The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-02-25
MADAME MERITS APPREN.
THCE.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

BY AMY RANDOLPH.
There are some scenes in our lives
which photograph themselves upon our
minds indelibly, to the exclusion of many
another of perhaps greater Importance
And if Novelia Henry had lived to be as
old as the patriarchs, she never would
have forgotten that lowering April after
noon in Madame Merits millinery par
lors-the tickling of clock on the man
tel, the song of a CHEEKY canary overhead
Madame Merit, herself, all propitiatorv
smiles, and Miss De La Croix's tall fig
ure IN ruby velvet and sable iurs, be
tween herself and the window.
"Tm very sorry" cooed the smiling
madame, that such mistake should have
happened. | intended
g Ii is a mistake that will cost YOU our
patronage for the future" said Miss De
La Croix, impetuously. "Of course,
could not go to the morning concert, and
do not choose 10 be disappointed"
& But the bonnet is exquisite" cried
madame, tiuttering her plump fingers
over the dainty white confcction of white
tulle, garlanded about with monster vel
vet pansies in every shade Of purple. from
violet black to the palest sunset color
Exquisite. -
"But you know very WE'LL" said Miss
De La Croix, imperal.y, "that purple is
the precise color | cannot wear. 1t
makes me as sallow As an olive"
" Nothing could do that" said Mad
anne Merit, soothingly " But of course
the fault is all Miss Henry's''
/" / am very sorry," said Novelia. "But
| trimmed the hat exactly in accordance
with the orders written on the card"
"That is nonsense" said madame, be-
slowing on the worklng-girl the full
weight of the scorn I'd anger that she
dared not visit on Miss De La Croix "I
dol't see how you can stand there and
contradict me ~
" But | a.n only speaking the TRUTH"
said Novelia, earnestly.
"And suppose | am telling a lie -
flashed out Miss De La Croix. "I con-
gratulate you, Madame Merti,'' with
low, mocking courtesy, "upon the polite
ness of your employees. But, really, it is
so very o. empowering that l find it too
much for me. Either this young woman
must Leave your place, or l will with
draw my custom"
"Mv dear Miss De La Croix,'' cried the
miliner, in genuine alarm, "pray do not
think of such a thing, Miss Henry, you
may consider yourself discharged, l can't
allow my customers TO be insulted thus"
Novelia grew vei.I pale, but she made
no answer. She only inclined her head,
and glided out of the room like little,
gray, noseless shadow, and, by dint of
much coaxing and many doses of the
most skillful fiattery, Miss De La Croix
was induced to leave an order for a morn
ing hat, to be trimmed with pink daisies,
ahd an evening bonnet, of white Mechlin
lace, with an amber plume, fringed with
crystal dewdrops, and strings Of white
tulle
And that evening, when Miss jenkins,
the fore woman was making up her ac-
counts, penciled card fell from one of
the folds of her elaborately festooned
overdress, as she was searching through
all her pockets to find a certain lead pen
Gil.
"Well, / declare,'' said she, elf that
amt the very card of directions for Miss
De La Croix's hat. White lace, with sill
ver-winged birds, and cluster of lilies of
the valley. And the card | gave to Miss
Henry must have been the one intended
for the hat that old Miss Garretson was
to wear to her nephew's wedding. Won't
she be furious, though, when it doesn't
come. | must get it off by express the
very first thing tomorrow morning
Thought it was strange that any one with
IIiss De La Croix's complexion would
wear purple pansies-but these rich girls
do take such unreasonable whims into
their heads.
Madame Merit looked quickly up from
her ledgers and day-books.
"How very awkward" said She
"Then poor little Miss Henry was not to
blame, after all. l declare, / am sorry
now that discharged her. She trimmed
hat with more style than any girl in the
rooms and she was always so willing to
stay and work over hours. What is her
address, Miss Jenkins? Send to her at
once, and tell her it was all a mistake" ="
But no one had Miss Henry's address.
She had removed from the tenement flats
in which she lived, very soon after she
had entered Madame Merits establish
W6nt. duu uOuc vi tuG OtuCI JCS
knew whittier she had gone. Madame,
world hardened though she was, had still
a conscience. She told Miss De La Croix
at the first opportunity, how the matter
really was.
al am afraid we were too hasty," said
she.
Dear, dear, what pity!'' exclaimed
the fashionable belle. But any one with
the average amount of brains might have
known that q brunette couldn't wear
those dreadful shades of violet; and ]
dare say there are plenty of places where
she cal get quite as good wages as you
pay here. )"
Ma. anne was silent. She knew, better
than any one else could now, how diff
cult it was for friendless girl in the city
of New York to obtain employment with
out influence or reference But she held
her peace What good could il possibly
| do now to express these doubts that %
cretly stung her consciousness Z