Chapter V: 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.