The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-02-01
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t9 ls$l The Story of Country Girls City E$l E$Sl
EsS--5XA Experience. EgSss5%sSl
The story of Country Girls City

NOuiCu I lnOpe away uy me III
this poky place for anybody, Maude.
Get ready and go. What do you
sayT said Susie, coaxingly.
We'll, I'll go, but l can't 90 this
afternoon" said Maude. thinking or
laundering and packing her best
dresses.
There was stormy scene at MIR.
Stowell's farm the next morning. AL
though her father have ever been kind
and indulgent TO her, Maude found
that he could be very stern and un-
relenting, and now that she had de
termined to disobey him in a matter
which was of vital importance, he
said sternly.
IF you go away, after all your
mother and have said, you may
stay"
Tuesday morning found Maude
standing, grip in hand, In the depot
of the town where Susie worked. a
stranger and alone Her heart was
very heavy, for she could not shake
of the memory of her mothers tear
wet, sorrowful face. She stood. look
ing around in bewildered way, not
knowing which way to turn, when
Susie exclaimed:
80 you came? I'm so CAD,
Maude," passing her arm around
Maude's waist affectionately Il mad
no end of a time getting OIL, Ill tell
you. Old Brown was as cross as a
bear. l had to tell him all kinds OF
stuff. But you're right in it, for
ther's a vacancy. One of the girls
is sick and you can get her place. It's
shirt waist counter, and is dead
easy I'll tell you, MauGe, you're
lucky. Wen leave your grip at my
room and 60 mp right away, for l only
have two hours"
Mr.. Brown. the senior partner OF
the firm, liked the appearance OF
Maude, and although she did not
know it, her soft brown eyes wore a
very appealing look. as susie ex-
planned her merits, adding such embel.
lishments as she thought best.
The next day found Maude duly in.
stalled behind stufy counter. 1t
was terribly hot, and before night
she caught herself longing for the cool,
shaded hammock on the lawn at home,
where she had spent so many happy
hours, listening in dull way to the
cackling hens and growing cocks, the
twitter of birds in the branches over
head, and the humming of a thousand
insects.
A few days later a couple Of fashion.
ably dressed women came up to her
counter and asked to see some shirt
waists. After turning over half the
stock, one exclaimed pettishly: Cant
you show us something decent? These
things are perfectly horrid."
Maude was new" and hardly knew
what to say, but her quick temper got
the better of her, and she said, III
you don't like these you will have to
go somewhere else"
The lady appeared astonished. and
murmurlng something about report
ing" walked away. When six o'clock
came, and Maude was plnning on her
hat, one of the clerks came TO tell her
that Mr.. Brown wanted her in the
office. She hastened to obey, and was
curtly told that her services would
not be required any longer.
what have | done, Mr.. BrOwnT
asked Maude, ready to cry.
mo impudent clerks employed in
this establishment" he condescended
to say, waving her towards the door.
Poor Maude hardly knew what to
do after this. Discharged without a
recommendation, she was compelled to
do as Susie advised, try to get work
in the bagging mill.
She succeeded, after several trials,
to get place as 'can carrier" She
was dazed, and suffered greatly with
headaches at first, caused from the
ceaseless roar of the great machinery.
She soon found out what the life of
a mill girl really is. The majority OF
the girls were coarse and decidedly
fast, and she found herself an object
Of curiosity and ridicule. The girls
nicknamed her "The Angel" She was
subject to insult, for there are so many
Of these girls who are, alas. far from
purity that the name, mill Girl" IS
a stigma Of disgrace.
The hot, dusty, lint-laden air, the
coarse, foul language, and the inces-
SAINT toll, the long hours, and dreary
grind of the mill soon grew almost un-
endurable TO country-bred Maude.
True, she had evenings at the theatre,
with Louis and Susie, but as she be.
came better acquainted with Louis,
his polished manners gradually van
lshed, and his true nature was re
yealed to her. She attended a few or
the grand balls" and instead of being
delighted" as Susie had glowingly
said, she was thoroughly disgusted.
A few months passed away, and found
Maude disillusiOned, very homesick
and repentant girl. Oh. how she
longed to lay her aching head on her
dear mothers breast and cry out her
misery. But those last words of her
father still rang in her ears: IF you
20 away after all your mother and J
have said, you can stay"
She was too proud to go back. She
longed unspeakably for the quiet home
that she had thought 80 hateful. She
would have given anything for a ride
through the wood on the back OF her
pony, Jack; but the cry OF her heart
was: "Oh, mamma! mammal papa
papa! Oh, TO be at home once moreg
A l..