Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-03-20
ALITTLE SHOP GIRL.

all that / can, so that the school child |
rem will buy them on Saturday. L
know how to make cinnamon apple
tarts, too, and lemon drops and cocoa
nut balls"
''Grace, / do believe you have taken
leave of your senses" said Medora
Nav. Zone would think it was dis
grace enough for Aunt Deborah-our
own mothers sister-to open horrld
little huckster shop without our mix
ing ourselves up in the affair"
But Aunt Debby must live, you
know, said Grace, who was perched,
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, and her
eyes are not strong enough for hne
needle work, and her education has
not fitted her to be a teacher, and her
poor old rheumatic bones keep her
from going behind a counter or en-
terng factory, l suppose you
wouldn't be willing TO have her come
here and live with your"
81 ~ cried Medora. do you sup.
pose want TO proclaim to the whole
town that | have such a dilapldated
old relation as that?'
al would take her quick enough,
said Grace, "if didn't board with
Mrs Hewitt, and share the little up.
stairs back room with the two chill
dren. Just wait until ! marry some
rich man, y" she added with a saucy up
lifting of her auburn brows, and
then see If ! don't furnish up stately
apartment for Aunt Debby"
Don't talk nonsense, said Medora,
acidly. cts very likely, isn't it, that
a factory girl like you is going to mar
ry a rich man?'
Grace Craxall laughed merrily. All
through life she and her cousin, Me
dora May had agreed to differ on most
points. Grace seeing no other career
before her had, on the death of her
last surviving parent, cheerfully
entered factory, while Medora, tax
ing her stand on the platform of a
false gentilitY, had done fine sewing
and silk embl oidery ON the sly to sup
port herself, putting on all the airs OF
a young lady of fashion the while.
And now Aunt Deborah May, to the
infinite disgust of her aristocratically
inclined niece, had actually opened
little low windowed shop in shady
street Just out Of the main thorough
fare, and as Medora despairng ex
pressed il, gone into trader
For Aunt Debby, III her bewlldercd
loneliness, had scarcely known what
to do until Grace CraNall came to the
rescue with her hopeful courage and
straightforward common sense.
81 only wish it wasn't sinful to take
good big dose Of laudanum and put
myself ont of the way" sighed the
poor old lady.
"Now, Aunt Debby, that doesn't
sound bit like you, said Grace cheer
fully
''But what am to do2" said Aunt
Deborah.
'What can you do2' said Grace.
81 don't know as | am good for any
thing" said the old lady with a quiet
tear or two, except to help around
the house, and | amt strong enough
for hired help. Your uncle always
used to say ! was master hand at
making bread"
"Then make il, - brightly interrupt
ed Grace.
"Eh2" said Aunt Debby.
There's nice little store to let on
Bay street. said Grace, 'for so per
month.
but ] haven't got ten dollars a
month, feebly interrupted Aunt De
Norah
"I'Il lend it to you" said Grace.
"out of the wages have saved. And
there's a pretty bedroom Mt the back
of tho stoop, and clean, dry base
meut under it, where you could make
your bread. know, for the sister of
the lady where | board is looking for
dress making rooms, and heard her
speaking about it"
DO you mean to open bakeryR'
said bewildered Aunt Dolby.
Not exactly that, explained Grace
But If Mrs. Hewitt, or Mrs. Taylor,
or any other of the ladies around you
could get home made bread, such as
you make, do you suppose they would
put up with the sour stuff they get at
the bakers shops2 And you could
easily get up reputation on your
ralsin cakes, and fried crullers, an
Now England pumpkin pies. No
couldn't your
The old lady frightened up little.
II used to be pretty good at cook
ing SAID She. And If YOU think |
could support myself so
81 am snre of it," cried cheerful
Grace. And Iii go there with you
this very day to look at the place, and
will engage it for three months on
trial. And | can paint you a sign to
put over your door. Home made
Bread by Mrs. Deborah May" And
I'll hem you some curtains and ar
range the shelves IL the window
almost wish | was going to be your
shop girl" she added merrily. but
| can help yoa in the evening, you
know
Crack Craxall's prophecies proved
correct Aunt Debby's delicious
home made bread, whittier than
powdered lilies, sweet as ambrosia,
soon acquired a reputation, and the
old lady could scarcely bake ii fast
enough. People came half a dozen
blocks to buy the yellow pumpkin
pies and delicious apple tarts; children
brought their boarded pennies TO in
vest in chocolate sweet meats, vanilla
v
shells and delicious centers of sweet
ness. The little money drawer grew
fat with coins, and Aunt Debby's dim
eyes grew bright and hopeful again.
And one day Mr. Herbert Valance
walking by with Medora May, stopped
and looked III.
isn't that your cousin Grace"
said he, behind the counter9"
Medora turned crimson with veXs-
ton.
MY cousin Grace9" she said.
mo, indeedl We are not-in tradei"
What possessed her 10 utter this
deliberate falsehood Medora could not
afterwards have told. Partly the
string of false shame, partly disin-
clination for Mr.. Herbert Valance to
know that her relatives were not, TO
use her expression, "ladies and gen
tlemen."
Mr.. Valance looked up at the sign
over the door.
THE name is May" he remarked
indifferently.
Yes" said Medora, angry at her
self blushing so deeply, but we are