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Page 58
"Mrs. Merrill Wilton Bailey sends word that her granddaughter, Miss
Elizabeth, has reached her home safely, and will remain with her. Miss
Elizabeth will come sometime to see Mrs. Brady, and thank her for her
kindness during her stay with her."
The butler bowed, and turned away with relief. His dignity and social
standing had not been so taxed by the family demands in years. He was glad
he might shake off the dust of Flora Street forever. He felt for the
coachman. He would probably have to drive the young lady down here
sometime, according to that message.
Mrs. Brady, her daughter, and Lizzie stuck their heads out into the
lamplighted street, and watched the dignified butler out of sight. Then
they went in and sat down in three separate stages of relief and
astonishment.
"Fer the land sakes!" ejaculated the grandmother. "Wall, now, if that
don't beat all!" then after a minute: "The impertinent fellow! And the
impidence of the woman! Thank me fer my kindness to me own grandchild! I'd
thank her to mind her business, but then that's just like her."
"Her nest is certainly well feathered," said Aunt Nan enviously. "I only
wish Lizzie had such a chance."
Said Lizzie: "It's awful queer, her looking like that, too, in that crazy
rig! Well, I'm glad she's gone, fer she was so awful queer it was jest
fierce. She talked religion a lot to the girls, and then they laughed at
her behind her back; and they kep' a telling me I'd be a missionary 'fore
long if she stayed with us. I went to Mr. Wray, the manager, and told him
my cousin was awfully shy, and she sent word she wanted to be excused fer
running away like that. He kind of colored up, and said 'twas all right,
and she might come back and have her old place if she wanted, and he'd say
no more about it. I told him I'd tell her. But I guess her acting up won't
do me a bit of harm. The girls say he'll make up to me now. Wish he would.
I'd have a fine time. It's me turn to have me wages raised, anyway. He
said if Bess and I would come to-morrow ready to stay in the evening, he'd
take us to a show that beat everything he ever saw in Philadelphia. I mean
to make him take me, anyway. I'm just glad she's out of the way. She
wasn't like the rest of us."
Said Mrs. Brady: "It's the Bailey in her. But she said she'd come back and
see me, didn't she?" and the grandmother in her meditated over that fact
for several minutes.
CHAPTER XIV
IN A NEW WORLD
Meantime the panorama of Elizabeth's life passed on into more peaceful
scenes. By means of the telephone and the maid a lot of new and beautiful
garments were provided for her, which fitted perfectly, and which
bewildered her not a little until they were explained by Marie. Elizabeth
had her meals up-stairs until these things had arrived and she had put
them on. The texture of the garments was fine and soft, and they were rich
with embroidery and lace. The flannels were as soft as the down in a
milkweed pod, and everything was of the best. Elizabeth found herself
wishing she might share them with Lizzie,--Lizzie who adored rich and
beautiful things, and who had shared her meagre outfit with her. She
mentioned this wistfully to her grandmother, and in a fit of childish
generosity that lady said: "Certainly, get her what you wish. I'll take
you downtown some day, and you can pick out some nice things for them all.
I hate to be under obligations."
A dozen ready-made dresses had been sent out before the first afternoon
was over, and Elizabeth spent the rest of the day in trying on and walking
back and forth in front of her grandmother. At last two or three were
selected which it was thought would "do" until the dressmaker could be
called in to help, and Elizabeth was clothed and allowed to come down into
the life of the household.
It was not a large household. It consisted of the grandmother, her dog,
and the servants. Elizabeth fitted into it better than she had feared. It
seemed pleasanter to her than the house on Flora Street. There was more
room, and more air, and more quiet. With her mountain breeding she could
not get her breath in a crowd.
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