The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1905-09-02
Little, Old Hiss Lavender !
By ETHEL M. BRIr1BLE. Z

By ETHEL M. BRInBLH.

To this day l don't know what lc
up to 1t; l rather think it was aftc
Molly had been holding forth on he
pet subject of the general uselessnes
OF most girls lives nowadays, and hoy
SO few realized the obligation of Vor]
Of some sort.
Il consider any sort of work |,
noble" she wound up, in her impetu
GUS way; "and, provided it is honest
there is nothing derogatory in a cir
earning her living by doing some so
called menial task"
Il am quite of your opinion" sale
Lillian, quietly; "and it leads me te
tell you something which | have de
cided upon doing. You know-or, al
least, no doubt you have guessed,
she continued, flushing painfully
that we are very poor. You girls
who have almost all that you can
wish for, can hardly realize how poor
or-or-how difficult it is sometimes to
make both ends even get within a
measurable distance of each other.
much less attempt to meet. Wei.
lately, auntie has lost some money
not much to you. l dare say, but to
US"
She broke of, and looked, with un.
seeing eyes. out over the little hedge
and on to the road beyond.
mo, don't say anything, please" as
| opened my lips to speak 'Auntie
has her little annuity-enough for her
to live upon-not in luxury, certainly
but she has simple tastes, and can
manage well enough. When it comes
to two-however, there is nothing
more to be said. and so -"
she faltered little for an instant.
have decided to leave her and to
earn my own living"
We'll, I call that very sensible of
you." said Molly, warmly. Il am
dreadfully sorry for you, of course.
dear" she added. giving Lilian's hand
little squeeze. "and you know---'
wait till you hear ALL said our
companion. reddcning painfully. Il
don't mind for myself, of course: it
won't matter to me Bit" she went
on. bravely; "but think if auntie
knew, 1t would break her heart. She
thinks | have secured a post as com
panion to one of the leaders of the
four hundred and is quite delighted
at the idea Of my being in society;
but, in reality here, for mo
ment, she hesitated; then, as if max.
Ing final effort, went on, hurriedly-
1T Is not as companion that this So
ciety woman has engaged me, but as
sewing maid"
For one second we were silent.
"A sewing maid?" echoed my sister
quickly. "Oh, Lillian, what will you
have to do?"
Live with the servants, for one
hing" answered Lillian. "Yes, /
know that-we all have meals to-
,ether in the servants hall-only the
lppers have their dinner in the house
Keepers room, and shall not even be
IN upper she added, sadly. "Oh, l
lnow well enough what you would say,
'ut when all is said and done, what
Use can do? Mrs. De Voore treats
Ter servants well: l shall be earning
ny own living, and earning it in the
'hly way l am competent to do. l
ave no talelt, nothing to recommend
ne above the thousands of other far
leverer girls, all anxious to make
living nowadays: and, after all, it
Tont be SO had, as long as anntie
oes not know-you will never, never
ct her even suspect, will you?" she
ntreated. She cannot live long now:
he doctor says that at any moment
er heart attacks may prove fatal,
nd as long as she thinks l am well
nd happy, and she has no anxiety
bout money matters, she will go on
apply and well. Nothing would induce
er to let me 60 if she knew the real
ruth-she must never know-promise
le?' she insisted, entreatingly.
What could we do? We could only
and walk sadly indoors. Our
lother tried to do something about
!. but when she was driven, as a last
esOrt, to give sort of half hint to
[iss Lavender, we could see, by the
ay she took it, that she had not a
hadOw Of an idea as to the real truth,
nd, in honor bound to Lillian. we could
0 no more
Well, she went, and what that girl
gently nurtured, and always accus-
3med to a certain atmosphere of
elicacy and refinement-must have
one through makes me shudder to
Her letters to the old lady we're per-
ut aarvels OF ingenuity. Always
Igorous as to truth she managed in