Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-01-27
SELECTED STORY
SHE WAS ONLY A SHOP GIRL
BY MATTE DYER BIRTHS.

BY MATTE DYER BRITTS.
Gloves, sir Yes, sir. What numter
The words fell with tired little sigh fl on
the lips Of the young girl who stood behine
the counter, and caused Douglas Lenox tt
to take second look into the sweet face
and dark grey eyes which met his for the
first time.
Bending over the box of gloves which
she had taken down for his inspection, the
young girl sighed again, and Douglas hasti
ly rose from the stool upon which he had
lazily dropped.
I am ashamed to sit when you are stand
ing he said, I am sure you must be very
tired. Are you not?
That young girl would have refused to
notice remark from most strangers, upon
any subject except their purchases, but the'e
are some people VIC instinctively feel we can
trust, and Douglas Lenox's kind voice and
frank, honest face efectually disarmed re-
sentiment. She looked up and said
Rather tired I have been on my feet all
day. and the faint smile which dimpled the
corners Of her mouth. added, in the young
mans eyes, to the winning beauty of hel
face.
But surely you can sit down when you
have spare moment !" he said, somewhat
Indignantly.
Tho young girl shook her head No
not in business hours
1T is shame said Douglas, I have
heard that such denominations existed in our
city, but never really believed it,
1t is allowed in some stores said the
young lady
Then why do you not leave your place
here, and 60 to such one ? asked Douglas.
She gave another faint smile If you
had been shop girl for four years, and
knew the difficulty of getting situation
you would not ask that question Then
hastily pushing a SECOND box Of gloves to-
wards him, she added, in lower tone.
Mr. Sheldon is coming this way. I
should lose my place here if he heard what
l said. Please look at the gloves
And Douglas, not stopping to examine
whether he got the number he wanted Oh
not, quickly selected two or three pairs, paid
for them and LETT the store.
But he carried with him the image of the
sweet faced shop gill, and it haunted him
nuaccountably, all day.
Poor little tired thing = he said, plying
ly, I wish she were my sister, and then She
needn't work so hard
Once or twice he curled his naughty Liz
at the idea of himself the aristocratic Doug
las Lenox, who was sole master Of a hand
some place upon the Delaware, who count
ed his money by thousands, and who hae
be n for several seasons the lawful prey o
all the managing mammas and matrimoni
all5.inclined daughters in society should
be wasting SO many thoughts on LITTLE
shop girl
But if he vas aristocratic, Lenox was al
so democratic, and had no false notion!
about the disgrace of labor. The LITTLE
shop girl held the same claim to honor il
his mind that she would have held had sh'
been queen.
And when, rather early next morning, hi
took his way to the same store, Douglas &C
knowledged to himself that his purchase wa
merely an excuse, and Iis real object 81
honest interest in, and warm desire to Sc
again, the winning face which had haunie'
him since yesterday.
That she recognized him Douglas fel
snre, from the faint, sweet smile, whicl
again dimpled this corners Of her SINAI
mouth But he said nothing except abou
the goods, He looked at her. however
With an earnest glance OF honest admiration
and when, in making the change. her scf
hand accidentally touched his, it sent a thri
through his whole frame.
'Whew 7 he said to himself, lifting hi
hat. and drawing free breath as he LEI
the store. Douglas Lcnnox, | believe
my soul you're captiyated ct last An
that too, by little shop girl whose nam
you don't even know Wonder what siste
Bel would say And as he thought of b
stylish sister entering that very store, an
perhaps trading with that very little cir
entirely uncopcious that her brothers. eJ
had ever rested admiringly on the sWe'
faco, Douglas laughed aloud,
Well, after the little speech he made {
he left the store, | think you can imagir
about what followed It was astonishin
how many little purchases Douglas found
could not do without, in the next few week
And from dropping in at any store he ha
pened to pass, he only went to one partic
lar store. And it SO happened that be VI
waited on by any other t'Ean one particul
clerk, be had the blues all day in cons
quence,
How earnestly he longed to learn h
name nobody knew but himself. He dar
not ask her, and he did not know how el
he should learn. But fortune fayors t
: breve,' you know, 50 one mo, p;ag, while
was busily selecting some cambria handke
chiefs from box, the proprietor OF t
store came up and addressed her, CALI
$ her Miss Romer.'
? Douglas flashed quick, pleased glan
: at her, and the color deepened on the you
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