The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-30
BARBARA'S CHANCES.


isl" murmurcd Barbara Blake to herself,
ss she sat by the window, mending, with
deft, delicate stitches, the holes in old
Mrs. Dickinsons black-silk hose. "Hcre
am, girl of eighteen, to whom gaiety
and amusement and sunshine would seem
as natural as the fall of dew, yet 1 am
coopcd up in a gloomy, brownstone-
house, the mere shadow of a cross, exact
ing old woman, whose wants arc never
satlSfed.
Companion, indeed" as she broke of
the needleful of silk floss with a snap.
II am anything but that. Drudge,
menial-machinc, if you please-but
nothing like companion. And all to
earn paltry living. On, dear! why can
not people live on flowers and fresh air,
as the hummingbirds do? Why IS it
accessory to toll so for bread to eat and
clothes to cover us? 1t does seem to me
as if life were all failure'
Ever since she had risen from her bed
that morning she had been at Mrs. Dick
nson's becl. and call.
Mrs. Dickinson was not always in an
smiable mood. There was hot water to
bring up for her bath; it must be steam
ing from the kitchen, and the old lady
would trust no one but Barbara to carry
it, because, as she said, the servants were
so careless and spilled it on the stai;
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 exact
pattern: the two chapters in the Bible to
be read; the newspaper to be skinned
through-and woe betide Barbara if
there was 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 exactly one
hundred times; and when at last she had
played Mrs. Dickinson to sleep with the
. old Scotch piaro tunes 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 thousand petty
occupations besides which Barbara
thoug ght might just as we'll be delegated
to the hands of Mary, the house-maid.
''She can stand at the area gate with
pink ribbons in her cap, and flirt with
the postman and the butchers man,"
thoug hit Barbara, bitterly. II have no
leisure for even such relaxations as that.
And her wages can be sent home to her
mother in Ireland, while my meagre
salary-scarcely more than Mary's in
actual dollars and ccnts--don't suffice to
keep me clothed up to my position, let
alone the possibility of laying by any
thing. And when hint at an increase
of salary, Mrs. Dickinson wonders if
think she is made of money, and asks
what more l can want than such home
as this. I believe Eugene Dickinson" "a
pretty flush lighted up her ordi-
narily pale cheek as the thought
crossed her minD "would have
asked me to 60 to the Casino con-
cert with him last night if Mrs. Dickin-
son had not said so Grossly that she
didn't believe in young girls being out
so late nights. Oh, dear! what is the
use of being young girl at all?"
Just then the door softly swung open,
and in tripped bright, pretty damsel of
two or Internationally, in coquettish
fall hat trimmed with scarlet poppies
and bows of cherry velvet, and beauti-
full jetted mantle.
"Clara" cried Barbara, nearly up
setting the work basket in her surprise
and delight. elbow came you here2"
s'In spite of the cdict No followers
allowed?'" laughingly retorted Clara
Belden. "My dear, 1 ran the blockade.
bribed the housemaid, and crept up
the stairs as softly as a mouse. Don't
be alarmed-the ogress is snoring with
forty-womsn power"
"How beautifully you are dressed,
Clara" said Barbara, with admiring sur.
vey. "You have got situation at
last2"
Clara nodded and adjusted glitter
ing new silver bangle on her wrist.
"A good one," said she, emphatically.
"But how flushed you are, Clara! Are
you sure you are quite wcll9" persisted
Barbara. "And how strangely your
eyes shine!"
Clara giggled and leaned forward to
look at herself in the plush-framed glass
opposite.
"You are too innocent for anything,
Barbaran said she. "Every one does it
nowadays. It's Breath of Roses Per-
haps I've touched it up little too strong
to-day. And the eyes-it's the least
teenty line of belladonna. 1t brings out
the sparkle, don't you sec2 Don't look
so shocked, child; we all have to make
the most of ourselves" she added, with
a superior smile. slsn't it stylish? But
as 1 said, I'm getting sixty dollars a
month, and almost nothing to do but to
dress and look pretty. And you can
do the same, you poor. pale, bleachcd-
out little thing, if you choose"
~ don't understand you, Ciara!"
''Im in the company of the Cecilian
Theatre" explained Clara. "Wc are
supposed to be singers, but our voices
don't signify pin. The Cecilian takes
pride in its chorus being the handsomest
girls in town. And you are pretty, Bur-
bara, you know very well-prettier than
am, if you would only give yourself a
chance. Icould makea tlr-t-claSs beauty
of you! And it's only the evenings, you
see, With au hour or so at morning re-
hearsal, and matinee once wcck-and
it's such fun. There's one Young man in
the audience who ha; thrown bouquet
to me every night tor eight nights run