The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-03-18


to picture life in the city, and to
scof at the simple, modest country
girls, country manners and dress be-
ing made the special object of ridi-
cule, until poor Maude felt her cheeks
burn with shame. Oh, why would
her father persist in staying in the
country? She was filled with resent
ment against him. Fortunately her
fond parents did not know the mind
of their child that afternoon.
But, Miss Maude, you were never
intended for country girl. You are
much too pretty and graceful" said
Louis, with look of admiration so
plain as to cause Maude to blush.
''You should come to town where you
would be appreciated, and where you
could see something
''That just what have been tell
ing her this long time said Susie.
"Maude, suppose you get ready and
go back with us. We goat 9. 80 and
you can start in the morning. I'm
sure you can get in at Brown &
Greenwood's." :"
eyes, do, Miss Maude. We will
have jolly times when you are one of
us, said Louis.
81 wouldn't NOPE away my life in
this poky place for anybody, Maude.
Get ready and go. What do you
say?" said Susie, coaxingly.
"Well, I'll go, but I can't go this
afternoon, said Maude, thinking of
laundering and packing her best
dresses.
There was stormy scene at Mr..
Stowell's farm the next morning.
Although her father had ever been
kind and indulgent to her, Maude
found that he could be very stern and
unrelenting, and now that she had
determined to disobey him in a matter
which was of vital Importance, he
said sternly:
eff you go away, after all your
mother and I have said, you may
stay"
x 4 x 4
Tuesday morning found Maude
standing, grip in band, in the depot
of the town where Susie worked, a
stranger and alone. Her heart was
very heavy, for she could not shake
off the memory of her mothers tear
wet, sorrowful face. She stood, look
ing around in a bewildered way, not
knowing which way to turn, when
Susie exclaimed:
$50 you came? I'm SO glad,
Maude,' passing her arm around
Maude's waist affectionately. II had
no end of time getting off, I'll tell
you. Old Brown was as cross as a
bear. 1 had to tell him all kinds of
stuff. But you're right in it, for
there's vacancy. One of the girls
is sick and you can get her place. It's
a shirt waist counter, and is dead
easy I'll tell you, Maude, you're
lucky. Well leave your grip at my
room and go up right away, for 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
very appealing look, as Susie ex-
planned her merits, adding such en-
bellishments as she thought best.
The next day found Maude duly
installed behind stuffy 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 thousand
insects.
A few days later 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:
"Can't 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, 'If you don't like these you
will have to go somewhere else"
The lady appeared astonished, and
murmuring something about report
ing" walked away. When six O. clock
came, and Maude was pinning 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.. Brown :"
asked Maude, ready to cry.
"No 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
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 1.-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 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
uncomfortable to country-bred Maude.
True, she had evenings at the theatre,
with Louis and Susie, but as she be-
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