New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-02-01
LILY BETHUNE,

with MISS Betlunc.
Lily Betl,une was leaning spiritlessly
against the row of shelves at the back
of the counter-it was against the rules
fer Madame Rnardi's girls to sit down
during hours, but she instinctivelY
Strengthened herself up as the message
came by mouth of one of the little cash
boys. The other shop-girls looked APP
prehensively at her.
"9ou may be pretty sure of scold-
ing, Lily" said Miss Price, Struggling
her shoulders. =
''Tbe Bonardi is as cross as two sticks
to-day" encouragingly remarked Sarah
Wilsey.
''l'm glad it isn't me.'' said Jane
Towers.
Lily Bethune went slowly up to the
little room whose glazed partitions
commanded bird s-eye view of the
whole shop, where sat Madame Boz
nardi herself, in black silk dress,
with an. astonishing Partisan head-dress,
and a complexion so sk;Ifully made up
that no one could tell at the first glance
that it was not real. She looked up as
Lily approached.
''Ah," said she, ':Miss Bethune. Yes,
l did wish to say word or two to you,
Miss Bethune, in all kindness, of
course (here poor Lily instinctively
shivered and drew back), ''about your
department in the shop. have OBJ
served you carefully, Miss Bethune-I
observe all my young women. Your
levity with the gentleman who bought
the primrose-colored kid gloves yester-
day was highly reprehensible
HE asked me to fit them on for him,
Madame Bonardi," said Lilly, crimson
ing, land you have directed U.s.
''But it was not necessary to laugh,
was it?'' said Madame Bonardi acidly.
II did not laugh, Madame Bonardi."
declared Miss Bethune. HE laughed
because the gloves split down the palm
of the hand. But he paid for it all tho
same; he insisted that it was his fault.
If he hadn't the price of the imperfect
gloves would have come out of my poor
wages"
'Our rules are our rules" said Mad
anne Bonardi stifly. s'And then again,
you were hardly civil to young Mr.. o.
from. when he came in for neckties
this morning.
II did not like his Manner" said
Lily brusquely.
'.But the Ostroms are among our
best customers severely retorted Mad
anne Bonardi. '.And I desire you to
treat them with especial courtesy"
Poor Lily Bethune bit her lip.
''First I am too familiar then am
too cold," said she. 1T seems difficult,
madame, to suit your ideas.''
''There is happy medium" said
Madame Bonardi fri gidly. ''Your own
sense and discretion should keep you
informed how to deport yourself. You
may co." she hurriedly added. as Miss
Case, her forewoman, came up with .
bundle. of papers, and Lily accepted
her dismissal with burning cheeks and
eyes that glittered wrathfully under her
dark lashes.
Lily Bethune had not been brought
up to the hard trade of shop-girl. She
was clergyman's daughter, tenderly
nurtured and fondly loved, and only
when her fathers sudden death left her
invalid mother and herself penniless,
was she driven out into the world to
fight her own way.
Madame Bonardi liked ..genteel''
girls. and Miss Bethune wis eminen,ly
''genteel." But Lily felt that her life
in this great glittering emporium was
little else than slavery.
When business was dull, or on rainy
day, Madame Bonardi set her to paint
ing designs on silk or satin, which were
afterwards exposed in the showcases
for sale. When there was nothing of
this sort to be done, she was detailed
to arrange and rearrange the counter,
to ticket the goods. and dispose the ar
ti6cial flowers. ribbons and fancy arti-
cles in the most saleable order. But as
for rest, recreation, wholesome torpor
OF mind and body, Madame Bonardi
never dreamed of such a thing. Did
she not pay the shop-eirls salaryP
And. therefore, did they not belong to
her?
That very afternoon, as Lily was
kneeling on the floor behind the coun-
ter, piling up some cartons of ribbon
which had just arrived, on the shelves,
she heard Madame Bonardi's soft, OLE
aginous voice talking to q customer, as
they walked along. and finally paused
at the counter close to her nook.
THAT little blue satin banner?' said
the Bonardi smoothly. eyes, it's a
shade for lamp. The Goddess Of
Spring, don't you see, sir, scattering
roses over sleeping child. Really.
five dollars is the very lowest price
could take for it. We import them di-
rectly from Paris. and the artist charges
an immense price for his work. be-
cause
Here, however, Lily Bethune rose up.
blushing and eager. from her recess.
81 beg your pardon, Madame Bonar.
di," said che. ''but you must have for