Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-11-27
TMFGc0yyF Foreman.


village as you see in pictures.
A background Of superb, bold
mountains, all clothed in blue
green cedars, while a torrent
laundering down deep gorge
and falling n'billows of foam; a
river refecting the azure of the
sky, and knot of houses, with
a church spire at one end, a
thicket of factory chimneys at
the other, whose black smoke
wrote ever changing hieroglyph-
les against the bllliancy of the
sky. This was Dappleville. And
in the rosy sunset OF this bios
sony June day the girls were
all pouring out of the door way,
while Gerald Blake, the foreman,
set behind his desk, pen behind
his ear and his small, beady black
eyes drawn back, as it were, in
the shelter of precipice Of shag-
gy eyebrows.
One by one the girls stopped
and received their pay for one
weeks work, for this was Satur-
day night. One by one they fill
ed out with fretful, discontented
faces, until the last one paused
in front Of the high-railed desk!
She was light and tall, with
large yelvetyblue eyes,a complex
ion as delicately grained and
Transparent as rose-colored wax,
and an abundance Of glossy hair
of so dark a brown that the casu-
al would have pronounced it
black, and there was something
in the way the blue ribbon at
her throat was tied and the man.
ner in which the simple details
Of her dress were arranged that
bespoke her Of foreign birth.
"Well, Mile Annette" said Mr..
Blake, sand how do you like fac
tory life?''
at is not disagreeable," she
answered, a light accent cling
ing to her tones, like fragrance
to a flower, as she extended her
hand for the money the foreman
was counting out.
"You have given me but $4,1-
she said. at was to be $S by
the contract"
Mr.. Bake shrugged his shoul-
ders disagreeably. "Humph,' he
gTunted, "you amt much accus-
toned to our way of doing things,
are you, ,Mademoiselle? Eight
of course; but we deduct two for
a fec
"A fee for what?" Annette de-
manded with flushed cheeks and
sparkling eyes.
''For getting you the situation,
Mademoiselle, to be sure" said
Mr.. Blake in superior sort Of
way. "Such places don't grow
in every bush. And folks ex-
pect to pay something for the
privilege. "
81 did not" flashed out An
nette DuYelle.
"Oh, well, all right. Because
you know you amt obliged to
stay unless you choose"
"Do you mean," hesitated An
nette, "that if | do not pay you
that money" l,
"You can't expect to stay at
the works, said Mr.. Blake, hitch
ing up his collar. !
"But the other two dollars?"
"Oh," said Mr.. Blake, that's
percentage the girls pay"
s'But what is it for?" d
Mr.. Blake laughed. 1a
"Well, it helps out my salary.
OF course you know the girlsex-
lpect to pay something every
week for keeping their positions
in a place where there's 50 many
anxious to get IN"
"And Mr.. Elderslie?"
"Oh, Mr.. Elderslie," !" repeated
Blake. ~iIe hasn't much to do
with it. ! am master at theDap-
pleville Calico Works"
''Alr. EIderslie OWLS it, | be-
.lieve." q
"Well, yes, he owns it. But /
manage everything. Mr.. Elders
lie reposes the utmostcenfdence
in my capacity, ability andl-and
and responsibility. "Mr 81
dersIie is good business man.
He understands his own interest.
And now, if You have any more
questions to ask
Il have none,' said Annette
wistfully. "But | need the mon
ey myself. ] work hard for it.
| earn it righteously. ! can not
afford any more than the Others
among these poor laboring girls
to pay it to yoar greed
"Eh?p calculated Mr.. Blake,
jumping from his seat as if some
insect had stang him.
..And / will not pay II, calm
" concluded Mile. Annette.
u