Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-10-17
From Harper's Bazar.J
WHAT ONE GIRL DID.

Molly Perry woke, the morning of
Memorial Day, about as cross as 1t 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 ledger be-
low; and as she had gone to sleep with
the same incense IN her nostrils, you
may OVID that it was trying, particularly
30 a country born nose that knew the
fragrance of wild-grape vines and locust
trees. Whatever you may think, Molly
was wrathful, and hounced out of bed,
shut the window with emphasis, and sit
ting down In her one rocking chair, eyed
with strong disfavor pile of clothes on
another chair. And here was another
reason for her crossness. The night be-
fore she had taken account of stock In the
way of clothes, and found herself on the
verge eff bankruptcy. "NOt a decent
thing among them except that gray
suit" she thought, disconsolately; and
the truth is they were a shabby lot.
Barring the gray suit, navy blue serge
dragged bach, 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 10 particu-
lar reason except 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
salary of Sc week. ANY one mathemati-
cally inclined can do the sum which
Molly did each week:
BOARD ...'-.......-......S4 w
Washing and ironing Observation-Disclosures. SO
One sitting at = Trinity Ga very humble
one3's.-...''. '...''.'......'..... 10
1otai. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. "a DO
And out of the difference between this
total and six dollars must come boots
and gloves and hair-pins and pocket
handAerchiefs and everything else, so
you can see that the Queen of Sheba was
quite safe from q rival so 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, seeming possible profit from
country visitors, had decided to keep
open. So it was a very cross face that
looked at Molly from the little wavy
looking glass, and the soft brown hair
was hatcheled and twisted with very few
OF the little pats and touches usually be-
slowed on 1t, and the blue dress YVES
donned with some witches. The sight
of the breakfast table did not tighten
her mood. She looked down its long
length, aud noted the spots and rings
and splashes on thee coarse cloth. the
knives and forks at all angles, and the
dishes piled up, fragments and all, by
the untldy table girl, and felt an unut-
terable disgust for 1t all.
1t Is notnecessary to go into the story
of sickness and debt and death which
had brought her from quiet, refined
home to be clerk In the Mart of Fash
ion 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 Nelly, with a box of tumbled
Iaces before her, stood looking after a
lady who had just passed with cluster
of violets at her throat, and thinking
wistfuliy of certain place she knew of
where they grew, cool and moist in
their green leaves, when the voice of the
ubiquitous hoor-walker brought her
back to the present.
. Miss Perry, If you are not more at
tentive, | shall have to report you"
7 ho+ IL i
Miss Perry, and clap went the cover on
the box, aud swish went the box into its
place, and Miss Perry, with fiery red
long store to the Office and rendered her
resignation, 6 to take effect at once, if
You please. ("
MIR. Rush was pleased, for trade was
slackening and there were twenty girls
for every vacancy. "BuF you know eur
rule Yes, she knew the rule, which
was that clerk leaving without notice
should forfeit pay from the last Satur-
day night settlement. But Molly's an
cestors did not 6ght at Concord without
leaving something Of theirspirit to their
descendants, 30 she turned to go with
an air which bet0hened no acquaintance
with rules" when Mr.. Bush, whose
n6aIG u2u O60ij . ~ no hOIISA0u Dy H0u-
cries CT certain grave IN Mount Au-
Burn wbicn would be decorated that
day, h nded odt three trade dollars, and
la ten minutes Molly was IN the com
mon, q y tia all the world before her
where 10 choose. E rr-
The unusual leisure was SO pleasant
that the grl lo1tered and fingered, en-
Toying the sunsbns and air, and only
when the noon whistles blew dd she
come down ID reality. ~
After dinner, with locked door, she
held council of war. Here, on one
side, was Molly Perry, a years cid,