Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-02-25
LOSING HER SITUATION.

''Now, girls, this won't dol" said
Madame Molini, pouncing in upon the
six pale sewing girls, like wolf into
flock of lambs. s'No, it will never do
in the world! 1 don't pay you all ex-
orbitant wages to sit and fold your
hands, like fine ladies. Miss Sedge-
wick, we are waiting for that lavender
silk polonaise. Lucy Lisle, why do
you not go on with those button-holes :?
Miss Foxe, you will be so good as to
change your seat from the window to
the middle of the room at once!"
"But, Madame, I can't see there to
lay on these fine bias folds!" pleaded
Miss Foxe.
"You mean you can't see the carts
and carriages in the street, and the
type-setters at the windows opposite :"
retorted Madame Molini, whose true
nomenclature was "Mullens," and who
had been milliner's apprentice in the
goodly city of Cork, before she set up
on Sixth Avenue as a French ModiSte.
Lucy Lisle caught up her work.
81 stopped just minute, madame,
with that bad pain in my side" she said,
beginning to stitch away with eager
haste.
.''If you're SICK" said Madame severe.
~, "you had better go home and send
for the doctor. While you are here
your time is mine, bought and paid
for |"
While Miss Sedgewick, in self-de-
fense, urged that she had not enough
silk gimp to trim the polonaise and was
waiting for more.
"Not enough" shrilly repeated ma
dame-"not enough I measured that
trimming myself, and know that there
is enough. You may just rip it off
again, and sew it on higher up, and more
economically and I shall deduct this
mornings lost time from your wages
What's that, Flora Fay-the mode-col-
ored silk dress? Finished ? And where
are the two and half yards which were
left"
"I folded them up with the dress,
madame" said Flora Fay, an innocent,
blue-eyed young girl, recently from the
country, who stood, in an unconsciously
graceful attitude, before the fat and
horid dressmaker.
"Then you were goose for your
palms," shortly retorted Madame Mol
mi, as she unfastened the parcel, alb
ssracted the piece of glistening, uncut
silk, and whisked it away upon a shelf.
"Two yards and half isn't much, but
it is better than nothing"
Flora Fay opened the innocent blue
eyes wide.
"What is she going to do with it p
she asked Miss Foxe, in whisper, Of
madame rustled off to scold the errand
boy for putting too much coal on the
grate-fire.
Don't you know, little silly ?" whis
pered Miss Foxe, laughing. sits wha'
she cabbages !"
"CabbagesY" repeated Flora, il
amazement. 81 don't understand you.
"You will, when you see the mod,
silk made up into sleeveless basque
for madame" said the other, ''trimme.
with the gimp that was left from Mrs
Aubrey's dinner-dress, and the pear
fringe from Mrs. Ossett's white "dam
asse" ball costume"
"But you don't mean," said breathles
, Flora, "that madame takes the silk tina
, is left from the customers dresses?"
"Goosiel |" cried Miss Fox, "don't tai
nonsense any longer. It's what ever
3 fashionable dressmaker does, and"
"There's the reception-room bell,
6 shrilly called madame. "Miss Fa,
o answer it at once |"
:, Harry Drake was standing in I'll
pretty room, all glistening with sati
II drapery, gilded mouldings and hug
n mirrors, when Flora came in-Har,
IS Drake, the youngsea-captain, who boar,
ed at the same quiet inexpensive hou
:, where Flora was allowed hall bed-roo
n at reasonable rate, on account of Mr.
', Dodds having once boarded SUNNI
A. at the old Fay farm -houseup among Il
of Berkshire hills, and still retaining
g, kind recollection OF Mrs. Fay's kindne
rs during an illness which overlook b