Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-11-12
GIRLS OF GRIT.

It had been dull day at the store,
and Meta Carstairs was tired Of stand
irg behind the connter with nothing to
do. Mr.. Bobbinet was always degree
crosser than usual on dull days. He
scolded the little s'cashesn for whisper
ing, criticised Miss Drggett for the way
in which she piled her collar-boxes on
the counter, and reproved Miss White
for packing her parcels Of lace under the
shelves.
TT is very easy" said Mr. Bobbinet,
''to see that you young women have no
personal interest in things"
"Why should wegn whispered Rosa
Nixon to Miss Carstairs. ''lIe has no
personal interest in us, except to contrive
how much money he can make out of
us"
And Mr.. Bobbinet had told them
probably to increase their spirits-that
after the first of May their scanty salaries
would be docked twenty-five per cent.
For I am losing money in the busi-
ness. said Mr.. Bobbinet net-s'yes, positive
ly losing money all the time. fought to
have cut you down at Christmas, but
am conscientious man, and mid winter
is hard time to reduce wages"
Meta Carstairs had looked incredu-
lously at Lillian Hand Was it not ON
the very last Sunday afternoon that they
had walked past the elegant new house
that Mr.. Bobbinet was erecting on Para
gon avenue2 Did that, they asked
themselves, look like losing money!
'What an old humbug that man is r'
said Rosa Nixon. eff 1 knew any re-
spectacle farmers wife who wanted a
help, I'd quit business and go to her
see if / woudn'tl"
''But we are all dependent upon our
salaries, +" sighed Lillian Hand. seWhat
can we do2"
This was at the noontime, when Mr..
Bobbinet had gone down stairs to quar-
rel with the fireman, and the girls hud
died disconsolately around the registers
to eat their little paper packets of
lunch.
Il know what I'd do if had house, .
said Meta, boldly.
"What?" said Clarissa Daggett.
I'd keep boarders, +" said Meta.
"Boardersl Dear me, what funny
ideap cried Lillian Hand. ssWhat made
you think of that?"
Because had letter from Ston-
ington last night, " said Meta. ssAnd
my old grand-aunt Locke is dead, and
she has left me lot of old furniture
the accumulation, in fact, of two or
three generations. What could do with
old furniture, or new, either, for that
matter9 The homestead tumble-down
place enouGh-is left to cousin up in
Maine. and all the ready money to a
ne'er-do-well relation out in Kansas.
who will spend it before the dear old
soul is fairly cold"
"Furniturel" repeated Lillian Hand.
s'Why, isn't that stranger And have
got house out at Watch Hill-a lonely
old place, on the very edge of the sea
that is, If it hasn't fallen to pieces in
these heavy winter-tides. =
''What sort of a house9" said Meta.
II don't know" Lillian answered,
laughing Il never saw it. My uncle
died there, and am the only surviving
relative. I might have fitted it up for a
country seat if I had been rich; but am
not.n
Meta put her light hand on the 9TH
er's shoulder.
"LiIl," said she, '.there's fate in
these things You have house, and
I've got the furniture. Watch Hill is
the very place to take boarders imp
"Are you crazy, NettaG" said Lillian.
s'The big hotels would swallow us up,
as the whale swallowed JONAH
'Fiddlestickslp cried Meta. "Our
chance is as good as anybody else'slp
"oh, girls, let me keep boarders,
tool" urged Rosa Nixon. ~ can't stay
here, if old Bobbinet mows down our
wages SO pitifully. l haven't got any
capital, but | can make such stunning
cake and pie, and ] can beat all creation
on bread. and biscuit and johnny cake. .
I could help you, tool" said eager
Miss Daggett, who was tall girl, with
hectic red spots on her cheeks. s'That
is, if the house was out of repair. I
painted all the ins de Of Cousin Dobson
Daggett's house oncs, and papered the
parlors in blue and buff. And you don't
know how nice they lookedl Oh, do
take me. toop'
'sBut it's all nonsensel" said Lillian.
ssNo, it isn'tF" said Meta. s'Listen i
You and keep boarders. Rosa is our
cook, and Clara our carpenter. Here's
fair beginning. Hush! here comes
old Bobbinet, looking as black as a
thunder. cloud. Now for lecture half
an hour long. Well, let him blaze