Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-10-19
A THRIFTY SERVANT.
written for this pansrA

u
year for the Bradfords. Mr.. Bradford
had prospered in business as he had not
done for number of years, and because of
this he spoke to his wife about keeping
servant.
Mrs. Bradford had never known the lux
ury OF servant and at first abe rather re-
scented the intrusion of some one who would
take the work off her hands, but her hus-
band pointed out to her their increased
prosperity, and htimated that it was no
more than would be expected of them by
their friends That by keeping servant
she would have more spare time TO devote
to social obligations.
30 the matter was finally settled, but il
was another matter to secure q desirable
servant, and Mrs. Bradford declared she
would neither have slovenly one, nor
would she pay any extravagant wages to a
girl to do what little work she would have
IN their home. 1t was not until after a
week or more of dihgent search that Mary
Carlson was found and engaged
When Mary Carlson became the Brad
fords' hired girl she was l6 years old. Her
golden hair hung down her back, and her
dresses were above the tops of her shoes. A
year passed, and Mary's hair went up, her
dresses came down, she became member of
the Swedish Lutheran church, and had her
wages raised from two dollars a week to
three.
At the end of that first year Mrs. Brad
ford was so charmed with Mary's work that
she hardly knew how she had ever gotten
along without her. She was one of those do
nestle treasures that we sometimes read of
but seldom see. She took practical charge of
the household work, and so left her mis-
tress free to attend to those Social obliga-
lions which seemed to be rapidly growing on
the family with their new prosperity. In
fact, Mary was the idol of the Bradford
household.
By the hired girls of the suburb she was
liked; by the Swedish boys she was loved
which speaks well for Mary's tact and pop
ularity.
To say that she was thrifty would not be
saying enough; but to say that she pos
sessed the typical capacity of the Swedish
immigrant for economy and saving states
the case.
1t was about a year after Mary came to the
Bradfords that Mrs. Bradford found her in
the ktchen-one evening after the work
was done-sewing upon a lot of fluffy white
yelling. The knell of Mary's departure was
to be tolled by the wedding bells which, as
Mrs. Bradford guessed, would soon ring in
honor of her who was to wear the veil. But
Mrs. Bradford was brave, and smiled pleas.
antly as she asked: "Who is the lucky fell
low, Mary"
lyon Matson," answered Mary. Hes
going to marry Bertha Ott-Bertha, who
works over to Beittlers. I'm making her
wedding dress; she pays me-"
After this, Mary's first dressmaking COM
- ,b hol al, -
at all uncommon for Mrs Bradford to find
waiting for Mary to finish her after-supper
work before fitting dresses which would set
all Swedendom cackhng
1t was little short of six months between
the sewing on Bertha Otis wedding dress
and the purchase of sewing machine. The
dressmaking business, conscientiously con-
Quoted in the evening-after working hours,
was transferred to Mary's room upstairs;
and there the sewing machine would whiz
and whiz and whiz, until the hustling Mary
would hear the Bradfords coming up the
stairs to bed.
And 30 things went on. The girl made
money; and Swedish prodigals became sad
and downcast because Mary would give
them no sufficient opportunity to WOO and
win her, and to misspend her savings.
Mary opened bank account and like the
dressmaking business, it grew. Thomas e.
Shotwell, cashier of the Merchants nation
al, in the city, and neighbor of the Brad
fords, In Fernwood, classified his depos-
itors in eight classes. Mary Carlson went
into the sixth class year and half after
her name first appeared In the banks big
books.
Then came the bicycle rage, and Mary
fairly coined money She obtained local
agency for cheap wheel, which became
surprisingly popular among the hired girls
and the men of the suburb. She also opened
night bicycle school; and this proving to
be, practically, a Swedish matrimonial
bureau, Mary's popularity reached won
derful height.
And then really funny thing happened
The Bradfords were building an addition to
their house, and not having the ready
money, Mr. Bradford decided to place a
small mortgage on the property. 1t was
only for something like thousand dollars,
and Mr.. Thomas E. Shotwell, cashier of the
Merchants national, was only too glad to be
of service to his neighbor. So, in the even
ing of the day Mr.. Bradford told Mr.. Shot
we'll what was wanted, the banker called
with handful of legal cap, and then and
| there the Bradfords mortgaged their house
| for a thousand dollars, to Mary Carlson.
Now, the residents of Fernwood knew
nothing of this; and if they did know, and
were to tell you, you should not believe
them, for the word of suburbanite con-
corning the financial affairs of fellow sub
urbarnite is not to be trusted concerning
the household affairs of her neighbors.
But the story of Mary Carlson comes
from the city, and is, therefore, true; and
Mr.. Thomas E. Shotwell-everybody in
GLIDING himself knows that he knows-will
vouch for the truth of it all.
i I,xy 4 I