Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-10
WHAT ONE GIRL DID.

Molly Perry woke, the morning of Mem
orial day, about as cross as it is possible
for a healthy, sunny-tempered girl to be,
and with some reason.
For, TO begin With, her waking senses
were first greeted by strong Whit of to-
bacco smoke waited into her open window
from the pipe of a ledger below and as
she had gone to sleep with the same in.
cense IN her nOstrils, you must own that it
was trying. particularly to a country born
nose that knew the fragrance OF wild grape
vines and locust trees. Whatever you may
think, Molly was wTathful, and fiounced
out of bed, shut the window with empha'
sis, and sitting down in her rocking chair,
eyed with strong disfayor a pile of clothes
on another chair. And here was another
reason for her crOssness. The night before
she had taken account of stock IN the way
of clothes, and found herself on the verge
of bankruptcy. "Not a decent thing
among them except that gray suit, she
thought, disconsolately and the truth is
they were shabby lot. Barring the gray
suit, navy blue serge ragged as to edges,
and shiny as to elbows and back, faded
cambria, an old black cashmere, hot and
dusty-looking, made up the sorry display.
Why didn't she buy some new clothes?'
Well, there was no particular reason ex-
cept that she had no money to buy and no
time to make, being one of the forty or
more clerks in the Mart of Fashion, on
Washington street, at a salary of 50 a
week. ANY one mathematicslly inclined
can do the sum which Molly did each
week
Washing and ironing OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 80
One sitting at Trinity "a very humble one) Is
Observation-Disclosures s.
And out of the difference between this
total and Sc must come boots and gloves
and hair. pins and pocket handkerchiefs
aud everything else, SO you can see that the
Queen of Shebs was quite safe from rival
SO far as Molly was concerned.
" But this mention of the "Mart Of
Fashion" brings me to the csp-sheaf Of
Molly's discomfort. She had expected to
have the dsy TO herself, but Rush & Crush,
scenting possible profit from the country
visitors, had decided to keep open. So it
was very cross face that looked at Molly
from the little wsvy looking glass, and the
soft brown hair was hatcheled and twisted
with very few OF the little pats and touches
usually bestowed on it, and the blue dress
was donned with some twitches. The
sight of the breakfast table did not tighten
her mood. she looked down its long
length and noted the spots and rings and
splashes on the coarse cloth, the knives
and forks al all angles, and the dishes piled
up, fragments and all, by the untidy table
D. ~ az
it all.
1t is not necessary to go into the story Of
sickness aud debt and death which had
brought her from a quiet, refined home to
Be clerk in the Mart Of Fashion" and
an inmate Of Widow Jackson's second-rate
boarding house; but we will start with her
this Memorial morning, when, after trying
her sharp little teeth on some tough steak
and turning over on her plate some fabby
fried potatoes, she fshed fly out of her
coffee and took her way to the store.
Half the long forenoon had worn away
when Molly, with box of tumbled laces
before her, stood looking at lady who had
lust passed with cluster of violets at her
throat, and thinking wistfully of certain
place she knew where they grew, cool and
moist in their green leaves, when the voice
of the ubiquitous floor-walker brought heT
back to the present.
Miss Perry, if you are not more atten.
tive shall have to report you.
Il will save you that trouble, said Miss
Perry, and clap went the cover on the box,
and swift went the box into its place,
and Miss Perry, with very red cheeks and
bright eyes, went down the long store &c
the Office and rendered her resignation, &c
" take effect at once, If you please"
Mr.. Rush was pleased, for trade was
slackening and there were twenty girls for
every vacancy. "Blt you know our rule, d
y es, she knew the rule, which was that a
clerk leaving without notice should forfeit
pay from the last Saturday night settle.
ment But Molly's ancestors did not fight
at Concord without leaving something 81
their spirit to their descendants, so she
turned to 20 with an air which betokened
no acquaintance with "rules, when Mr.
Rush, whose heart had been trife soft
eued by memories of certain grave II
Mount Auburn which would be decorated
that day, handed out three trade dollars
and in ten minutes Molly was IN the com
mon, with all the world before her wheru
to choose.
The unusual leisure was so pleasant tina
the girl loi5ersd and fingered, enjoying the
sunshine and AIR, and only when the moor
whistles blew did she come down to real
ity.
After dinner, with locked door, she helC
q council OF war Here, on one side, wa
Molly Perry, - years old, with health anC
hope, s. Ia her pocket, and one good suit
and on the other eide the great, pushing
scrsm Gliog, selfish world, eager to grass
and slow 90 give.
Molly did some hard thinking, There
one thing snre," she thought, " won
tend store again, and / won't sew for liy
ing, and I won't be cooped up in shop.
The chances are narrowing fast. Suddenl.
came az idea. I'll do it, said Molly
and what Is was the Adcertiser told mex
morning
VXTANTED-Bya al American girl who Is GOO
w plain cook situation % do general house
work n 8 small family. Country preferred Ad
dress NJ P Aa,ogitssr office, Boston.
Well. the answers fairly poured in. |
seemed as though all womankind had beef
waiting for IAN American girl who is
good PLAN cook ;" but Molly resolved to b
critical and waited. In the meantime, see
ing Lnab way WAS Upens sHe OIeeseu ner
self in her best and went shopping Satur
day afternoon. she chose to pstroniz
Rush & Crush, where her high and might,
airs gave unbouuded satisfaction to tn
clerks, with whom she was fsvorite. Sh
sailed MP to the print counter with grea
dignity, turned the goods over, pulled tn
corners crosswise, after the fashion o
women shoppers, depreciating the patterns
etc, but finally bought print for thre
dresses, ginghams for aprons, ETC., TO th
amount Of 50, and counted out wits gres
majesty the three trade dollars.
"Oh, Molly, you know we can't tax
them. said the clerk. Molly turned t
Mr.. Rush, who, sauntering along with nj
ewes on the other side of the store was tai
ing in the whole proceeding.
"Mr. Rush, she said, 81 took thes
here day before yesterday, and now th
clerk refuses them"
Mr.. Rush was grimly amused at her AZ
dacity, but instead of answering her turne
to the grinning cssh-boy in waiting an