The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-07-22

Oracle Bellaire found herself settling
down to the position of lady's maid
to the three Misses Folliott. She
sewed the buttons ON Madalena's
boots, she ran out on rainy days, when
the very chambermaid objected ON ac-
count of the weather, to match shades
of worsted and filoselle for Alicette, the
second daughter; she washed Flor
ence's poodle for her and wept many
a tear of bitter modification the while.
And by degrees her shoes grew worn
and rusty, her healthy young growth
outstripped the limits of her coarse
serge gown, her bonnet and mantle
became so shabby that she could not
go out except under cover of the
friendly dusk. Once, driven by des-
peration, she wore Florence's white
chapeau and soft seal jacket. But she
Eeverrepeated the experiment, for Mrs.
Folliott met her on the stairs and
flashed the light of her great, black
eyes upon her in manner that was
truly appalling.
eff ever you presume to do such a
thing again." said she, in a low voice
of concentrated wrath, "You shall be
shut up on bread and water for a
MONTH"
''But I have nothing to wear"
pleaded Grace.
v "Your clothes are good enough, J"
said Mrs. Folliott, sharply. "There is
MT ,n ei,, ft,l &c r,anitup'
''But when go to school," began
Grace.
''You are not going to school," said
Mrs. Folliott. ''It is your business to
stay here and help Jane with the china
and silver and make yourself useful.
You are not young lady, like Miss
Alicette and Miss Florence-you are
only working girl"
Child though she was, Oracle Bel
laire comprehended the injustice of all
this. Kind old Mr.. Folliott hadn't
meant this when he gave her over
into Mrs. John Folliott's charge. He
must have forgotten to send the
money, Grace thought, or she never
would have been treated thus.
cts shame, said honest Bridget,
the cook. ''The child ought to have
exercise at least"
''Sure, if she was the cat they
couldn't take less notice of her," said
Norah, the waitress.
"And just look at the clothes of
her," said Fannie, the smart cham
bermaid.
s'She's kept me awake with her
cough for two nights" said Bridget,
''and all the paregoric I give her
don't loose it up bit"
For Mrs. Folliott, under an extra
pressure of company, had ordered
Grace to sleep with Bridget for a
night or two, and when the company
was gone nothing had been said about
her resuming her little room again.
"The girls need it to keep their
summer dresses in" said Mrs. Folliott,
"and Grace is just as we'll off with
Bridget"
'eThey wouldn't care if she coughed
herself out of the world entirely, "said
Norah.
"Worse luck to 'em," said Fannie.
"But nobody ever yet ground down
the orphan and the fatherless without
there was Judgment on 'em for it. "
Mr. Folliott all this time was begin
ming to be little uneasy. His ele-
CANT city relative wrote at stated in
tervals, but her communications were
eminently unsatisfactory.
81 should like to see the child, " he
said within himself. "And last night
dreamed that Bruce Bellaire came to
me, just as he used to look, and asked
me what l had done with his one eve
lamb. 1 don't believe in supernatural
warnings. I never had any faith III
signs and omens. But believe will
go down to New York and see If
Oracle is WE'LL"
And so, late one snowy December
night, there came tremendous peal
at the doorbell of Mrs. John Folliott's
m~nsion. That lady was absent at
fashionable reception with her three
daughters. Norah and Fannie had
gone to visit friend in a neighboring
kitchen, and Bridget, half asleep, stum-
bled to the front door and opened it.
miss Grace, is it?' she stammered.
ssSure, if yez'll step in the parlay I'll
send her up to you
'sUpin repeated the keen old gentle
man, where Is sho2n