The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-07-23
miscellaneous.
THE ASYLUM GIRL.

This is Peg9y.is it: said Elder Doub-
| leday, beaming benignantly through
his huge silver spectacIes
This is Peggy" S aid Mrs. Monta-
| cute.
And Peggy" herself, tall, slight
girl, of sixteen or seventeen, in a
| madder-red calico dress, and n droop-
ing head all covered with jet black
rings of curling hair, stood before the
| ponderous elder, as Circassian slave
might have stood before her possible
purchaser. in olden time.
Seems like IL nice girl enough"
said the elder.
"Oh, yes!' said Mrs. Montacute, a
little grey-haired lady, with a black
| silk dress and old-faShioned garnet
| earrings. "Peggy's n good girl. She's
| been Il help and comfort to Inc ever
since l took her out of the orphan asy-
lum, three years ago come Thanks
giving Day"
Mrs. Doubleday wants girl, to
make herself useful about the house,
said the elder, obviously. Young
woman, can you wash?''
| "Oh, YES, sir!n said Peggy, in low,
sweet voice, that made the elder
think of the striking of the little
| French clock on the squire's mantel.
| And iron, and bake, and make
soft soap. and clean house, and mind
| little children"
To all OF these queries, Peggy in
clined her head asseutingly, while Mrs.
| Montacute made haste to declare that
| Poppy was a masterhand to turn off
work, for all she looks so SLIM
Il like slim gals" said the elder.
'"They aren't so apt to be such heavy
eaters, and they don't wear so hard
on stair-carpet. I've Il notion to
take her,
You won't regret it," said Mrs.
Montacute Il should never think
of parting with her, if it wasn't for
my son-Clement, you know, the col
| lege graduate" with a little flush of
maternal pride Oh her cheek. Glen
ent can't bear the idea of an asylum
| girl about the house--he is so refined
in all his tastes and ideas; so we're to
have a regular cook and chamber
maid from the city--an establishment
| Clement calls it-and ! must find as
good one as | can for Peggy"
We'll" said the eide, rising up
like mountain (of black broadcloth
and smooth-shaven chin) in motion.
III try her anyhow. And I've a
notion she'll suit Mrs. Doubleday,
though Mrs. Doubleday amt easy
suited, neither"
So the elder trundlad himself pom.
derously away, and Peggy turned her
dark eyes, like those of a startled fawn,
on her mistress face.
Must | go there - she faltered.
Now, Peggy, don't be unreason-
able" said Mrs. Montacute, briskly.
It'll be good home for you"
I'D rather stay here" faltered
Peggy, with a CULVER of the full red
lower lip.
But you know that you can't, dear,
on account of Clement" said Mrs.
Montacute, patting the girls shoulder
as one might soothe a fretful child.
81 would be very quiet, said Peggy.
"And | would never come in his way
It's quite out of the question, my
dear said the little widow, nodding
her head. college young men have
their fancies, you know, and they've
got to be humored.n
But it isn't my fault that I'm an
asylum girl, argued Peggy, with a
strong sense Of injustice swelling at
her heart.
Il know that. Peggy" soothed the
old lady; but folks often have to suf
fer for what isn't any fault of theirs
in this world, as you'll find out by the
time you've lived to be as old as | am
, Now go up and cut out that new calico
dress of yours, for the elder will wan
you at the end of the month, and yoU
must get your wardrobe in as good or
der as you can.
And Peggy went slowly up stairs t.
her own room, a little sloping- rooted
den, under the very caves of the house
with Il window that looked down into
the emerald pillows of the apple orch
ard, and Il shelf of rough, unpaintet
wood, upon which Peggy kept he
small store of books and the worl
Portfolio of papers, where she had hid
den away her own ambitious little ef
forts to initiate her standards of per
lection For Peggy, the asylum girl
had mad her dreams of future rank AM
greatness, and sometimes, as she look
s ed into the little square of warpe,
looking glass that hung close to tn
window, a face looked black at he
that startled her-her own, and We
not her own. And still Peggy neve
realized the fact that she was CROWN
, to be a beauty.
u But that afternoon she dressed hei
self III the faded pink muslin whlc
ID Mrs. Montacute had worn when
girl, and had bestowed on Peggy as
- queen might bestow a coronation rob
on some favored subject, and too
, "Moore's Melodies down to her f;
e. vorite seat on the doorstep to reat
h. while Mrs. Montacute was spendin
the afternoon at some neighbor
house,