Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-02-01

wear II. Every woman had an individually,
Of her own. Therefore, every woman should
have an individuality In her dress or her bon
net Ii should be AS different from her neigh
boris as she was different from that neighbor
Ruth had an eye that was quick TO detect tn,
| salient points In a customers appearance, ant
IL was easy for her TO tit the dress TO the wear
err and have IL In harmony with her character
istics She had correct eye, too, and she new
/ er made the mistake OF giving woman with |
dark skin the bonnet that good taste de
clared suitable only for woman with fail
| skin.
| Mrs. Nugent refrained from asking any ques
lions about the progress of the work She ig
nored IL utterly,
81 shall get away from these unpleasant asso
| Citations as soon as possible" she said to Ruth
one day. What she meant Ruth did not take
| the trouble TO ask.
/ Not long after that, Mrs. Nugent told her
that she had decided to go away. Her brother
| had offered her home In his family. II would
be more congenial to her taste. IL they could
| arrange about the property
IL am willing to accept third of whatever
1t twill bring, II IL can be disposed Of" Ruth
said. "Or I'll take this house fo- my share,
ana you may have the rest. would prefer to
arrange 1t in that way It would seem like be-
ing turned into the street 10 leave the old
home"
To this proposal Mrs. Nugent agreed, and
one pleasant day she took her departure, and
the place that had known her so long knew
her no more forever.
One OF the girls was without a home, and
Ruth took her in, and made home for her.
She was glad 10 do it. She never could have
endured the Loneliness which followed Mrs
Nugent's departure. Though they had never
been companions for each other, In the b. st
meaning OF the word, her step-mother's pres
ence had kept her from feeling utterly isolated
rom her kind.
Work accumulated slowly, but steadily.
The business having healthy growth
she told the girls.
She took pride in her work. 1t was not ro-
mantle; 1t was not "lofty;" but she was inter-
csted In 1t, and she was not ashamed of it, and
she was ambitious to make a success of Ii. She
was earning her own living honorably, and she
was helping these girls 10 do the same. She was
educating them up to the fact that IL is better
to eat the bread OF ones own earning than it Is
to reckon on the labor of another for It, no mat
ter how willingly IL is given. That bread is al
ways sweetest which we feel we have done
something for.
A "streak of luck'' came to them. Ruth was
on the street one day. She heard her name
called from carriage she was passing, and
turned to meet the outstretched hand OF an old
friend.
"Where have you been keeping Yourself since
l came backN' Mrs. Estecourt asked. II
called at your house twice, but you were not at
home. You seem to have dropped out of socie-
ty in some way.n
II haven't time to go as used to-" answer
ed Ruth, frankly, "for have turned dressmak.
or and milliner.h She said it with a smile that
told she expected Mrs. Estecourt's dsapproval
.Are you in earnest" asked her friend.
Ruth bowed.
II am very sorry that circumstances made it
necessary for you to do this, as | suppose must
be the case" said Mrs Estecourt. ''But since
you are III the business must give you my pat
rODaUp for the calxa IF oil irna -.
you that respect the woman who amt afraid
10 work remember that you used to "make
over my hats for me, so that they suited bet
ter than when they came from Madame Dubois
hands. Are you going to your establishment
now III you are, let me take you there,
want to see it,
So Ruth was taken to the "shop' that morn
ing in grand style, and the 'grls" were sur
prised 10 see her set down at the door by so
sty fish turnout.
And very nicely-dressed lady Is coming in
with her. announced Rhoda Weir Il
shouldn't wonder if she had found new Gus
tomern
And new customer Ruth had found. Mrs
Estecourt was delighted with the SHOP 1t
was so cosy, so home-like. II couldru in here
Tor chat, sucha we used to have In old times,n
she said, land forget all about business You
can't do that in most dress-makers' establish
mentsn
When she went away she took bonnet with
her that was the product Of Ruth's skill and
taste.
1T shall pay you the best OF any bonnet you
ever made said Mrs. Estecourt, laughing
Il shall be back again with more work for YOU
in day or two
She was as good as her word. She brought
lady who wanted bonnet that suiteo her as
well as Mrs. Estecourt's suited that lady.
Ruth took observations and went TO work
From silk and ribbon, and lace, and feathers,
she produced what Mrs. Estecourt pronounced
a miracle"
You're an artist" she said, enthusiastically.
II forsee great things in store for you, If You
can keep on evolving these triumphs of mili-
merry from that busy brain Of yours. You never
had bonnet that looked half so well before,
Mrs. Bonnerie.n
Mrs. Bonnerie surveyed herself complacently
in the glass.
~ think it is becoming to me-" she said, in
tone OF great satisfaction. "There seems TO be
something about it that makes it part of me,
and not bonnet that might belong to any 9TH
or woman. You are genius Miss Nugent. |
predict success for you.n
So had Mrs. Estecourt.
And Ruth and her girls were successful be-
yond what they had dared to hope. "Miss
Nugents" became popular. Everything that
came from that establishment was made ION
honor" There was no shamming, no sighting
of work.
They had enough to do to keep them busy
from morning to night, and the customers paid
well Every Saturday evening dividends were
declared" and each member of the company"
received her share of what had been earned
during the week
One or two evenings in each week found them
at a lecture, or a concert.
''We can afford it," Ruth said. ave need
amusement Of some sort; we won't starve the
mind while we are working TO satisfy the wants
of the body"
You are not to infer that because she was
kept so busy, Ruth found no time to remember
in. She never forgot. Always there was
sore spot in her heart. Often she got away by
herself and had a determination. And al
ways the result was the same. She had ten
der memory,-an affection still, for the Rob
ert Haviland she had believed her lover to be.
But that Robert was dead. For the Robert
Haviland who had deceived her, the living
Robert, she had pity.
ITn