The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-05-21

r other, was not conidinR In everythin
u With the intuitions of q child. woman
9. soon learned what would distress n
y mother; learned, too, that she had Il
.. much to endure, and that must keep Il
e disagreeable from her Us much as poss
,. bic. Actuated by such motives / som
; times carried out my plans without CO
!, fiding them to her, knowing that 81
3 could only feel the reality without, as
most cases, suffering that which is Fl
g worse, the anticipation.
The next morning I arose early m
q dressed myself for another excursion.
had determined upon q situation in SON
!. store. The principal of the school whel
! graduated was my friend, and had prof
: ised to assist me in securing q place 8
teacher when wished it. / had, upo
: reflection, concluded that was too youn
Tor teacher, and, besides, not we'll adap
ed to the profession; enjoyed q mo,
active life. was at this time not Quit
seventeen, although was mature enoug
Tor eighteen. Few could realize that
was such child in years.
was sanguine and feared no rebuff
nor did find any here, for my frien
seemed happy to carry out his promise
rather, however, giving the preference
to teaching. Getting his hat and cane W
were soon upon the street. was sui
prised when he took me into q larg
. wholesale and retail establishment, and
taking me into an Office, introduced m
to the principal of the house, saying:
"Here is little friend and pupil o
mine to whom 7 wish you to give stu
alton, if possible"
When I looked in this gentleman's fac
Immediately recognized our forme
benefactor. He too gave me momentary
look of~recognition, but we neither of Vi
alluded to q former meeting.
YES" he promptly replied, IL car
take her on trial at q small salary, say
twenty-five dollars per month, if that viii
sRe understands the business, If she stays
Many young folks get tired very soon and
give up"
gladly accepted the situation and
promised to be at the place in the morn
ing, as they happened to need sales.
woman very much. :.
As soon as these preliminaries were all
settled, thanking my friend, I left the
store and flew, rather than walked, home,
my success mad made me so happy. Like
all sanguine temperaments l felt my feet
Just on the road to fortune.
There was one unpleasant duty con-
nected with the affair which earnestly
wished was we'll over. That was telling
my mother. was not quite sure it would
meet with her approval. Yet my sole OBJ
ject was to relieve her of what seemed to
me such toilsOme, mOnOtOnous exist
ence.
When reached home I found my
mother had been anxious about my long
absence. She had been busy making
many new arrangements in our rooms
which had added much to their very
cheerful appearance.
Like my sex generally was anxious
to get rid of the diagreeable at once, SO
preached the subject Immediately.
"Mother," said, Il hope you will not
be displeased with me when tell you l
have made an engagement to 60 into q
store as saleswoman to. morrow"
My mother was a quiet, undemonstra-
tive person, but at this announcement she
left her chair and came toward me with
look of displeasure and surprise l had
never seen before, saying, in tones severe
for her:
"Virginia, you are not surely in earn
est. You cannot mean to act for yourself
without even having the courtesy to con-
suit my wishes. I have allowed you to
have your own way in many things lately,
because I thought your judgment could
be trusted, but l had no idea that you
would thus abuse my indulgence"
."Forgive me, my dear mother" l re-
piled. Il should have told you, but l
feared you would not sanction my course,
and could not go in direct disobedience
to your commands; SO had concluded
that when it was done you would not re-
fuse your consent. What is there before
US but life of labor! To sit and sew as
you have done for years-to wear out ell
the freshness of my youth in such dull,
stupid work, without earning more than
sufficient to keep body and soul together
is asking too much of me. No, no! you
must not ask or expect it."
My mothers face had softened. She
had seated herself beside table, her ell
bow resting upon it. whilst her hand
shaded her eyes so as to conceal her
tears whilst was talking. At length
wiping away her tears she looked up and
answered me:
know, my daughter, that sewing lisa
hard way to earn living, for / have tried
it thoroughly; but then there is less ex-
posture than in any other labor, being, too,
CuIxCly WOu0ulys "0 V0A 0AV AC1C W"
gether and work entirely excluded from
the careless world, and be happy within
ourselves. Oh! could not endure to see
my child subject to the insulting jests or
the dictatorial language OF her interiors.
thing but that"
"Your daughter" I replied, "will not
place herself in any such position. Nor
can l see why it is more exposing to sell
goods than to buy them. The buying in
retail stores, you know, is given up to our
sex, and the selling ought to beat least
of fancy articles. cannot think it un-
womanly to do anything which l can do
we'll. Mother, I am young; my life has
been sad one so far, and If we live as
you propose what will the future promise
met What to you and l are all the beau.
ties of nature which we SO much love?
What time have we to look upon green
fields or running brooksi For our ears
the birds never sing, the flowers never
bloom; even the love OF such objects will
vanish, and our short sad lives drop away,
no one the wiser or happier that we have
been here"
Twas earnest-was full of emotion.
went up to my mother, and putting my
OIL III 0lOuuO uCI AVSA "VPs OAOANs SuV
returned my embrace, saying:
Virginia, my child, I consent. This
is conquering the last remnant of pride
in heart where it once predomlnated."
you must say that you will not let it
make you unhappy, or I shall give it up
entirely. Promise me at least that you
will try to think favorably Of it. shall
ask no more, for, believe me, it is more for
your sake than my own that am trying
to change our present condition, condi-
ton SO wearing to you, and on that &C.
count distasteful to me. I feel that in
short time lean support both you and my
self in more comfort than at least have
ever known, with far less labor
II will, my daughter, promise all you
ask so far as can. Perhaps may yet
find you have been the wiser of the two.
Oh, Virginia, what would life be without
youf''
Thus was this disagreeable affair dis
posed of. knew it was discOrdant with