Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-06-02
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ASHOP-GIRLS STORY

at is not an easy matter for you to
guess how such things can exist, but
vney do; and hundreds of girls could
tell the same story ifthey had the cour-
age. and were speaking to women"
Ethel Vernon made no reply, but her
face was eloquent enough of what she
was feeling, and her position toward
the speaker was an uncommon one.
The latter was evidently a shop-glrI-
she had the regulation lool, and dress
while Ethel Vernon was just as evident
~ woman to whom bondage Of any
description was word only. Yet the
two were as fair and pleasant IA picture
as An artist could have desired for II
study. Outwardly both were youthful
and both were good-looking, but the
inward life of each was thing as wide
" sundered from the other as are the
two poles The girl who had first spok-
en- was Gertrude Macy or "Macey" as
she was more femiiiarly called among
her shopmates; and any one knowing
the pride and pedigree of the Vernons
would have wondered what could have
induced Ethel Vernon to be on such
familiar terms with one whom few
months ago she would have designated
rs "only a shop-girl."
Gertrude Macy went on. "li is not
merely seats behind counter we
want. Our existence is often one long
struggle to do right, only to come to a
huge failure at last. And the people
forget all our efforts to keep straight,
aud remember simply the one failure
which was the climax of our strivings.
| should have failed if it had not been
for the aid that came only just in
time"
II should like to know more. Could
YOU tell me all about your life in Lon
DOM
This conversation ELECTED the story
which will be told presently.
Gertrude Macy was a girl not to
be taken as fair sample of those who
stand behind counters, and are often
looked upon rs an entirely different
class of beings from the rest of their
sex, because she began life II a differ
ent groove; but the story she told was
one which gives consi lerabe insight in
10 the ways of business houses, and
helps one more fully to understand
why the great tide of characterless
womenkind swells continually into n
greater aggregate spite of every philan-
thropic effort to reduce it.
Gertrude Macy was Ethel Eernon's
guest under peculiar clrcu instances.
She had become So because \ few char
table ladies had organized scheme by
which few shop-girls who fell Ill
through overwork, or other circum-
stances, might get months quiet rest
in q happy home among themselves.
The rector of the parish of Everdeen
was n man whose soul was in his work,
largely read, and taking deep interest
in every scheme for the happiness of
his fellows As completely humani-
tartan MS he was Christian, he had call
ed the attention of his wife TO the exist
ence of this very unusual and, rs many
will think, rather quixotlc association
for helping shop-girls. Energetic and
thoroughly sympathetic IN character.
the rector's wife had mt once fallen IN
with the idea, and, considering the no.
ton a good one, had written to the sec
rotary of the movement to say tnat the
as home to any invalid who might, In
the course of time, need place in
which to regain strength and health.
She also spoke of the matter to Ethel
Vernon. freely discussing with her the
advisability of bringing any uncongenial
element into the society of that pretty
country village. Philanthropist MS she
was, and utterly unselfsh in her social
notions. she knew that, in order to
prevent her idea from becoming syn
onym for fanaticism in every corner of
her husbands parish, she must have
the squire's daughter on her side SO
they freely discussed the probable in
PRODUCTION Of some new order of being
into their society, and Ethel Vernon
wound up the matter with the usual
sweet placidity Of disposition by saying
''Of course, il is a capital idea, and 1t
anyone is sent to you We VIII 90 our
best to entertain her. We can all ask
her to lunch, Mrs. Stalner, and give
her some good drives about the eoun