uldn't
mind. So I went along. But Sophy she wouldn't take the place fur all.
She ast the lady could she have her country company, Sundays--he was
her company fur four years now and she wouldn't like to give him up
neither. She tole the lady her company goes, still, as early as eleven.
But the lady sayed her house must be darkened and locked at half-past
ten a'ready. She ast me was I Sophy's mother and I sayed no, I'm
nothin' to her but a neighbor woman. And she tole Sophy, when they eat,
still, Sophy she couldn't eat along. I guess she thought Sophy
Haberbush wasn't good enough. But she's as good as any person. Her
mother's name is Smith before she was married, and them Smiths was well
fixed. She sayed Sophy'd have to go in and out the back way and never
out the front. Why, they say some of the town people's that proud, if
the front door-bell rings and the missus is standin' right there by it,
she won't open that there front door but wants her hired girl to come
clear from the kitchen to open it. Yes, you mightn't b'lee me, but I
heerd that a'ready. And Mary Hertzog she tole me when she hired out
there fur a while one winter in town, why, one day she went to the
missus and she says, 'There's two ladies in the parlor and I tole 'em
you was helpin' in the kitchen,' and the missus she ast her, 'What fur
did you tell 'em that? Why, I'm that ashamed I don't know how to walk
in the parlor!' And Mary she ast the colored gentleman that worked
there, what, now, did the missus mean?--and he sayed, 'Well, Mary,
you've a heap to learn about the laws of society. Don't you know you
must always leave on the ladies ain't doin' nothin'?' Mary sayed that
colored gentleman was so wonderful intelligent that way. He'd been a
restaurant waiter there fur a while and so was throwed in with the best
people, and he was, now, that tony and high-minded! Och, I wouldn't
hire in town! To be sure, Mister can do what he wants. Well," she
added, "it's a quarter till five--I guess I'll put the peppermint on a
while. Mister's folks'll be here till five."
She moved away to the stove, and Margaret resumed her assault upon the
stubborn ignorance of the father.
"Think, Mr. Getz, what a difference all this would make in Tillie's
life," she urged.
"And you'd be learnin' her all them years to up and sass her pop when
she was growed and earnin' her own livin'!" he objected.
"I certainly would not."
"And all them years till she graduated she'd be no us
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