IN THE WORK-ROOM.
ELLEN found her new life very different in reality from what it had
appeared in anticipation.
Dressmaking did not prove so agreeable an occupation as she had
expected to find it, and before she had been more than a week at
Charmouth, she was painfully conscious of home-sickness.
Her aunt's quick, sharp ways frightened her, and the fear of offending
rendered her so timid and nervous, that she made more mistakes than
she would otherwise have done. She wondered how her companions in the
work-room could take their mistress's frequent scoldings so coolly
as they appeared to do. But they had grown accustomed to her voluble
expressions of displeasure, and knew that she often appeared more angry
than she really was.
Exceedingly quick-tempered, Miss Mansfield had a kind heart, in spite
of her sharp speech and abrupt manner. She meant to treat her niece
well, for she was pleased with her appearance and liked her needlework,
although she often found fault with it. She would have been astonished
could she have known with what dread and dislike her bearing had from
the first inspired Ellen. From force of habit, it had become a part of
her nature to scold, and she had no idea how disagreeable this practice
was to those about her.
Ellen found the long hours of sewing, with her aunt's keen eyes
constantly on the watch to detect the least diminution of energy,
quite as tedious as the hours spent in assisting her mother at home.
Occasionally she was sent out on errands; but, unaccustomed to town
life, she made so many blunders, that she was not often thus employed.
Once she got into sore disgrace by telling a lady to whom she carried
an expensive mantle, which had been ordered, and who consulted her on
the subject, that it did not suit her.
The consequence was, the mantle was returned to be re-made, greatly to
Miss Mansfield's annoyance, who vented her displeasure most severely
upon the well-meaning cause of it.
Ellen's fellow-workers differed much in character and demeanour. Julia
Coleman was a shrewd, talkative girl, who could work well if she liked,
but tried Miss Mansfield's patience greatly by her lazy, careless ways.
She was quick in excusing her own shortcomings, however, and by deceit
and untruth would try to shield herself from blame. Ellen was inclined
to like her, for she was bright and lively, and anxious to make friends
with the new-comer.
Mary Nelson was several years older than the other girls, having
already served her apprenticeship, and being retained in Miss
Mansfield's employ because her assistance was of such value. She was a
very quiet girl, and seldom spoke unless addressed. She would stitch
away as diligently when Miss Mansfield was out of the room as in her
presence. Her health was delicate, and sometimes she became faint
from bending over her work too long. Ellen felt sorry for her at such
times, and was profuse in her expressions of sympathy and offers of
assistance. Mary was grateful for her kindness, and tried to show
that she was so. A friendly feeling sprang up between the two girls,
although they said little to each other.
Miss Mansfield did not like much talking to go on in the work-room,
and when she was present, her voice was generally the only one heard.
Certainly that more than compensated for the silence of the others.
As Julia and Mary did not live in the house, and were always glad to
hurry home as soon as they could get permission to do so, Ellen had
little opportunity for unrestrained intercourse with them, except when
anything occurred to take her aunt from home.
She was obliged to go out on business one evening, and left the
girls some work to finish before they went home. They worked pretty
diligently, for they were anxious to get their task finished, but as
they worked Julia chatted freely.
"What do you do with yourself on Sundays, Ellen?" she asked. "Don't you
find it very dull here?"
"Yes, rather," Ellen admitted. "But I don't get up till late in the
morning, for aunt is never in a hurry on Sundays. Then I generally
write a long letter home, and in the evening, I go to church with aunt;
so the time passes quickly. I like it better than sewing all the day."
"I daresay you do," returned Julia. "But, for all that, it is hard that
you should not have some pleasure on the only holiday you get. I wish
you could come with me for a walk next Sunday afternoon. I would take
you about, and show you more of the town than you have yet seen."
"Thank you," replied Ellen. "I should like to take a walk with you, if
aunt would let me, but I know it is of no use to ask her. For the other
Sunday I asked her if I might take a little stroll by myself, and she
answered me so crossly, and said it was 'not seemly for young girls to
be gadding about the streets alone.'"
"Well, I must say I don't envy you, Ellen, being shut up the whole of
the day with that old cross-patch," Julia said, with a laugh.
"No, I don't like it at all," rejoined Ellen discontentedly. "I get
dreadfully tired of being always indoors. At home, I never used to stay
in the house for more than an hour at a time, but here I can scarcely
ever get out."
"I wonder if you would like to go with me to my Bible-class?" said Mary
Nelson, looking up from her work. "I should think your aunt would have
no objection to that."
"What is a Bible-class like?" asked Ellen. "I have never been to one."
"And if you take my advice you never will!" exclaimed Julia. "You will
find it a great deal slower than staying at home, I can tell you."
"I don't find it so," said Mary. "I would not miss going on any
account. Our teacher is such a pleasant young lady, and so kind and
good to us all, that we love her dearly. She makes the lessons most
interesting."
Julia smiled scornfully, and gave her head a significant toss.
Ellen thought she would like to go with Mary to her class, yet somehow
she felt ashamed to say so before Julia. But the recollection of her
brother Jerry, and his love for the Word of God, gave her courage, and
she said firmly,—
"I should like to go with you next Sunday, Mary, if aunt will let me."
"Very well; that is agreed," answered Mary, with a smile. "I shall be
very pleased to have your company."
Julia gave expression to her contempt for this arrangement by
indulging in a low whistle, and Ellen felt that she had fallen in her
fellow-apprentice's estimation.