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
Sarah was often made uneasy by the very casual way in which Sunday was
regarded. Sometimes she was able to induce Edith to go to church with
her, but generally she went alone, and she knew that few, if any, of the
servants thought it necessary to attend. Sarah looked forward from
Sunday to Sunday; she forgot all her petty troubles in church, and
always found some golden word of comfort to help her through the week.
Six months had passed and she was still in the same place, having made
great friends with the other servants, and earned a golden opinion from
Mrs. Ellis, which naturally pleased her mistress, Lady James, very much.
Mrs. Brown had been steadily getting weaker and weaker, till one day
when Sarah was, as usual, washing up, the footman came to tell her that
she was wanted in the servants' hall. She was surprised at this summons,
and still more so when she found Dick waiting for her, especially as she
had seen him only a week ago.
"Well, Dick, whatever is the matter?" asked Sarah. "Why do you look so
sad? Make haste and tell me."
Poor Dick, who had come to tell Sarah of her mother's death, did not
quite know how to begin, so he asked how long it was since she had seen
her, and was told a fortnight.
"Well," said Dick, "Mrs. Brown was taken suddenly worse, and----" Here
poor Dick broke down, and naturally Sarah had little difficulty in
supplying the rest, which Dick was obliged to tell her was only too
true. Sarah was in great distress, and really did not know what she was
saying. She kept reproaching herself for having omitted to write
oftener, also, for ever having left her mother, and especially for not
having tried to see more of her.
Dick told her all he could, assuring her that Mrs. Carrol had been very
kind, and had done all that was possible to ease her mother in the
household affairs.
"Now, Sarah," said Dick at last, "can you get your things and come home
for a bit, as your father will want you sadly?" Sarah went to her friend
the cook, told her of her trouble, and asked for two days absence. Mrs.
Ellis went upstairs to see if she could find her mistress, and having
done so, obtained not only a day or two, but a week. Sarah was crying so
very bitterly she could hardly pack the few necessary things; but, with
Edith to help her, she and Dick went off to Mr. Brown's home. There they
found all in great confusion, neighbours whispering outside the house,
and women trying to keep the children from screaming and making a noise.
When Sarah and Dick appeared, there was a general silence, and as she
went into the house many of her former friends tried to say a few
sympathetic words and press her hand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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