Sarah's first start in lifeCampbell, Adelaide M. G.
General
Sarah's first start in life
Campbell, Adelaide M. G.
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Household employees -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
After Mr. Brown had left for his day's work, and Sarah had cleared away
the breakfast things and cleaned their three rooms, she put on her
neatest dress and went off to ask when she might go into her situation
and begin her new work. She took an omnibus to Sloane Square, and from
there walked to Eaton Place, and went up to a big house, where she rang
the bell, where, after the door was opened, she was shown into a little
anteroom. After waiting half an hour a messenger was sent to conduct her
to Lady James, her future mistress. Sarah felt very nervous, as,
although she had already had an interview, this was the final one, and
much depended on it. Lady James was busy writing letters, but when she
saw Sarah, she put down her pen and turned to her with a bright smile
and a few kind words of encouragement. After ten minutes had been passed
in asking and answering questions, Lady James told Sarah she thought she
would suit, and wished her to begin her work in three days. Poor Sarah
thought this was rather too quick, but said she would certainly try and
be ready; so she went out of the house feeling very important at the
idea of at last going into service.
Of course the next few days were very busy ones, as she had to make two
new print dresses and neatly mend her clothes. Mrs. Brown was very
unhappy at the idea of losing her only child, but tried to make the last
few days cheerful, and took as much of the housework off her hands as
possible. At last only the good-byes remained to be said. Poor Mrs.
Brown was sobbing bitterly, and Mr. Brown was fussing over Sarah's box
and bag, whilst Dick, who was going with her as far as the house, was
busy harnessing Bobby. The good-byes were at last over, Mrs. Brown was
all but kissed away, and Sarah jumped into her father's cab, which was
to take her to Eaton Place. Dick and Sarah were not so sad as the mother
and father, for they felt that this was at last a step towards getting
on in life, and, after all, "nothing venture nothing have."
Eaton Place was soon reached, and Mr. Brown pulled up at the door of the
house where Sarah was to begin her new duties. The bell was rung, and
the door was opened by a footman in silk stockings and powdered hair. Of
course Sarah was much too frightened to ask this grand man what she
should do, so she made Dick ask him if he might take her box upstairs,
and whilst Sarah and her father were saying the real good-bye, Dick and
the footman went up to the attic with the box. Dick, who was a friend of
his, told him a little about Sarah, that this was her first place, and
that he and she were engaged, etc. Mr. Brown had just driven off when
Dick arrived downstairs to take his departure also.
"Now, miss," said Charles the footman, "will you come downstairs and
have a cup of tea and see all your future friends?"
"I should like to very much," said Sarah; "but I must take off my
jacket, and where can I put it?"
"Oh!" said Charles, "we arn't too particular, leave it anywhere."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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