like a cold shower bath. You will sleep that
lounge said She pointing to in the corner Of her
room ard that immense trunk you have brought VIII
have go into the cellar can see for yourself
there is no place for it in here
- supposed l should have separate sleeping
apartment said l.
sCh dear no - she replied am such poor
sccrer that may want you dozen times during the
night
Well that was the beginning Before the first day
was over found that this elder sister Of mine expected
me- to do all her mendng: to alter her dresses: To
wash her handkerchies and other articles small
enough to be washed the hand basin to backen her
boots to crimp her hair and 10 on errands. iou
would hardly believe II | we're TO mention
the number OF times she sent me down INTO
the kitchen that first day. one time 1t was I"
make her some wine jelly, another time IL was
10 borrow a pitcher; another time it was 10 ask tie
cook not 10 put much salt in the soup as she had
done the day before OF course didn't dare TO give
any such message because the cook scowled at me
enough as IL was. but still had 10 go through lhe
motion Of taking IL. afraid the landlady wonia
complain OF my wearing out her staircase carpet Du'
she seemed to sympathize with me- at least over
heard her remark to her daughter that Mrs. f--'s
maid was kept busy. We had our meals In Mrs. ~
room which was a great to the waiter who had
to bring them up. he never received any fecs tor
this extra service. Mrs. y suggested that might
relieve hun Of it, but fortunately the aDdlady refused
to listen such proposal, saying that taking sios
peoplcs meals 10 their rooms was part OF the work
he nad been hired 10 do | liked that hndlady II
she did call a spade spade and a maid a maid.
10. NY 'mis>is' not an Invalid. she was onlv
too sOnt and ndolent to be wrg % get into dining
room clothes every day. She was excessively f0nd OF
dress though and the only books ever saw in her
room we're fashion QuaTterles. She was very much
disappointed in me a. aterer. having supposed
thaf had myself made the dress was wearing when
she first saw me-a caste OFF dress given me by rich
cousin. A. hairdres>cr suited her better and
think that was the she kept as long as >ho
did when she informed me one day that did not
null her hair As her girl c did not say her last
youngcr sister, had done. ! offended her by replying
that used 70 do grandma hair and supposed 10
was then had learned To be gentle. She didn't say
ANYTHING. hut She gave her head jerk. and pretty
soon aftcrwa crossed the with polka step. as
much as 10 say Don't talk To about your grandnas
or any other old ladies'
was foolish enolsh 10 hint morning that |
might rad the ncwSp paper for her II she had one:
Yes sure enough. should like 10 hear the news. SAID
she. suppose Won down and ask Nr T ttio
landl,dv'~ husinnd) 10 lend his paper.
"'WOuldn't IL be better To 20 out ana buy one =
suggested.
",No. I cannot afford 10 buy newspapers she said.
$50 down and borrow Mr. rs And so | had ~
90 and take poor Mr.. T-'s newspaper away from
him Tor Of course his wife made him give It up and
>. nc,v- -papor reading his only of passing tho
time | fri Ike "a thief. and took after that to have
tho ncwshoy furnish IRE with paper OF my own.
NclI that KIND OF lie lasted SIX months and then
! concluded I'd come here ana take rest. pared
ON friendly terms with my 'mi~SiS.' who now has d
roor cousin making her visit but If she wishes Ia
engage another professional companion. ! think III
r,commend nv room mate. who has had much better
training for the business than have.