Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-10-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Little Shop Girl.

A Little Shop Girl.
"She's an old darling, said Grace
Craxall, "and 1 mean to help her all
] can. I've got a beautiful recipe
for chocolate eclairs, and on Friday
evening I am going there to make up
all l can, SO that the school children
will buy them on Saturday. I know
how to make cinnamon apple tarts,
too, and lemon and cocoanut balls. %
Oracle, 1 do believe you have
taken leave of your senses" said
Medora May. s'one would think it
it was a disgrace enough for Aunt
Deborah to open a. horrid huckster
shop, without our mixing ourselves
up in the affair."
IS But Aunt Debby must live, you
know, !" said Grace, who was pcrched
kitten fashion, on the window-sill,
feeding the canary with bits of spark
ling white sugar. "And Cousin
Nixon couldn't keep her any longer.
1 suppose you wouldn't be willing to
have her come and live with youS'
ell" cried Mcdora. edo you
suppose I want to proclaim to the
whole town that I have such dila-
pidated old relation as thatl''
g would take her quick enough, :"
said Grace, "if I didn't board with
Mrs. Hewitt, and share the little up
stairs back room with the two chill
drcn. Just wait until 1 marry some
rich man, she added, with a saucy
uplifting of her auburn brows, ssand
then see if 1 don't furnish up state
ly apartment for Aunt Dolby"
DON'T talk nonsense" said Nc
dora, acidly. It's very likely,
isn't it, that a factory girl like you
is going to marry rich MANI"
Grace Craxall laughed merrily:-
All through life she and her cousin,
NIedora May, had agreed to differ on
most points. Grace, seeing no other
career before her, had, on the death
of her last surviving parent, cheer
fully entered q factory, while Medora,
taking her stand on the platform of a
gcntiIity, had done fine sewing and
silk embroidery on the sly to support
herself, putting on all the airs OF
young lady of fashion the while. And
now Aunt Deborah May, to the in
finite disgust of her aristocratically-
inclined neice, had actually opened a
little low-windowed shop in a shady
street just out of the main thorough
fare.
g But what am to do?'' Aunt De-
borah had said.
g But what can you dog" said
Grace.
81 don't know. Your uncle al
ways used to say was master hand
at making bread. %
rupted Grace.
Eh?' said Aunt Dcbby.
"There's nice little store to let
on Bay street, - went on Grace, tsfor
ten dollars month.
But haven't got ten dollars a
month" feebly interrupted Aunt
Deborah.
Tlllend it to you,'' said Grace,
out of the wages L have saved.
Aud there's pretty bedroom at the
back of the shop, and clean, dry
basement under it, where you can
bake your bread. -
Do you mean to open a bakery?"
said bewiIdercd Aunt Debby.
'' Not exactly that explained
Grace, "but if the ladies around here
could get. real homemade bread
such as you make, do you suppose
they would put up with The sour stuff
they get at the bakers shops? And
you could easily get up a reputation
on your raisin cakes and fried crullers
and New England pumpkin pies.
Now, couldn't you?''
The old lady frightened up little.
IS used to be pretty good at cook
ing," said she. I" And If you think
1 could support myself So
I am sure of itl'' cried cheerful
Grace. 't And I'll go there with you
this very day to look at the place,
and will engage it for three months
OH trial. And 1 can paint you sign
to put over yonr door: Homemade
Bread by Mrs. Deborah May!' And
I'll hem you eorne curtains and ar
range the shelves in the low window.
/ almost wish 1 was going to be your
shop girl, :" she added merriIy, aBut
! can help you in the evening, you
know. -
Grace GraxaIl's $ prophecies proved
correct. Aunt Debby's homemade
bread, winter than powdered lilies,
sweet as anbrosia, soon acquired q
reputation, and the old lady could
scarcely bake itfast enough. People
came half dozen blocks to buy Che
yellow pumpkin pies and delicious
apple tarts; children brought their
boarded pennies to invest in chocolate
sweetmeats, vanilla. carameIs and