Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

“ Better servant than this poor little Bohemian never merited a mistress's nod. She seemed to fairly delight in obedience. Mrs. Jefferson grew really fond of her. She took her into the family, when her natural suspicions were quieted, as she always had taken her domestics. She bought her a cambric dress, helped her to make it, and took her to church with her. When the girl was arrayed in that pretty cambric, and a new hat with a little bunch of flowers in it, she eyed her with pleasure. She nodded and smiled behind her back to Wells, who was also eying her. “Don't she look pretty?” ”

“ Neither had she any when now and then her son took her servant-girl to meeting of a week-day night, driving a mile and a half by moonlight in his open buggy. She thought nothing of it when he did not go to see the blue-gowned girl in the farm-house down the road. “He's busy haying,” she said to herself. “Wells ain't the kind to neglect his work for any girl; and I'm glad of it.”
At last, however, her eyes were opened. Wells and Louise came home from meeting one night, and sat down on the door-step. The house was dark, and they supposed Mrs. Jefferson had gone to bed. ”

“ She took a parcel carefully from her basket and handed it to Mrs. Jefferson. This erratic, sly-natured woman had not much regard for her word; but one is scarcely human for whom there is no truth inviolable. She had still one sanctuary left for her promise to an innocent departed soul.
“She kep' it hid in the bed till the day she died. Then she give it to me. It was all done up careful this way. She saved up and bought 'em unbeknownst to me.”
Mrs. Jefferson with trembling fingers unrolled rag after rag. At last came a clean white one. Then she saw a pair of little vases and a slip of paper. ”

“ I'm tired to death; an' it ain't often anybody treats me the way you do. Folks don't waste much pity on me generally.”
“Well, they ought to. It's more than I'd want to do myself—tramping round from morning till night lugging those things. I shouldn't think you'd have strength enough.” ”