The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-10-28
What One Girl Did.
Hester Stuart in Harper,s Razar.l

uInb ETttueu ny u blTOuR WIN VI UODuCCO
smoke waited into her open window from
the pipe of the lodger below; and as she had
gone to sleep with the same incense in her
n~ostrils, you must own that it was trying,
particularly to n country-born nose that
knew the fragrance of wild grape vines and
locust trees. Whatever you may think,
Molly was wrathful, and founced 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 a decent thing among them except that
gray suit" she thought, disconsolately; and
tho truth is they were a shabby lot. Bar
ring the gray suit, a navy blue serge ragged
as TO edges, and shiny as to elbows and
back, a faded cambria, an old black cash
mere, hot and ~dusty-looking, made up the
sorry display.
Why didn't she buy some new clothesi
Well. there was no particular 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 n salnry Of So a week. Amy one
mathematicnlly inclined can do the sum
which Molly lie each week:
Eoard.
Washing and ironing 80
One sitting ut Trinity" "a very humble
ID
IotaL
And out Of the difference between this total
and So must come boots and gloves and hair
pins and pocket-bandkercbief and everything
else, so you can see that the queen Of Sheba
was quite safe from a rival so far as Molly
was concerned.
But this mention of the "Mart of Fashion,
brings me to the cap-sbeaf OF Nolly's discom-
fort. She had expected TO nave the day to
herself, but Rush Il Crush, seeming possible
profit from country visitors, had decided to
open. So II WINS n 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 tho little pats
and touches usually bestowed on 1t, and the
blue dress wns 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, tine knives and
forks at all angles, and the dishes piled up,
fragments and all, by the untidy table girl,
and felt an unuttei able disgust for it all.
1t is not necessary TO go into the story of
sickness and debt and death which had
pAchbub &c " Iuitbf Ithuch Diit " 10
n clerk in the Mart of Fashion and an inmate
of Widow Jackson's s~econd-rate boarding
house; but we will start with her this Memo
rial morning. when, after trying her sharp
little teeth on some tough steak and turning
over on her plate some fnbby fried potatoes
she fishedI n fly out of her coffee, and took her
way to the store.
Half the long forenoon had worn away
when Molly, with n box OF tumbled lnces be-
fore her, stood looking after n lady who had
just passed with a cluster of violets at her
throat, and thinking wistfully of a certain
place she knew OF where they grew, cool and
moist in their green leaves, when tho voice
Of the ubiquitous fioor-wnlkor brought her
back to tho present.
Miss Perry, II you are not more attentive,
i shall have to report you"
81 will save you that trouble said Mis-
Perry, and clap went the cover on tho 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 olicc
and rendered her resignation, ito take cf-
feet Mt once, II you plense."
Mr.. Rush was pleased for trade was slack
ening and there were twenty girls for every
vacancy. But You know our rule, which
was that clerk leaving without notice should
forfeit pay from the last Saturday night set
Element. But Mollie's ancestors did not fight
Mt Concord without leaving something OF
their spirit TO their descendants. SO she
turned to go with an air that betokened no
acquaintance with "rules," when Mr.. Rush,
whose heart had been a trihe softened by
memories OF a certain grave in Mount Au-
burn which would lie decorated that day,
handed out three trade dollars, and in ten
minutes Mollio was in the Common, with
all the world before her whers To choose"
The unusual leisure was so pleasant that
the girl loitered and fingered, enjoying the
sunshine and air, and only when the noon
whistles blew did she come down to reality.
Aftor dinner, with locked door. she held a
council of war, Here, on one side, wns Molly
Perry, "a years old. with health and hope, S.
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.
Molly did some hard thinking. There's
one thing sure she thought, 81 won't tend
store again, and / won't sew for n living, and
l went be cooped up in a shop" The chances
are narrowing fast. Suddenly can an idea.
I'm do it." said Molly; and what it was, The
Advertiser told next morning:
Wanted, by an American girl who is a
good plain cook, a situation to do housework
in a small family. Country preferred. Adj
dress Nj. p, Advertiser office, Boston.
Well, the answers fairly poured in 1t
seemed as though all womankind had been
waiting for Fan American girl who is a plain
good cook :" but Molly resolved to be critical,
and waited. In tho meantime. seeing that a
way was open, she dressed herself in her best
and went shopping Saturday afternoon. She
chose to patronize Rush g. Crush, where her
high and mighty airs gave unbounded salts
faction 90 the .Iarl,a ..s0L H.
fRvorite, She sailed up to the print counter
with great dignity, turned the goods over,
pulled the corners crosswise, after the
fashion of women shoppers, deprecated the
patterns, etc, but finally bought print for
three dresses, bingham for aprons, etc, to
the amount of s., and counted out with great
majesty the three trade dollars.
"Oh, Molly, you know we rant take
them" said tho clerk. Molly turned to Mr..
Rush, who, sauntering along with his eyes
on the other side of the store, was taking in
the whole proceeding.
'Mr. Rush." she said, 81 took these here
day before yesterday, and now the clerk re-
fuses them
Mr.. Rush was grimly amused at her audao
ity, but instead Of answering her turned
10 the grinning cash-boy In waiting, and
snapped: Cash, what are you waiting fori
Take the goods and money this instantr'
The youthful Mercury disappeared like n
spirit, and Molly felt somewhat as her great
grandfather did at Concord.
Monday morning brought a letter which
seemed promising, and which read as fol-
lows.
WHEArFIELps, N. H, June 2.-atiss NJ. p ;
We reed n domestic, and prefer one Of our
own nation. The family consists of myself
and wife and a hired man Ny wife is feeble.
A CARD.
To all who are suffering from
the errnra and ndiacrafiona ai