The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-03-20
4 LITTLE SHOP GIRL.

IN D Cume Wltn0uCe cloud
4 LITTLE SHOP GIRL.
''She's an old darling" said Grace Craxall
Sand mean to help her all can. I've got .
beautiful recipe for chocolate eclairs, and on
Friday evening I am going there 70 make up
oil that I can, 80 that the school children will
buy them on Saturday. I know how to make
cinnamon apple tarts, too, and lemon drops
and cocoanut balls"
"Grace, do believe you have taken leave of
your senses," said Modora May. "One would
think it was disgrace enough for Aunt Debo-
rah-onr own mothers sister-to open horrid
little huckster shop without our mixing our
Selves up in tho 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
sparkling white sugar. "And cousin Nixon
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 teacher,
| and her poor old rheumatic bones keep her
from going behind a counter or entering fac
tory. suppose you wouldn't No willing to
have her come and live with yous"
- ~! ~. erie, cried Medora ID. DO you suppose I want
. dilapidated old relation as that"
II 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 come rich man, .
brows, ''and then SEQ if don't furnish up a
stately apartment for Aunt Debby?"
s'Don't talk nonsense" said Medora, acidly
ITS very likely, isn't it. that factory girl like
yon ia going to marry 9 rich MANI"
Grace Craxall laughed merrily. All through
| agreed to differ OH most points. Grace seeing
no other career before herhad, OH the death OF
her last surviving parent, checrfully entered a
factory, while Medora, taking her stand on tho
platform of a false gentllity, had dono fine
SEWING nos srss, and silk on tho sly to
lady of fashion tho while. And now Aunt
Debora May, to the infinite disgust of her aris-
tocratically inclined niece, had actually opened
little low windowcd shop in shady street just
out of the main thoroughfarc, and as Medors
despairing expressed ii, "gone into trade!"
For Aunt Debby, in her bcwildcred loneli-
ness, had scarcely known what to do until
Grace Craxall came to tho rescue with her
hopeful courage and straightforward common
| sense.
d
OF !audanum and put myself out Of the way,
| sighed the poor old lady.
SNOw, Aunt Debby, that doesn't sound bit
like you, said Grace, cheerfully.
But what am to do." sald Aunt Deborah.
sWhat can you do?" said Grace
| II don't know as am good for anything, "
said tho old lady with quiet tear or two, "ex-
| cept to help around tho house, and amt
strong enough for regular hired help Your
uncle always used to say was . master hand
at making bread.
~Then make it, brightly interrupted Grace,
@Eh?" said Aunt Dolby
| ''There's nice littlo store to let on Bay
street." went on Grace for ten dollars month n
"But haven't got ten dollars q month, "
feebly interrupted Aunt Deborah.
'eI'll lend it to you" said Grace, "out Of the
wages have saved. And there's a pretty bed
room at the back OF the shop, and clean, dry
basement undor it, where you could bake yorl
bread I know, for tho sister Of the la ,
where l board is looking for dress-makil.g &
rooms, and heard her speaking about it."
.Do you mean to open bakery" said be-
wildered Aunt Debby.
"Not exactly that" explained Grace But il
Mrs. Hewitt, or Mrs. Taylor, or any of the la
dies around here could get real home made
bread, such as you make, do you suppose they
would put up with the sour stuff they get at
| the baker shops? And you could easily got up
reputation on your raisn cakes, and fried
crullers and New England pumpkin pies. Now
couldn't you?"
The old lady brightened up little.
81 used to be pretty good at cooking" said
she: "And if You think l could support my
self So"
Il am sure ofit!" cried cheerful Grace. "And
| I'll 20 there with yon this very day to look at
the place, and will engage it for three months
on trial. And l can paint you sign to put
over your door, "Ho,nc- made Bread by Mrs.
tains and arrange tho shelves in the low win
| dow! | almost wish was going to bc your
shop GIRL" she added merrly '.But can
| help you in the evening, You know"
| Grace Craxalls prophecies proved correct
whittier than powdered lilies, sweet as ambrosia,
soon acquired a reputation, and the old lady
| could scarcely bake it fast enough. People
came half dozen blocks to buy
tho yellow pumpkin pics aud delicious
apple tarts; children brought their
| boarded pennies to invest in chocolate sweet
| meats, vanilla caramols. and cream cakes with
puffy shells and delicious centers of sweetness.
The lttle money drawer grew fat with COINS,
and Aunt Debby's dim eyes grew bright and
hopeful again.
And one day Mr. Herbert Valance, walkins
by with Medora May, stopped aud looked in.
"1sn't that your cousin Grace" said he, "be-
hind the counter!"
Mcdora turned crimson with vexation.
"My cousin Grace" she said. "No, indeed!
We are not-in trade!"
What possessed her to utter this deliberate
| falsehood Medora could not afterwards have
told Partly the sting of false shame, partly a
disncination for Mr.. Herbert Valance TO know
that her relations were not, to use her express
| sion, ladies and gentlemen"
Mr.. Valance looked up at the sign over the
door.
"Tho namo is May" he remarked indifer.
emily.
"fes," said Medora, angry at herself blush
ing 80 deeply, "but we are no relation"
Mr.. Valance thought over the matter; he
friend, where pretty Grace Craxall was also
present: lie had taken rather a fancy to the
bright blue eyes and delicate blonde beauty of
the former. Valance Hall, on the hill just OFT
Of the city. was solitary enough, now that his
sisters had all married and gone away, and per-
haps o man might find less attractive and
graceful wife than Medora May. But he could
not be mistaken, he thought, IN Grace Craxall's
identity
And 80 the next evening, about the same
timo, he sauntered into the shop.
Grace was behind the dantiiy clean little
counter, taking some newly baked maple cara
lnels of the pan. She looked up with smile.
Good evening, Mr.. Valance" said she.
$50, he thought, Il wasn't mistaken after
ALL And the little blue-eysd seraph is mortal
| pearance!"
But he looked serenely at Grace.
= didn't know You were in trade. said he.
didn't you? Well" rctorted Grace, Il am
my Aunt Deborah's shop girl at prescnt ! a.
ways come here in the evenings to help her,
because" she added, with sweet shade OF So
robustness coming over her face. sAunt
was old and poor, and shc didn't gu te
! know how to maintain horself in indie
pendence; and, unfortunately my wages
at the factory are not enough for us both.
So advised her to open this business, and she
did, and she is doing well; and she bakes the
most delicious bread and pies you ever ate, so, "
with ssucy twinkle under her eyelashes, ''if
you know Of any customers, will you please re-
| commend our firm"
''To be sure shall, he answered in the same
spirit "And am very glad, Miss Caxall, to
see that you are not ashamed of being working
girl"
"Of course am not" said Grace. "Wby
should boy"
.'But your cousin Medora is."
Grace gave littlo shrug Of her shoulders.
"very likely" said she. "Medora and dif.
fer In many things"
Mr. Valance bought pound Of caramels anl