The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-09-07
That Clerk.

fingers to the bone in some other way,
before | would have come to that" said
Lizzie Doyle, going to the mirror and
re-adjusting a twenty-dOllar hat.
$50 would 1. But then, what could
she do?"
'tAt least, she might have made her.
self little less public. If there's any
thing Idespise, it is these saleswomen ~
$50 do l. How much better it would
have been to have gone into dress max
ing, or millinery, or something of that
sort. But to stand behind a counter
like manr'
"Papa always did like those Stanleys,"
said Lizzie Doyle, petulantly.
"Yes, we all liked them we'll enough
until Mr.. Stanley failed, didn't we?"
mo, not /, for one. Laura was al
ways too independent in her notions.
Don't you remember how hard she stud
led at school? 1t does seem as if she
foresaw her fathers failure"
81 wonder she didn't try for some
better position, then. She is surely ca
pable of being something better than a
sbop-girl."
"Oh, believe papa intends to pro-
mote her when Mr.. JObley goes West.
She will then take Mr.. JobIey's place
as Junior bOOk-keeper. Think of that
for a wOmanT'
"That would be better than selling
goods. I don't see how she can do that
with her refined tastes. Why don't she
give lessons, [ wonder? 1t might not
bring her in quite so much money, but
it would be deal nicer"
"Yes; and then we could recognize
her," said Lizzie Doyle.
''That's what 1 was coming to-" was
the quick reply of her companion, a
small, sallOw-faced girl, elaborately
trimmed and fiOunced. "How are we
to treat her now? We have been great
friends, you know-that is, when she
was in our set" she added, seeing Liz
zie's brow darken.
"I'll tell you how l shall treat her."
responded Lizzie, slowly drawing on a
pair of perfumed, three-button kid
gloves; precisely as treat all of papa's
clerks. And / should like to see any of
them presume W
"Oh, but Laura won't presume! You
needn't be afraid of that; she's too
proud"
"She must be-" said Lizzie, sneer-
ingly, ITO take that position l shall
not notice her."
"But how can you help it when you
90 to the store or to church? She sits so
AS0A w hoi y Ou hbOWs
"Of course she'll give up that pew.
She can't afford that"
"Thars precisely what she does not
mean to do. l heard her say that the
family must econOmize somewhere else
and keep the pew. Her mother is hard
of hearing, and could not enjoy the SER
vice further back. The children, too,
must go to church. That is the last
thing, she said, one ought-to give up. !
heard her say this to your father last
Sunday"
''How provoking T' said Lizzie, impa-
tiently. "She will be always in our
faces. But 1 shall have nothing to do
with her. l know what it's for, the
artful mink Its to keep near US. She
knows she has got into papa's good
graces; and Al, too, admires her. |
don't see what there is, though, to ad-
mire. She's very plain"
Laura is no beauty" was the reply,
"but don't think she's so very plain.
She certainly has lowered herself,
though, by going into a store"
And thereupOn the two girls went out
for their walk.
1t was near twilight of that same day
when Laura Stanley walked briskly
home and entered the neat, two-story
house to which her mother had lately
removed such of her household effects
as had been spared by the auctioneer.
''This is really pleasant" she said,
sinking into a chair that had been
drawn near to the glowing CRATE. al
had no idea, mother, that you would So
soon make the house so homelike and
comfortable"
''Are you tired, my dear?" asked hel
mother, pretty, refined-looking wom-
an, as she helped her daughter to take
of her cloak aud hat.
Rather, but like the business; and
it's fine place for the study of charac.
ter" she added, with curl of the Lip
which her mother noticed.
81 wish you had chosen something
else, my dear. / was sure your feelings
would be hurt"
81 don't wish So" said Laura, briskly
There is nothing else that would have
brought salary at once, and as for nov
feelings, it doesn't hurt me a bit to finC
out the hollowDess of society. 1 used tC
wonder what certain persons would bs
to me If l were not the rich Harvey
Stanley's daughter, and now 1 know
It's knowledge worth gaining"
do you meet many persons you are
acquainted with ?'' asked her mother
busying herself in getting the tea.
20, yes and it's amusing when they
come upon me suddenly. 'Oh its
really lis this Miss StanleyY AnC
sometimes up go the Eyeglasses Their
feel-well, as if should like to freezs
somebody, if could, for a minute.
"Others see me and make believ,
they are examining goods; so absorbed
are they that they go clear by me with,
out looking up, and pass out in the
same way. But such sights don't trou.
bic me. find out how much true friend.
ship is worth, and who, out of all the
seeming ladies have been In the habit
OF meeting, are true, and who are false. u
"Ihen you meet some who are true ?'
"Yes, indeed Judge Agate's wife
who always seemed to me so proud anC
distant, came to me with a glowing
face, and fairly congratulated me. She
Old It like lady, too, and like friend
There was nothing patronizing about