Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-11-02
A WHITE ONE.

NNHApV'oNNlS NtN ul uO means low, more /
especially ~ the sun was streaming in |
through the uncurtained windows, but the |
laundry girls were used to these incouvcn.
fences and thought nothing Of them. |
They chatted continuously over their |
work, not because they were happy or be- |
cause they had anything particular to say,
but because they had no conception OF the
dignity of silence. The conversation was
perhaps not Of the most edifying descrip
tion, and the language employed was
forcible, garnished by slang. and not free
from superfuous eNpletives, for these girls
were not Of the highest type
There was curious tawdriness, or rather
gaudiness about their, for the most part,
ragged dresses; they had big, heavy frinSes,
which the steam had taken out Of curl, sc
that in nearly every Instance they strag
gled into the bold eyes beneath them; their
faces, too, were In striking contrast to their
hands in the matter Of cleanliness, for 1t
was not compulsory to put them in the
water to earn livelihood. but they were
better in this respect than they would be
nearer the end of the week, for today was
only Tuesday.
The only exception TO the universal un-
tidineSs was manifested in the person Of
one whom the girls called Liza (the Ii be
ing pronounced Ms II it was the diphthour
aN. This 'Liz,. the ureliminary "a" az
whose name was invariably dropped by her
scuuaintances. was a hunchhack. and her
fYss. thouuh \, no,,es,ed the merit nj clean.
liuess. was almost repulsivelv urly.
The couplcyion was sallow. the month
badly shaped the eyebrows obtrusiyely
dark and heavy. very sad were the eves
beneath them, had there been any one to
note their wistful look. but Liza did not
encourage scrutiny, aud indeed the brown
ewes were not remarkable in themselves
and were moreover half hidden by the
droopinr lids. from which she glanced in n
sidewnys, half sinister manner, Liza was
NOT very popular among her comnanions
partly because she chose to be exclusive
and partly because she could on occasion
say unpleasantly sharp things, But there
was one person whom she loved, and that
was Miss Calender.
BY and by the ringing of n bell created a
diversion among the workers. Almost
simultaneously eight pairs of red. soapy
arms were drawn out of the wasbtubs,
eight pnirs of red. cripkled hands were
wiped on some norton of convenient, M.
parel, and eight pairs Of i'll shod feet
trampled into nm adjoining room.
At a table in this room stood a Young
lady. yery sweet In appearance and prct
tily dressed She nodded In A friendly way
to the girls. and shook hands with each
one as tbey passed. She had their interes,
nj heart. and made 1t her duty to come two
or three times week and provide them
with dinner This dinner consisted usually
IA on this occasion, OF plate OF soup and
large slice OF pudding, for which they
paid penny; second helping Of eithe,
could be had for a farthlng. so the payment
WAS merely nominal; but the girls wer,
exempt from the feeling that they wert
the recipients Of charity.
The coppers were "dabbed" down on tn,
table in a little pile, and Miss Callende
ladled ont the soup. which was quickl!
and noisily consumed. The young lad,
watched the other women, smiling. Per
fectly dainty herself, their roughness dit
not seem to repel her.
Girls" she said presently, in her quiet
clear voice, IL am going to give party 1
the Mission hall. Will you Gomez"
There WAS chorus Of delighted assent
accompanied by general clattering Q
spoons on the almost empty plates.
"lIor', Miss, what sort Of party Nigh
, Il be, nowy"
r "Oh, friendly" said Miss Callende
! Music and plenty to eat, and-you ma
r bring your sweethearts."
: This caused a prolonged giggling.
: might we bring more than one" h
\ uuired Polly Blanes who enjoyed the di
{ tinction Of being the prettiest OF the girls
Q Miss Calender shook her head disa
h proyingly.
You oughtn't to have more than one
she said, smiling.
"Oh, m for that, miss, | don't want an
a I'm sure: but there, the more you draw
: off. the more they comes on. That's no
il ia with men. and that's why them
= don't want 'em always has the most a
n mirrrsr
I And Polly. conscious Of fascinating l
e tronsse nose and n adimplcd chin. tossed b
|. head in the air.
h Whereupon all the girls, not TO be or
:. done, and by no means reticent on the su
- iect Of their love Affairs, fell to talkil
d about them. finding the topic eminent
u con1epial. and treating II in mann
10 which displayed no more vulRarity
heart than il concealed by certain ladi'
Miss Calender rather encouraged tn
checked them; she liked them to DO p'
n fectly natural before her, and was glad
:, ANYTHING which gave her an insight Ia
- - their lives and character.
: Two there were who kept silence-on,
ie little newly married woman to whom lc
le was too sacred for common speech. a
~ Liza,
70 Inc pun,inS sne uNt % 80. - .
NJ seemed 70 sticH ~ i'M" I. In an a.,
nHh great o'InSuiI! :" su.PsS :,
for the otner munger VI nuSa a., o -"
olten co'lse.ou '.e i.soi, mu 49, 80 n,,La bor
as now so aSSer,en .lseti ~ " n,,,io ao III ~
~ hV'ous OF oo,ue ne S-,Iad