Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-03-17
A LITTLE SHOP GIRL.
Springfield Union.

too, and lemon drops and ~eocoanut balls"
Grace, | do believe you have taken leave
Of your senses" said Medora May. Zone
would thinkit was disgrace enough for Aunt
DE- borah-our " mothers sister-to open
a borid little huckster shop without our
mixing ourselves up in the affair
Aunt Debby must live, you know" said
Grace, who vas perched, kitten fashion, on
the windOw-sill, feeding the canary With bits
Of sparkling white sugar. And Cousin Nix
on couldn't keep her any longer, and her
eyes are not strong enough for fine needle.
work, and her education has not fitted her
to be a teacher, and her poor rheumatic
bones keep her ICON going behind { counter
OK entering a factory, I suppose goa wouldn't
be willing to have her come here and live
with your
IT, cried Medora. "Do you suppose !
wan to proclaim to the whole town that |
have such a diloPidated old relation as
that
| \ would take her quick enough" sail
Grace, If didn't board with MS. Hewitt
and share the little up stairs back room with
the two children. Just wait until | marry
some rich man" she added, with q saucy
uplifting of her auburn brows, and see if |
don't furnish up a stately apartment for
Aunt DebbyI'
Don't talk nonsense said Medora,
acidly. ITS very likely, isn't it, that a fac,
tory girl like you is going to marry a rich
mann
Grace Craxall laughed merBily. All
through life she aud her cousin, Medors
May, had agreed to differ on most points.
Grace, seeing no other career before her,
bad, on the death OF her last surviving par,
eut, chceriully entered q factory, while
MedQra, taking her stand on the platform
of a false gentility, had done fine sewing
ana silk embroidery on the sly to supper;
herself, putting on al the airs Of a young
lady of fashion the while. And now Aunt
Deborah May, to the infinite disgust of her
aIi~stocrstically inclined niece, had actually
opened a little low-Wipdowed shop in a
shady street Just out Of the main thorough
fare, and as Medo,s despairirgly expressed
il, gone into trade
For Aunt Debby in her bewildered lone.
illness, had scarcely known what to do until
Grace Craxall came 10 the rescue with her
hopeful courage and straightforward com
mon sense. ,
II only wish it wasn't sinful to take a good
big dose of lsudanum and put myself out Of
the way" sighed the poor old lady.
Now, Aunt Debby, that doesn't sound q
Dir like you" said Grace cheerfully.
But what am [ to doT' said Aunt Deb
orah.
What can you dog' ,
81 don't know as | am good for anything,
said the old lady, with a quiet tear or two,
except to help around the house. and
amt strong enough for regular hired help.
Your uncle always used to say that l was a
master hand at making bread.
Then make it" brightly interrupted
Grace.
"Eh?' said Aunt Debby.
There's q nice little store to let on Bay
street" went on Grace, for $40 q month
But l haven't got 80 q month, teebly
interrupted Aunt Deborah.
"Tn lend it to you" said Grace, out OF
the wages l have saved. And there a
Drstrv bedroom at the back of the shop, n
a clean. dry basement under II, where you
can bake YOUR bread. know, for the sister
of the lady where | board is looking tor
dress making rooms, and 1 heard her speak
ing about 1t. wg, ,,;5
bewildered Aunt Debby.
Not exactly that explained Grace
"Rut If Mrs. Hewitt or Mrs. Taylor, or any
other ladies around here could get real
bome made bread, suchss you make, do you
snppose they would put up with the sour
s,55F thew get at the bakers shops? And
ION could easily get up reputation on
yon- raisin cakes and fried c~rullers, and
New England pumpkin pies. Now, eonldn I
your r..la
ai used to be pretty good at cooking,
said she. And If you think could sup
port myselfsO- d, =, c
And I'll 20 with you this very day to Dob
a. The Mace, and will engage 1t for three
mortbs on trial. And l can paint you q
80 10 nut over the door: Homemade
Stsa5 nv Mrs. Deborah May And Ill hem
cor some curtains, and arrange the shelves
= the low window l almost wish l was
go;ng 10 be your shop-gir.?" she added, mer-
T;Iv.o But / can help you in the evening,
Grace CrsxalTs prophecies proved cor
rect. Aunt Debbys delicious homemade
bread, whittier than powdered Ibes, sweet as
Smbrosia, soon acquired a reputation, and
a. GA LADY, could scarcely bake It fast
anor9b. People came half q dozen blocks
- bry fhe yellow pumpkin pies and dehc-
80 annie tarts; children brought their
I"n,SsJ nenuies to invest in chocolate
I~aasmss,s vanilla caramelS and sweet
cskes with puffy shells and delicious centers
S~Hsa,mests The little money drawer
80 fst with coins, and Aunt Deooy's eyes
80 bright and hopeful again.
And one day Herbert Hslence' WslAing
Nv with Medora May, stopped ana io0Aea
aI.n't that your cousin Grace, said me-
Ubebind the counter IN, -
M consin Grscer' she said. mo In
al We are not-in trade!
W. =. rossessed her to utter this deliberate
LooS Nedora could not afrerwsrd have
IA Partly the sting OF shame parity
9-:nc;nat;ou for Herbert Valance to know
that her relations were not, 70 use
nression, "adies and genuement o.
Mr.. Yalence looked up III inc Sis0 0'e'
@"TSe name is May" he remarked in0n'
said Medora, angry at herself
tL,.h;n1 so deeply, "but we are nc reia-
ooni Valance thought over the matter; ne
net Miss Nav at 9 party gwen oy
atterWs1u -. o-sttv Grace Craxau was