Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-02-18
The Privilege of the Day.


thinking OF getting married all the
time; never do. Now Just look how
this bias fold is puckeredl II you
young women weren't cackling and
chsttering all the time. these thing
wouldn't happen. Valentines day,
! indeedl Who was that talking ahout
st. Valentines day. And what is St.
Valentines day to you working girls,
Id like to know? It'sonly ladies that
have time to think of such things"
Miss Deborah Datfodil. a somewhat
faded maiden OF iive-and thirty FROST
bitten autumls, was tue Burnville
dressmaker, and the four girls in her
dingy back parlor were her assistants,
whom she paid as little and seolded
as much as possible.
But, Miss Daifodil, reasoned ANA
bel Archer, a rosy. dark -browed bru-
nette, with limpid brown eyes and a
rich crimson flush on her cheek, ''why
shouldn't we talk about ST. Valentines 5
day2 It's always lucky dav in our
family. Uncle job sent mamma a
cheque for $50 year ago st Yalen-
tines day, and two years ago, on that
very anniversary, my sister Efiie met
the man that she afterward married.
And who knows what dawn of good
fortune it may bring for ms?'
Married." shrilly repeated Miss
Dafodil, tapping her tllimble finger
ON the table. There it is, againl
believe you girls think of nothing
else"
well, said Amabel. thoughtfully,
sit does mean good deal in girls
life. If l supposed that had got to
sit here and sew always
81 only hope no worse lot will ever
befall you, said Miss Daffodil. sourly.
"But never knew girl who
was always curling her hair and
thinking of her complexion who cams
to any good end.
Amabel crimsoned.
'Do you mean me. Miss Dafodil9"
said she
The spinster tossed her heal.
Them as the cap fits, let 'em wear
it, " said she. 'And I'll trouble you
all, young women, to leave off chatter
ing silly, superstitious nonsense about
heathenish old saints that never ex-
isted at all"
At this there was a general outery.
Not even from the lips of their vine
gar-tOngued employer would the girls
listen to any derogation from the dar-
ling patron saint of girlhood-the good
saint to whom all maidens render low
ing homage-St Valentinel
well, if he did exist, it was a long
time ago." said Miss Daffodil; .'and
you've none of you nothing to 10 with
him now. And Miss Chickering's
5.i,'a! o,,t;i; is 10 ;,- packed ON 5fon.
day, and here it isn't half finished
What's that, Amabel Archerg You
want to gsvaway early this evening?
You're going for moonlight sleigh
ride with Captain Juniper? Let me
tell you, miss, that you will do moth
ing of the kind" said Miss DahiodiI,
speaking with added rancor. ''It
isn't decent nor proper for young
girl like you to go cutter riding
around the country with every gentle
man in town ;"
''You went riding with Captain Ju-
niper yourself, last week, Miss DAT
fodil, said Amabel. all else forgotten
in her rising indignation.
That's quite different thing"
said the dressmaker, simpering. Gap
I in Juniper and are very particular
friends
''Oh, Miss Daifodil!' cried out Bar
bara Dayton. You're not engaged
to him? On, do tell usl'
Barbara, will you attend to your
work2" said Miss Datfodil. ''Though.
all the same, if such reports do get
abroad, / consider it my duty neither
to deny nor confirm them. "
But Miss Daffodil did not consider
it her duty to tell the girls that she
had run half dozen yards through the
deep snow after Captain jumpers
cutter, to ask him ''if he would inst
as lief as not take her as Ear as the
village to match some lapis-lazuii but
tons for Mrs. Gregg's dress, and that
the gallant captain was too chiyalrous
to refuse to aid lady in distress.
And thereupon Miss Deborah DAT
fodil had based great hopes.
Hes few years younger than |
am, to be sure, said she: ''but if ever
devotion was expressed in n human
eye, it was in his when he handed me
out the card OF buttons that | wanted
to match and told me to he careful
not to slip down on the frosted curb
stone. And when invited him to
call he thanked me aud said he shonld
be very happy. And doa't see how
any man could have said more than
that!H
So that, when she heard Of Amabel
Archer's invitatioh,a a very natural ieaI
ousy stirred her heart.
That mink. said she, ''shalI stay
home and mind her business, o. Til
know the reason Why Sleigh riding
indeed By moonlight Not if III
know itr'
''No, Miss Archer. she said, firmly:
Il have promised Miss Waterson that
she shall have her plum-colorei silk
tomorrow morning."
Cant Barbara Dayton finish it?p
Amabel asked with wistful eyes. s.I'u
do as much for her some time. "
'sI'll do it, said cheerful Barbara.
''I'd as soon stay after hours as net.
Excuse me, >" said the dressmaker.
with awful stiffness Of deneanor. shut
I prefer to manage my business for
myself. Amabel Archer must finish
She dress as she has begun it. Two
9r three different hands on job are
snre to ruin it, and | don't desire TO
lose Miss Waterson's custom"
"But, cried Amabel, piteously, 81
promised Captain Juniper-I must
Ssr
'Tf you go, said Miss Daffodil.