The Iola register., 1901-10-11
BORN TO SERVE
By Charles M. Sheldon,
Author Of I'm HIS STEPS, " ..loHN KIrs's
BLAKE u Btc.
scopyrisht. isoe. 6y cSsriss n. shsidon.1

fearing she knew not what for the
girl, realizing as she never before had
realized the many dangers that face
working girls in large cities, and real
izing, too, that, If she accomplished
any great things as she sometimes
dreamed she might, it must be done by
the aid of power greater than her
own, for never before had she felt her
own human weakness SO strongly.
For the next three weeks the days
went by in an ordinary way for Bar
bara; but, when she had time TO reflect
on them, she acknowledged that they
had contained important events for
her. 1t is because we are not able TO
see the bearing of what occurs day by
day upon the entire programme of life
that very often we do not count each
days sum as part Of the sum total.
Barbara had been unusually con-
fined to the housework. Mrs. Ward had
been again subject TO an attack Of
nervous headache, and the whole of
the care had been thrown upon Bar
bara. Mrs. Ward had now learned to
trust her implicitly. This did not
mean that the sharpness Of her man
ner under stress of her headaches had
entirely disappeared; but Barbara had
learned almost perfectly how TO antic-
ipate her wishes, and the girls great
love for Carl and his complete trust in
her, together with Barbara's cheerful,
competent handling of the entire
kitchen, had all united to capture Mrs.
Wards affections. She was content,
even in her enforced idleness, to lie
still with her pain and indulge in a
great feeling of thankfulness for such
a treasure in the house.
She was talking of it one evening
with her husband.
"Do you realize, Richard, what .
prize we have in Barbara"
"She is certainly a most remarkable
girl. The most competent servant we
iver had in the house, isn't she ?'
without any comparison. And I
want you to build that room as soon as
you can"
Mrs. Ward had mentioned the mat
ter of the room over the kitchen. and
he had agreed that it was not suitable
for girl like Barbara.
'Or any other girl, Richard" Mrs.
Ward had said.
Yes, I'll have a carpenter come right
up and look over the house. We shall
have to raise the roof over the kitch-
en-"
why can't we At the same time en-
large the kitchen so that Barbara can
have a corner of that carpeted off for
n. IL
run upstairs? saw Mrs. Rice's kitch-
en- the other day. 1t is unusually large.
One end of IL is neatly fitted up with a
table for books or sewing material,
several comfortable chairs, and pic
lures on the walls-a very cosy, com
Portable corner, where her girl can re-
ceive her company or sit down to read
or rest"
But Barbara never has any com
pany, does shop" Mr.. Ward asked, with
little amusement at the look his wife
gave him. "Shs hasn't any beaus, aH
all our other girls have had"
"No," Mrs. Ward answered, thought
fully. "But-"
"Well, what?"
eff she had, we would ask her 30 in
vite them into the parlor. OF COURSE,
we can't expect a girl as attractive Is
Barbara Is to go through life without
attracting some one"
"Unless her place as q servant"
began Mr.. Ward.
But why should that make any dit-
fsreneo?" Mrs. Ward asked, iTrits4ed
by the suggestion. 20 dear, don't sue-
gest my losing Barbara. Whoever geta
her for his wifs will get a perfect
housekeeper and q rAre, sweet girl In
every way; but we shall lose the best
servant we ever had, and then our
troubles begin again, Mr.. Richard
Ward"
Mr.. Ward was silent awhile, and
then he asked about Barbara's plans
for solving the servant question.
II don't think she's done anything
lately. know she hasn't. Mrs. Vane
sent over the other day TO iaquire
when she was coming to see her again.
My illness has kept Barbara very close
to the house lately"
If Barbara had heard this talk, it
might have encouraged her to eonfide
in Mrs. Ward about a matter which
had begun to trouble her somewhat,
and that matter was no less than the
action of her own son Alfred Ward.
1t was now nearing the end of the
college vacation, and the young man
would soon be starting back to col
iege to enter on his senior year. Dur
ing the weeks he had been at home
he had spent a great deal of the
time about the house. He was behind
in two of his studies, and was work
ing a little to make up.
One day Barbara while at work in
the dining-room heard him wrestling
with German sentence in Faust. He
seemed to be unable to render il into
good English, and Barbara naturally
began TO translate il for HIM without
looking At the book.
isn't this the meaning2" she said,
and then gave a very good interpre-
tatiOn, Alfred listening as he lounged
on tho sofa, book In hand.
"of course 'ns. That's Just I'll
Wbst O numskull must bel Wish