The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-11-01
WHAT ONE GIRL DID.

Richard Realf.
WHAT ONE GIRL DID.
Molly Perry woke, the morning of
Memorial day, about as cross as it is
possible for healthy, sunny-tempered
girl TO be, and with some reason.
For, to begin with, her waking senses
were first greeted by strong Whit of
tobacco smoke waited into her open
window from the pipe of the lodger be-
low; and as she had gone to sleep with
the same incense in her nostrils, you
must own that it was trying, particu-
larly to a country-born nose that knew
the fragrance of wild grape vines and
locust trees. Whatever you may think,
Molly was wrathful, and fiounced out
of bed, shut the window with emphasis,
and sitting down in her one rocking
chair, eyed with strong disfaVor 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.
mot decent thing among them except
that gray suit" she thought, disconso-
lately; and the truth is they were a
shabby lot. Barring the gray suit, a
navy blue serge Dragged as to edges,
and shiny as to elbows and back, a
faded cambEc, 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 particu-
lar reason, except that she had no
money to buy and no time to make, be-
ing one of the forty or more clerks in
the Mart of Fashion," on Washington
street, at a salary of Sc a week. ANY
one mathematically inclined can do the
sum which Molly did each week:
Board ......................S4 90
Washing and ironing. g.................. 5U
One sitting at Trinity" Ia very hum
bic one) Observation-Disclosures. 1S
Total. 6s
And out of the difference between this
total and six dollars must come boots
and gloves and hair-pins and pocket
handkerchiefs and everything else, SO
you can see that the Queen of Sheba
was quite safe from a rival as far as
Molly was concerned.
But this mention of the "Mart OF
Fashion" brings me to the cap-sheaf Of
Molly's discomfort. She had expected
to have the day to herself, but Rush &
Crush, scenting possible profit from
country visitors, had decided to keep
open. So it was very cross face that
looked at Molly from the little wavy
looking-glass, and the soft brown haiI
was hatcheled and twisted with very
few of the little pats and touches usual
" 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 at all angles, and
the dishes piled up, fragments and all,
by the untidy table-girl, and felt an un-
utterable disgust for it all.
1t is not necessary to 20 into the
story of sickness and death and debt
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 sone tough steak, and
turning over on her plate some flabby
fried potatoes, she fished a fly out of her
coffee, and took her way to the store.
Half the long forenoon had worn
away when Molly, with a box of tum-
bled laces before her, stood looking af-
ter a lady who had just passed with a
cluster of violets at her throat, and
tbi,, ictf of ,H1a ch.a
knew of where they grew, cool and
moist in their green leaves, when the
ubiquitous hoor-walker brought her
back to the present.
miss Perry, if you are not more at
tentive, | shall have to report you"
Il will save you that trouble" said
she, and clap went the cover on the
box, and swish went the box into its
place, and Miss Perry, with very red
cheeks and bright eyes, went down the
long store to the Office and rendered her
resignation, ''to take effect at once, if
you please"
Mr.. Rush was pleased, for trade was
slackening and there were twenty girls
for every vacancy. ''But you know our
rule" Yes, she knew the rule, which
was that a clerk leaving without notice
should forfeit pay from the last Satur-
day night settlement. But Molly's an
cestors did not fight at Concord without
leaving something of their spirit to
their descendants, so she turned to 60
with an air that betokened no acquaint-
ance with rules" when Mr.. Rush,
whose heart had been trifie softened
by memories of a certain grave in
Mount Auburn which would be decora-
ted that day, handed out three trade
dollars, and in ten minutes Molly was
in the Common, with all the world be-
fore her where to choose The unusu-
al leisure was so pleasant that the girl
loitered and fingered. enjoying the sun
shine and air, and only when the noon
whistles blew did she come down to re-
ality.
After dinner, with locked door, she
held council of war Here, on one
side, was Molly Perry, "a years old,
with health and hope, ave dollars in her
trunk, three silver dollars in her pocket
and one good suit, and on the other
side the great, pushing, scrambling,
selfish world, eager to grasp, and slow
to give.
Nelly did some hard thinking.