Ellsworth American., 1904-03-02
A SERVING MAID
Ioriginal.1

~ bOA OSNAA ANi tAtt NlAtco Va d
servant, no one would ever have taken
her TO be one. She was refined look
Ing. and there was something in her
manner that also bespoke refinement
She seemed to have little in common
with her fellow servants, whc, though
they were not admitted to her friend
ship, never turned against her. Real
superiority is always sooner or later
recognized, and Olive Horton came to
be regarded by them as of a higher
class. Most of them believed that she
was the daughter of some gentleman
who had broken down financially.
What put a finishing touch to their
sense of their own inferiority was the
discovery that Olive kept singular look
ing books in her closet, which she
brought out and studied after her
charges were asleep.
Elliott White, nephew of Olives
employer, on returning from a trip
abroad visited his aunt. and one morn
ing, while recounting bis travels, Olive
came into the room. She gave but one
glance at Elliott but his eyes became
fixed upon her and followed her till
she left the room He tried TO resume
the thread of his recital. but in vain
His tongue would not describe what
had been driven from his thoughts
Since the girl was servant he had
the good taste not to show the interest
she had created in him. The truth was
that that silent figure which had en-
tered the room had taken out with Ii
all there was of value In his nature
What came of this is only what
comes in such cases. Elliott Whites
aunt one day was surprised at hearing
a fragment of dialogue between her
nephew and her servant.
'-The fever! 1t never leaves me-" he
said
''I have told you to go away from me
and stay till you are cured"
sand you?"
Il Shall never be cured but / will |
not be your wife. My respect for my,
self may not be strong enough to hold |
me, but my love for you will never
permit me to drag Yen down to my
level"
"You are better educated than haif |
the girls, who only learn as parrots
learn. | am sure you came of gentle
parents, There has been a financial
crash in yoGr family, and when Ii came
.ou bravely began az the bottom and
you will rissse TO the top
THAT is not SO. Il it were / would
own 1t to you"
4 step in the hall ended the dialogue.
The aunt and mistress went away
troubled, but she never mentioned
what she had heard to the lovers or
any one else.
Olive was taken i'll, and doctor
was called to attend her. When he
went downstairs after his first visit :,
found Elliott White in III" r,v,,,
Eliott had been waiting for hin, v-its
feverish anxiety.
swell, doctorf'
The doctor looked at hss, Searching
ly. He had lard those words too
otter i, other cases of anxiety not to
know that the young man was the
girls lover.
Strange said the doctor, looking |
at Elliott with a faraway expression.
But, doctor, tell me-is 1t a bad
case?"
'I'm afraid it is"
"For heavens sake, don't tell me
there is no hoper'
'aThere is hope" said the doctor still!
looking at Elliott with the saE1e singu-
lar expression. why are you Sc in
terested? ~
Doctor. l am in torture. | am wild.
l can tell you, physician, to whom
many a secret is laid bare, that /, a
gentleman, love this servant maid. If
she dies l shall go mad; if she lives l
shall go mad, for l can't marry her"
mo, you can't marry a servant un-
less you want to make your life hers.
But be of good cheer. l do not promise
that she shall live, but l promise that
if you marry her you will marry
lady"
Elliott stood staring. his expression
plainly asking. What do you mean?'
But the doctor did not choose to ex-
plain just then and, seizirg his hat,
broke away.
Ten days later the servant was out
Of danger. One morning when the
doctor called he brought with him a
lady who went to Olives room, where
she stayed long while. Elliott was
in the house and wondered what it all
meant. When the lady went away
the doctor came downstairs with her,
and the two stood for awhile talking
in the hall, but all that Elliott could
hear was the lady asking, How soon
can l take her homer" When the vis-
itor had gone the doctor went into the
library, where he found Elliott.
81 have something to tell you" he
said to the young man. Nineteen years
ago | assisted at the birth of a girl,
the child of wealthy parents. There
was malformation of the right clavi-
ele-I mean shoulder blade-that had
not seen before. / never forget ex-