Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-04-03


trict school and been to an academy
two winters, and had taught school
two winters.
"Well," the winter after that young
lady that then was had taught our
school she took it into her head to go
to Boston in the capacity of lady
clerk in large store; "shop girls"
as they are rather sneeringly called
by some now a days. | thought it
rather singular proceeding myself
at the time.
"Well toward spring, after closing
my labors as a school-master, and be-
fore spring work came on, / felt a
strong inclination to visit Boston and
look little after that shop girl
though meantime a correspondence
had been kept up between us. had
partly engaged before I left to work
for man the coming season, but he
was not willing to pay quite what 1
asked, fifteen dollars a month, so l
went off without closing a bargain"
81 found myself quite agreeably
received by the young school ma'am
that was, hut now evidently lady
equal to anything l saw in Boston. l
| did not lypoU, b,,t oh n would ba ro+b or
cool toward the country fellow l
know | was, andeverybody couldsee
But she was not. Well, | concluded
to remain few days if it did cost a
little something. In looking around
the city l came one day upon an agri-
cultural warehouse or store and went
in, mostly of curiosity. l asked the
price of a few implements and was
looking around to see what improve
ments there were in farming tools,
when man came out of the counting
room-a real gentleman, too, and
actually showed me around, and we
got into quite a conversation. At
last he turned, and looking me square
in the face, said, Young man, / want
another clerk in my business, and l
think you are the very one l want
'Men l exclaimed, 'Oh, couldn't
do well enough shouldn't know
what to do Leave that to me- said
he. rs there anybody in the city you
are acquainted with that you can re-
fer me to" Il don't know as there
is. | have friend that may know
some one l replied. well, said he,
'can you find out in an hour or two p
YES said l, lin half the time l
went to the young lady and she told
me of the Rev. Mr.. James, who was
once settled in our town. She said
she had met him several times and
he had once spoken of me in a COM
plimentary manner. He was then in
some big missionary or Bible society
institution. So back / went to the
agricultural store and gave the pro-
prietor the name Of Mr.. James. Il
know him very well andwill see him
when | 60 to dinner
,, "Will you be here promptly at
two o'clock this afternoon p Il will,
| replied. He turned on his heel and
went to his counting room and left
I the store. At precisely two O'Clock ]
returned. your reference is entirely
. satisfactory said Mr.. R. THE pro.
I prietor and | will give you forty dol.
I lars a month for the first six months
= and fifty dollars a month for the rest
of the year. l could hardly believe
, my own ears; forty dollars month
, Is the man crazy? thought |. But
/ he was not. | closed the bargain and
= wrote to Mr.. X, who had offered me
p fourteen dollars and a half a month
that | could do better.
a 81 remained there two years, the
;. last year at sixty dollars a month
n and at the end of that time Mr.. r
L offered me hundred dollars a month
? if wouldagree foreman three years
r But the lady clerk and | had matureC
q our plans. We had remained in Bos
ton till we were familiar with the
e ways of the world. | had gained ;
u fund of information in regard to farm
ing tools and machinery, and besides
: the young lady and | had availeC
a ourselves Of every opportunity to at
J. tend lectures, concerts and the like
n and being meeting folks both Of us
y we never lacked respectable society
IS and good friends. Boston from tina
time has not been a strange place t
y us. Nearly every winter we hav
It spent some weeks there. We hir
h such rooms as we need, taking som
p of the children with us every year
2, take our meals at some good place