The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-08-09
THAT CLERK.

"Only think of it, A clerk! A sales
womani''
1t seems TO me I'd have worked my
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 $40 hat.
" So would 1. But, then, what could
she do?"
"At least she might have made her
self a little less public. If there's any
thing despise, it's these saleswomenin
=" So do |. How much better it would
have been to have gone into dress-mak-
ing, or millinery, or something of that
sort. But to stand behind the counter
like a mani''
"Papa always did like those Stan
leys,'' said Lizzie Doyle, petulently.
a" Yes, we all liked them well enough
until Mr.. Stanley failed, didn't we?'
"No, not /, for one. Laura was al
ways too Independent in her notions.
Don't you remember how hard she
studied at school? 1t does seem as if
she foresaw her fathers failure. - +
al wonder she didn't try for some
better position, then. She is surely ca
pable of being something better than
shop-girl."
"Oh, believe papa intends to pro
mote her when Mr.. Jobley goes West.
she will then take Mr.. Jobley's place as
junior book-keeper Think of that for
a woman!"
"That would be better than selling
goods. 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 a deal nicer"
eyes; and then we could recognize
her." said Lizzie Doyle.
4" That's what | was coming to, was
the quick reply of her companion, Il
small, sallow-faced girl, deliberately
trimmed and fiouneed. Chow are we
to treat her now? We have been great
friends, you know-that is, when she
was in our set, " she added, Sc. = Ii
zie's brow darken
"I'll tell YOU how shall treat her, -
responded Lizzie, slowly drawing on a
pair of perfumed, three-button kid
gloves; "precisely as l treat all of
papa's clerks. And l should like to see
any of them presumed"
"Oh, but Laura wont presume /.
You needn't be afraid of that; she's too
proud"
"She must be, :" said Lizzie, sneering-
ly, ito take that position! / shall not
notice her..
''But how can you help il when YOU
20 to the store or to church? She sits
so near to us, you know"
"of course she'll give up that pew.
She can't afford that
"That's precisely what she does not
mean to do. heard her say that the
family must economic somewhere else
and keep the pew. Her mother is hard
of hearing, and could not enjoy the serv-
ices further back. The children, too.
must 60 to church. That is the last
thing, she said, one ought to give up. |
heard her say this to your father last
Sunday"
elbow provoking" said Lizzie. i'm
patiently. "She will always be in our
faces. But l shall have nothing I'd do
with her. l know what it's for, the art
full minXi-it'st 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 adj
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 fol
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 auctioneers
" This is really pleasant" she said
sinking into chair that had been drawn
near to the glowing CRATE. a had nc
idea, mother, that you would SO soou
make the house so homelike and com.
Portable"