Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-03-10
HOUSE TO LET.
How Love Conquered q Proud
Girls Heart.

1--WE have got to mover sighed Sc
lima Spencer. The wind rustled in the
leafless poplar trees, the muslin cur
tains tapped in the draught Old Dor
| cas-, the colored servant, went on
sprinkling the pillow cases on the Pine
| table in the corner.
'I've seen it coming this long time"
said Selma. 1.-The landlord has been
as good and considerable as possible"
"De landlords an old harpS" said
Dorcas. Landlords allays isl"
mo, he Is not" persisted Selma.
1--WE owe him eight months rent al
ready, and 1 do not know how he is
ever to get his money. would offer
him the piano and the carved rose
wood parlor set, if ! thought they
would possess any value in his eyes
in part payment, / mean"
Dorcas rolled up the coffee-colored
whites of her eyes.
dat piano Us was Miss Adelaide's
when frs she come from Baltimo'
boarding SCHOOL," said she. dat lub-
| ly funchure as was made to order in
| Annap'lisl No, Miss Lina-not wiz dis
chile's consentv'
And she rolled n thin old damaslI ta-
BILE cloth very tightly and packed it
into the basket with emphasis.
Mamma must know nothing of this,
Dorcas," said Selma, sadly.
Dunno how you'se gwine to keep it
from her, Miss Lima"
ut can be done, Dorcas. I've thought
it all out" said the girl. ''She must
be made to suppose that she is going to
spend few days with my employers
at Newport"
alas dey done asked her, Miss
Lina?''
mo, you goose! don't suppose
that they even know that I've got Il
mother am only a typewriter and
stenographer in their eyes, and render
my services at so much n day. Mrs.
| Plinimmom is known all through New
York as a female 'phjlanthropist, but
while she's helping poor immigrants
out of the slums and rectifying the
| slop question she don't appreciate that
n well-drcssed southern lady may be
in sore straits. But she'll make as
| good a figure-head as any other"
miss Lima" said Dorcas, after a
brief silence, during which she rolled
and sprinl1led, patted and folded with
unceasing vigilance.
| "Well9"
II knows whar could git four dol
lars week for laundress or five dol
lars for cook. Tink o dat, Miss Lima
"Do YOU want to leave us, DorcaS?''
The old woman uttered a subducd
groan. Lord knows it amt dat, Miss
Linal Lord knows it's honor enough
to work for de ole Spenccrs! But it's
money we uns wants-an' cherry cent
O. de ole woman's wages, deyll come
back to ole missus and Miss Lima"
The long lashes dropped over Selma
Spenccr's lovely hazel eyes. Its OF
no use, Dorcas," said she. "Wc'vc got
to bend before the storm. Hush! Dc
you hear that tapping?"
Somebody knocking at dc dor
cried Dorcas. "Why on arr don't dcy
ring dc bell?"
NO" said Selma, OBTAINING her as
she was about to answer the supposed
summons "lt's the agent putting VI
the To Let But, whatever happens
Dorcas. don't let mamma know!
She rose, and, gathering up her hat
and gloves, went up the wide, gloomy
old staircase. Dorcas looked after hel
and shook her turbaned head.
"Meks b'lieve she's pow'ful brave!
muttered she. Thinks ole Dorcas dunno
she's crying dis berry minute' Why
didn't she marry Marse George Berlle
; ley when he aXed her, an sabe hcrse'
all this trouble?"
Up in the dimly lighted sitting room
Mrs. Spencer sat, faded belle of TIL
olden days. The piano was open, tn
window was full of carefully tende,
plants; n pink-shaded lamp burned oil
the table, and Mrs. Spencer herscl
was engaged in crewcl work with slow
languid fingers.
"You are later than usual tonight
Selma" said she, fretfully. 'PcrhaD
your idea of a dutiful daughter is dill
ferent from mine, but l think an
amount of Shakespeare and Brownin
classes oughtn't to take so much Q
your time away from your mother"
81 stopped to give Dorcas orders i
the kitchen, mamma" Selma cheer
fully answered. but am all ready
. now. What shall l read to you till tn
tea comes up?"
WELL" said the poor lady, fecbly
I'D like few chapters of the SEQ
fish Chiefs 1t was the first novel m
dear papa allowed me to read-and i
my opinion your Ouidas and Braddor
don't come near it.
And while Selma read out the tria
of Helen Mar and Bruce the brave, sh
wondered how on earth she shoul
manage about showing the house t
the eager sightseers who would be sur
- to be attracted by the legend TO Let
on the morrow.
Cant go in dat ar room!' said Do
cas-, interposing her stout figure b.
tween the hard-fcatured house huntt
+ and the door of Mrs Spcncer's poudoi
% Oats private, dat ARP
Anything wrong in the room
sharply questioned the woman.
, "No'm," stolidly responded Dorcas.
Ceilings cracked? Water pip,
Il burst2"
Nom"
"Then why can't see it?" with
. sudden push in that direction.
D She might as we'll have attempted
charge a battery of artillery. Old Do
cas- stood immovable.