The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-08-03
A SATIN SLIPPER.

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grandmother Lolrimer, who danced
with George Washington, and shook
hands with Lafayette, aud was called
the Rose of Richmond dream of such
q thing. Your grand-aunt, who married
an English nobleman, and I, I myself
though ! have just one black gown to
my back, and that mendcd-I myself
would have doubted al angel if he had
told me on that day 1 was a bride that
my child-my only ~child-Would come to
doing chamber work in a hotel. Bet
ter to starye, my love-
Not ii bit of it, mamma said Lilly.
81 shall do something better some day.
But for three months l shall make beds
and dust bureaus without shame OF so:-
row. Those tine ladies' will neither
know nor care anything about it. Mrs.
Glenn will let me come home ut night
to sleep, and twenty dollars a month is
not to be despised in our circumstances.
Two or three OF the farmers daughters
hereabouts have promised Mrs. Clean
to come to her-to be sure, they Will
keep their wages to buy autumn 1nery
with, and l have solid use for mine.
OF course I'd rather
Sit on a cushion and sew up a scam,
And dine upon strawberries, sugar and
cream
like the lady in Mother Goose, but L
am going to do what l can to help the
family fortunes along, just as if 1 were
Il boy"
THE only thing an impoverished
young lady Of good family can DO IS
to make a. wealthy MARRIAGE signed
Mrs. Lorimer.
Lilly hurried out of the room.
No doubt :the family" was good; no
doubt they had once lived elegantly,
but that was in the generations past.
AS long as Lilly could remember, there
bad been nothing but poverty and trial.
Her father was an inventor, who al
ways hoped to make a fortune, II
spent his little all on patents and IN
defending them against heterogeneous.
He was robbed right and left, and her
mother was continually in tears over
blighted hopes of Il handsome home and
better gowns. Still, while he lived,
there. was something like a provision
for absolute daily needs, and Lilly had
loved and sympathized with him and
understood him and believed in his
some day. anticipation.
Now he was at rest and she must earn
the bread and butter; she had no &C
c~omplishments, or no doubt she would
--- Ls A~ 4~111 NysNCc11oHJv1nr IN
volvcd q long apprenticeship: If she
found a place i'll a store, she could
only support herself. At Sand Top
they actually owned a little cottage OF
four rooms, built by her father as q
summer home years before, though they
had lived there winter II summer Tor
years, and food for two cost very lit
tie Besides, the kindly landlady, Mrs.
Glenn, had said:
There's many a thing wasted that
you and your ma might as we'll have,
and tn see that you have it,
Mrs. Glenn knew all about Mr.. Lor-
rimer's hopes and struggles, his sad
death, his widows family pride.
I'm a plain Woman myself, Lilly,
she had said to the young girl live
lived out inemy own time, and [ make
you the offer to come to me, feeling
it's the best you can do just yet"
And Lilly was going, despite her
mothers lamentations.
Soon, in her blue calico dress, white
apron and tiny rutle Of a cap, h was
busy at her work, which was done, OF
course, when the rooms were vacant.
She was very quick and active, and
nothing was neglected.
Two weeks had passed, without her
having actually met n of the guests,
face to face.
The other girls were generally very
curious about these fine people, and
glad to hear whatever the walters could
tell them about their costumes and jew
elry-and there was a great deal OF
talk about the Ackland family-Mr.
and Mrs. Ackland, and a younger broth.
err Of the gentleman, who was said to
be the handsomest of men.
We're going to have a hop, Lilly
said Mrs. Glenn, music and dancing.
Now, you're an old friend of mine-at
least, your ma is-and I'd like you to
have Il little amusement. You've got
a pretty white frock, and I'll give you
a roll of ribbon to fix it up with. Come
in and take a look and enjoy the music
why not: You are just as mucn or u
lady as any of them, and will look as
nice. A little gayety will do you good
Lilly pondered a little and then said
that she should like it very much, and
before the night Of the hop her white
dress was in good order. The pretty
ribbons, knotted to hide defects, md q
bunch of rose buds in her belt and one
or two in her dark hair, made q simple
ball costume-good enough, at least
to sit and look on in, she thought.
Her only trouble was about her shoes
"a pair Of slippers that she wore about
her work. However, she polished them
as brightly as possible and adorned
them with two little bows.
You look lovely, my dear,' said Mrs.
Glenn. "Prettier than that Miss Gem.
mons, who is such a belle-there now
Lilly was pleased. Her spirits rose
and her color heightened.
When the dancing began it was a lit.
tie tantallizing, to be sure, for she
danced well, being one of natures
born dancers; but she had known from
the first that she must only be an on
locker, and resigned herself to what
she SlInnOSp1 inpvitah lo -, .4