Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-19
by those who take mankind for their study.

by those who take mankind for their study.
Chapter III.
To begin with, Mrs. D., though she
seldom condescended to our house. and
when engaged in her kitchen premises
affected to ignore the proximity Of ours.
enjoyed in Ware the reputation of a
shrewd and capable housewife. Whether
she owed this solely to the possession of a
sharp temper and voluble voice I cannot
say, but only that during all the time I
was there 1 scarcely ever passed an hour
in our miserable playground without my
ears being deafened and my brain irri-
tated by the sound of her Gliding. She
had the advantage, when I first came to
the school of an elderly servant, who went
about her work under an even flow Of
scolding, and. it may be, had become so
accustomed to the infection as to be neither
the better nor worse for it. But about the
time of which / am writing, when, as
have said, had been there twelve months,
l remarked change in Mrs. DIS voice
and judged from the increased acerbity
and rising shrillness of her tone that she
had passed from drilling an old servant
to informing new one. To confirm this
Dirty baggage and Take that, In
science" were the best of the terms 1
heard, and these SO frequently mingled
with blows and slaps. and at times with a
3,
had listened indifferenty enough, and, II
with irritation, without much pain, to the
Gliding of the old servant, and I knew no
more OF this one. But by the instinct
of Mrs. DIS increased severity, began to
feel for her, to pity her. and at last to
wonder what she was like, and her age
and SO forth.
Ing separated the garden of Mrs. DIS
house from our yard, but that her eyes
might not be offended by the ignoble sight
OF the trade by which she lived, four great
water butts were ranked along the fence
which, being as tall as a man. nicely ar
ranged, and strengthened on her side by
an accumulation of rubbish and whatnots.
formed pretty effective screen. The boys,
indeed, had their spyholes, and were in the
habit OF peeping, when i did not check
them; but in only one place. at the corner
farthest from the house, was it possible
to see from our side small patch of the
garden, by accident, as it were, and with
out stopping or manifest prying This cor
ner 1 had hitherto Stunned. for Mrs ID.
had more than once sent me from 1t with
flea in my ear and hot cheeks; now it
became favorite with me, and, as far as
l could, without counting the notice of the
wretched urchinS who whinod and suuab-
bled round me. l began TO frequent it;
sometimes leaning against the abutting
fence, with my back to the house. as in u
fit of abstraction, and then slowly turn
ing-when did not fail to rake the afore-
said patch with my eyes, and sometimes
taking that corner for the limit of a brisk
walk to and fro. which made it natural to
wheel again at that point.
Notwithstanding these ruses, however
and though Mrs. DIS voice, raised in
anger, frequently bore witness to her neigh
borhood, 1t was some time before caught
a glimpse OF the person whose fate more
doleful than mine. yet not dissimilar, had
awakened my interest. At length / espied
her, slowly crossing the garden, with her
back to me, AMI yoke on her shoulders
Two pals hung from the yoke. I smelled
swill, and in a trice. seeing in her no more
than wretched drab, in clogs and coarse
sacking apron. 1 felt my philanthropy
brought to the test. and, without a second
glance. turned away In disgust, and thought
no more Of her.
After that l took distaste for that cor
ner, and I do not remember that I visited
1t for week or more, when at length
chance of custom taking me there again,