The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-09-12
MistGlIaneons Selections.
THE FACTORY GIRL.


see in pictures. A background OF
superb bold mountains, all clothed
in blue green cedars, with a torrent
laundering down 4 deep gorge and
and falling in pillows of foam; a riv-
er refecJing the azure of the sky,
and knot of houses, with a church
spire at one end, and a thicket of
factory chimneys at the other, whose
black smoke wrote ever changing
hierographics against the sky. This
was Dappelville. And in the rosy
sunset ofthis blossomy June day the
girls were all pouring out of the
broad doorway, while Gen. Blake,
the foreman, sat behind his desk, a
pen behind his ear, and his small
beedy black eyes drawn back as in
the shelter ofEa precipiee Of shaggy
eyebrow.
One by one the girls stopped to
receive their pay for the week s work,
for this was Saturday evening. One
by one they filed out, with fretful,
discontented faces, until the last
passed in front of the high rallied
desk.
She was slight and tall, with large
velyety blue eyes, a complexion as
delicately grained and transparent as
rose -colored wax, and an abundance
of glossy hair, of so dark q brown
that casual observer would have
pronounced it black; and there was
something in the way the blue rib
bon at the throat was tied, and the
manner in which the simple details
of her dress were arranged, that be
spoke her of foreign birth.
Well, Madamoiselle Annette"
said MIR. Blake, jocosely nodding,
show do you like factory life?"
ats not disagreeable,' she an
swered, n slight accent clinging to
her tones, like fragrance to a
flower, as she extendedher hand
for the money the foreman was
counting out.
"You have given me but four dol
lars,p she said; cit was to be six by
the contract. y i
Mr.. Blake shrugged his shoulders
dIsagreeably. s'a.
"Humph" !" granted he, "you are
not accustomed to our way of doing
business. are you, Mademoiselle ?
Six-of course, but we deduct two
for a fee as af.d %
"A fee-for what p she demanded
with flushed checks and sparkling
eyes. 9ebot ~ i'4
"For getting you the situation.
Mademoiselle, to besure,' said Mr..
Blake in a superior sort Of way, as
if he pitied her lack Of information.
"Such places don't grow on every
bush, and folks naturally expect to
pay something for the privilege
81 did notn' flashed out Annette
Duville.
"O-well-all right, because you
know you amt obliged to stay unless
you choose. There's plenty of girls
who would be glad of the chance of
getting into the Dappelville Works. -
"Do you mean," hesitated Annet
te, "that if do not pay you this
money
'You can't expect to remain in the
works." said Mr.. Blake, uneasily
hltching up his collar. "Yes that is
about the plain English of it, Mad
emoiselle.'
"But the other two dollarsY'
"Oh,n said Mr.. Blake, 'that's a
percentage the girls all pay"
'But what is that for?'
Mr. Blake laughed.
"Well it kind of helps my salary
along. OF course you know the
girls all expect to pay something ev-
cry week for keeping their situations
in a place where there's so many
anxious to get in. Yeu may eonsid-
yourself very fortunate, Madem-
oisella Annette, to secure so desira
q place.
All this Mr.. Blake uttered in slow
deliberate way, through his nose.
Annette Duyille looked seornfully
at him.
"And Mr.. Elderslie?"
"Oh, Mr.. Elderslie," repeated
Blake. eHe hasn't anything to do
with it. l run this little machine of
the DsppelviIle Calico works"
Mr.. Elderslie owns it l believer
eWell, yes, he Owns it, but I man
age everything. Mr. Eldersle re-
poses the utmost confidence in my
capaeity-ability- and = response
bility, Mr.. Esderslie is good bus
mess man. He understands his own
Interest. And now Madenoiseae, il