Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/161

Rh on the corner of Royal and St. Louis, a door opening on Royal and one on St. Louis. She was to go in at one door and a carriage was to be in waiting at the other, in which they were to drive to the Lake. The blinds were to be drawn, as if somebody was in it sick; she then told him in French, he had better go, as it was near the hour her husband come to lunch with her.

As soon as he left, I went and fastened the door, took my chair, and sat down right before her, and told her, word for word, what they had been saying, and told her never to treat any person with contempt before another because she was rich and highly educated, for there were many simple looking people, and poor people, who understood more than those who were speaking of them.

The lady became very much agitated, so much so that I feared she would faint, when I reassured her, by saying I would not expose her; I told her the circumstance I would mention, but never her name, as that should go to the grave with me; she offered me money, but I told her money never would seal my lips, nor anything except kindness. I then told her of a gentleman from Lexington, who came to me and tried to bribe me to answer just one question about some circumstance that occurred in Kentucky, which would place a lady in his power, so he offered me a seventy-five dollar silk dress if I would only answer him. She asked me if I gave him an answer. I told her no, I never did, nor I never would. She told me it was only a joke, as she was only fooling the gentleman, and did not intend to meet him; however, I had business at the St. Louis, and as it happened to be about the hour