Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-07-30
SYNOPSIS.
Copyright. 1900.

proplem, not pelng ap!e 10 Keep one lor
made MADE Il them en- both irritsSis and cross, and
81 ohla isdb
strewn With many little tiff III and quarrel:
sr has s Sars
applies for the position: Barbara Is an
educated. refined young college graduate,
been unable to. obtain employment Of any
kind. She. with her widowed mother, has
recently moved to Crawford. After much
nit her to apply for the position Of servant
girl. which she obtains.
CHAPTER I1.-After four weeks or
hearted and decides to give up her position
for many reasons. She notifies Mrs. Ward,
states her reasons, and is told what great
Mrs. Ward promising to make her life with
esf9s. G!e Il po. na n'sa' sen ssso 81
Wards. believing she can be Of some good
there. She has a heart-to-hsart talk with
MRS Mrs Mard d, ana thsy arrive at the eonslu-
is one that can be remedied, which they
plan to do. The following Sunday she is
invited TO aSeempany the family to church
The next morning after Mr.. Ward
had gone down t. his business Mrs.
Ward said to Bar" a:a "You remem-
Der Mr.. Morton is coming to lunch
with us to-day. Would you like to
sit at the table with us?"
The color rusheu into Barbara's
face, and she did not answer at once.
Then she said slowly: "No, Mrs.
Ward. tolu you when came, if you
remember, that I never expected to
sit with the family at meal-time. My
place as servant is to wait on the
family then"
very WE'LL" replied Mrs. Ward,
quietly. II simply asked because I
want you to understand that I am
ready to help you. OF course, you are
not like the other girls who have
worked for US. I have no doubt you
could be perfectly at your ease with
Mr.. Morton or anyone else in so.
ciety." Mrs. Ward spoke with some
womanly curiosity, for Barbara had
not yet taken her into full confidence,
and there was much in the girls pur-
pose and character that Mrs. Ward
did not know.
II suppose could, probably" Bar
bara answered, demurely.
"Of course, you shut yourself out
of the society of people in your own
rank of life by choosing to be serv-
ant" Mrs. Ward went on abruptly.
"You know that as well as do"
"Yes," replied Barbara, gravely.
"You know well enough that if I
had introduced you yesterday to all
the people in Marble Square church,
probably not one of them would ever
have invited you TO como and see
them or even enter into any part Of
the church life"
II suppose So" Barbara replied,
flushing deeply. And then she said:
''But understand we'll enough that
such conditions exist because in the
majority of cases the girls who 60
out to service in Crawford would not
care to be invited to the homes of the
people in Marble Square church, and
would feel very miserable and i'll at
ease if they should be invited into
eny such homes"
"That il what have often said.
The servant girls are In distinct
class by themselves. They are the
least educated, the most Indifferent
to refining influences, of sh the la
boring CLASSES"
"At the same time" Barbara began:
but Mrs. Ward was oalled out Of the
room by some demand of Lewis. who
wss still posing mere or less az an
invalid although he was able to be
-, nj Eo No. I, h~r
work, conscious that the dragon was,
II anything, bigger and mercer In
some directions every day.
About noon the bell rang, and Bar
bara with little helghtening color
in her face went to the door.
| Mr.. Morton greeted her as she
opened the door saying: Happy to
meet you again, Miss Clark. A little
pleasanter and not so hot al last
week."
Barbara returned his greeting by
saying: Eyes, SIR" and took his hat,
while he walked Immediately into the
sitting-room like familiar guest.
Mrs. Ward heard MIN from upstairs,
and came down at once, while Bar
bara went into the kitchen.
During the meal barbara could not
avoid hearing part of the CONVERSE
ton. She had always remembered
what her mother had often said
about servants telling everything
heard in the family talk and she had
tried since coming to the Wards to
train herself not to listen to what
was being said, especially at the table
| when she was called in to stand and
wait at the beginning or during the
different courses.
But to-day in spite Of herself she
could not avoid hearing and knowing
q part of the general conversation
She heard Mr.. Ward good-naturedly
asking Mr.. Morton how long he Ok.
pected to live in hotel at Carlton.
"I'll warrant all the young ladies in
Carlton have given him at least a bar
rel of slippers already" Mr.. Ward
said, looking at his wife.
"Will ysu give me the highest mar.
ket price for all the slippers possess
so far2" Mr.. Morton asked, with q
smile. Mr.. Ward was in tho wholesale
boot and shoe business.
II don't know. don't think wanA
to load up so heavily on slippers"
II assure you it would not ruin you.
Mr.. Morton answered lightly.
II think with Mrs. Ward, though
that you ought to be getting home
of your own" Mr.. Ward was saying
when Barbara came in with the des
sert.
"My sister is coming up to Carlton
n Eaan hnrSa fo,. mn cfov 4, ars