The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-09-13
CHAPTER II.
1T is SWEET TO TOLL.

VI bht hphSNs Wiling n 10 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 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
ic Ideals about putting certain theories into
practice, but It is quite another thing to
do It. thought when 1 came here that
might do some great things: but there are
no great things about It. just nothing but
drudsery, and thankless drudgery at that.
And yet Mrs. Ward-but I must not say
any more about her. I have stayed out
my month as l agreed to do, and to-mor-
row l am going to let her know that can
not stay any longer. l think shall try a
place in Bondman's after all. IL seems like
a poor ssrt of position. after all the dreams
we had at Mount Holyoke; but anything
Is better than what have been doing. l
would not have mother know this and 1
have not said much to her yet. Poor
motherl She must be disappointed In me.
i am in myself. I am glad you are so we'll
suited with your school. There is a good
deal of the blues In this letter; and, 10 tell
the truth, II Is just as feel. "A Hired Girl
for Four Weeks" How would It read as
title to a magazine article? might get a
few dollars for my experiences IL 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
olassmate, BARBARA CLARK"
Barbara YEARLY folded the letter,
put IL in the envelope, directed it,
stamped it; and then, being hardly
more than a girl, and very tired
girl, and at the moment one disap-
pointed with herself and all the
world, she laid her head down on the
little table and cried hard To tell
the truth, it was not the first time
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 Wards as a
"hired girl"
So this was the end of all her he
roic enthusiasm for service. 1t 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.
| w uIu Hdl BOuC W btA WIN a SuNNNS-
sion of nervous headaches. And so
on with ceaseless recurrence of the
Arudgery that grew more and more
| 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 n "hred girl 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 90 back
into the dining-room.
81 ought TO tell you. Mrs. Ward,
that ! have decided 20 leave you. Ny
month is mp 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!"
But ! am not with you or the
place." replied Barbara, so spiritcdly
| that it was the nearest to an eXhibi-
tion of anger that Mrs. Ward had
ever seen in her, during the whole
month.
Mrs, Ward sunk down in a chair,
and look of despair came over her
face as she looked at Barbara. Bar
bara, with n white face and trembling
hands, went on with her work at the
table. She was preparing some dish
for baking.
hy-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. I
am sure" Mrs. Ward continued eager
| ly, noting Barbara's set expression,
81 am sure we would be glad to make
it four and half week, or possibly
five"
ITS not that" answered Barbara.
in n low voice. She took up the dish
and put it in the oven, and then, after
n moment of hesitation, she sat down
and looked at Mrs. Ward very
gravely.
"What is it, then?" 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.
"Have you made out a list?" Mrs.
Ward asked carelessly. 1t was that
characteristic of the woman that had
oftenest tried Barbara.
Eyes, | have" replied Barbara; and
she added with a different tone, as If
she had suddenly put check on her
temper; Mrs. Ward, | don't want
to leave you without giving you good