Barbara: Lady's Maid and Peeress

Excerpt from Barbara: Lady's Maid and Peeress What between my apprenticeship and my engagement as first "skirt hand" I was nearly six years with Madame Clothilde; and though in the season work was hard and hours long, I don't think any of us girls had very much to complain of. Madame had a temper, I must admit; but she had a heart, too. Many a day when she had chivied and driven us, not to say sworn at us (for her language could be strong sometimes), she would send up a big tray with sandwiches and biscuits and nice hot comforting coffee, just as we were all but fainting. Anyway, she gave me every opportunity to improve myself, for she saw I was anxious to get on. When I had turned twenty, however, I had got a little tired of "all work and no play;" so when father said he would give me sixty pounds to start me in a business of my own, I asked time to think about it. Of course I was very thankful to father; more especially because I never believed he cared much about me. The two boys were his pets. I was not particularly fond of him. Mother was enough for me. She was good and kind and thoughtful.