Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-07-19
CHAPTER u
IN &c oIvEEr ma uov,

1T is SWEET TO TOLL.
1t was four weeks after Barbara
Clark had been ut work as "hired
girl in the Ward family. She was
sitting in her little room at the back
of the house, writing letter to one
of her classmates in Mt. Holyoke.
She wrote slowly, with many grave
pauses and with an anxious look ON
her face.
1.-THE fact is, Jessie" the letter went on.
after several pages describing a part of the
four weeks experience. II have come to
the conclusion that am not born to be a
reformer 1t was all very we'll when We
studied social economics to have our hero
&c ideals about putting certain theories into
practice. but 1t is quite another thing to
do 1t. l thought when came hors that
might do some great things; but there are
no great things about II, just nothing but
drudgery, and thankless drudgsry at that.
And yet Mrs. Ward-but I must not say
any more about her. I have stayed out
my month as I agreed to do. and to-mor-
row am going to let her know that can
not stay any longer. I think shall try a
place In Bondman's after ALL 1t seems like
poor sort of position. after all the dreams
we had at Mount Holyoke: but anything
Is better than what have been doing. I
would not have mother know this. and
nave not said as much to her yet. Poor
mother! She must be disappointed In ma.
am in myself. am glad you are SO well
suited with your school, There Is a good
deal OF the blues In this letter; and, to tell
the truth, 1t is just as feel. "A Hired Girl
for Four Weeks! How would It read as
title to magazine article? might get a
few dollars for my experiences II chose to
exploit them. Instead of that, have given
them to you gratis. Shed tear for me.
Jessie. over the grave Of my little. useless
experiment In practical economics. Your
classmate. BARBARA CLARK"
Barbara YEARLY folded the letter,
put it in the envelope, directed it,
stamped it; and then, being hardly
more than girl, and q very tired
girl, and at tho moment ono disap-
pointed with herself and all the
world, she laid her head down on the
little table and cried hard. To tell
the truth, Il was not tue nrss ,ims
that the little table in the little room
At the back of the house had seen
Barbara's tears since she had come
to work at Mrs. Richard Ward'a o. q
"hired girl"
So this was the end of all her he
roic enthusiasm for service. It had
all turned out in disappointment. To
begin with, the weather had been in
tensely hot all the time. The work
was harder in many ways than Bar
bara had anticipated. Her mother
had not been well. One week Mrs.
Ward had gone to bed with success
sion of nervous headaches. And so
on with ceaseless recurrence Of the
drudgery that grew more and moro
.tiresome. At the end of the month
Barbara had summed up everything
and resolutely concluded to leave.
She had not yet gathered courage
to tell Mrs. Ward. The woman had
been very kind to her in many ways.
But she was not well, and there were
days when things had occurred that
almost sickened Barbara when she
recalled them. When she went down
stairs the next morning after writ
ing the letter to her former class
mate, Barbara had fully made up her
mind, not only to give notice of her
intention to leave, but to give Mrs.
Ward all her reasons why she could
not work as "hired girr' any longer.
About ten o'clock in the forenoon
Mrs. Ward came into the kitchen for
something, and Barbara, with feel
ing that was almost fear, spoke to
her as she was turning to go back
into the dining-room.
II ought to tell you, Mrs. Ward,
that have decided to leave you. My
month is up to-day, and l."
Mrs. Ward looked at her in amaze
ment.
What! You are going to leave?
Why, we are more than satisfied with
you'll"
but I am not with you or the
placed" replied Barbara, so spiritedly
that it was the nearest to an exhibi-
ton of anger, that Mrs. Ward had
ever seen in her, during the whole
month.
Mrs. Ward sunk down in q chair,
and look of despair came over her
face as she looked at Barbara. Bar
bara, with white face and trembling
hands, went on with her work at the
table. She was preparing some dish
for baking.
"Why-what-haven't we been kind
to you? Haven't the wages-Mr.
Ward was saying to me this morning
that we ought to give, you more.
am sure" Mrs. Ward continued eager
ly, noting Barbara's set expression,
II am sure we would be glad to make
it~four and half week, or possibly
FIVE"
"It's not that" answered Barbara,
in low voice. She took up the dish
and put it in the oven, and then, after
moment of hesitation, she sat down
and looked at Mrs. Ward very
gravely.
what is it. them" Mrs. Ward
asked hopelessly.
do you want me to tell you all
the reasons have for leaving?"
Barbara asked the question with
touch of the feeling she had already
shown.
"Haye you made out list?" Mrs.
Ward asked carelessly. It was that
characteristic of the woman that had
oftenest tried Barbara.
Eyes, l have" replied Barbara; and
she added, with different tone, as if
she had suddenly put q check on her
temper' Mrs. Ward, don't want
to leave you without giving you good
reasons. That would not be fair,
either to you or to me-"
Il ought to know repneu Mrs.
Ward, slowly. She still looked at Bar
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