The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-10-25
That Clerk.

udt SlCIhs
"Only think of it A clerk! A sales
womanr ut seems to me I'd have
worked my fingers to the bone in some
other way before l would have come to
that" said Lizzie Doyle, going to the
mirror and re-adjusting twenty-dollar
hat.
$50 would I. But then, what could
she DOR
"At least she might have made herself
little less public. If there's anything
l despise, it's these saleswomen"
$50 do l. How much better 1t would
have been to have gone into dress-mak-
ing, or millinery, or something of that
sort. But to stand behind the counter
like man.
Papa always did like those Stanleys,"
said Lizzie Doyle, petulantly.
eyes, we all liked them we'll enough
until Mr.. Stanley failed, didn't we9'
"No, not I, for one. Laura was al
ways too independent in her notions.
Don't you remember how hard she stud
led at school9 1t does seem as if she
foresaw her fathers failure"
II wonder she didn't try for some bet
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 bookeeper. 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, l wonder? 1t might not
bring her in quite so much money, but it
would be deal nicer"
Eyes, and then we could recognize
her," said Lizzie Doyle.
That's what was coming to, was the
quick reply of her companion, small,
sallow-face girl, deliberately trimmed
and f1ounced "How are we to treat her
now? We have been great friends, you
know-that is. when she was in our set, 5"
she added, seeing Lizzie's brow darken.
"I'll tell you how shall treat her." re-
sponded Lizzie, slowly drawing on pair
of perfumed, three-button kid gloves; ;
'precisely as I treat all of papa's clerks.
And | should like to see any one of them
presumem
s'Oh, but Laura won't presume, You
needn't be afraid of that; she's too
proud"
"She must be-" said Lizzie, sneeringly,
''to take that position. I shall not notice
her"
But how can you help il when you 60
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 ser
vices further back. The children, too,
must go to church. That is the last
thing, she said, one ought to give up. l
heard her say this to your father last Sun
day"
'sHow provokingl' said Lizzie, impa-
tiently. "She will always be in our faces.
But shall have nothing to do with her.
know what it's for, the artful mink
it's to keep near US. She knows she's got
into papas good graces; and AL, too, ad-
mires her. don't see what there is,
though, to admire. She's very plain"
Laura is no beauty" was the reply
sbut / don't think she's so very plain
She certainly has lowered herself, though
by going into 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 Il
which her mother had lately removed
such Of her household effects as had beer
spared by the auctioneer.
"This is really pleasant" she said
sinking into chair that had been drawn
near to the glowing crate.
II had no idea, mother, that you would
so soon make the house so home-Lke ant
comfortable"
"Are you very tired, my dearg' asked
her mother, pretty, refned-lookint
woman, as she helped her daughter Il
take off her cloak and hat.
ssRather, but / like the business; ant
it's fine place for the study of charac
ter she added, with curl OF the III