Morris tribune., 1886-11-17
A LITTLE SHOP-GIRL.

l can. I've got beautiful recipe 1of
chocolate eclairs. and on Friday even
ing am going there to make up all
that can, so that the school-children
will buy them on Saturday. 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 Medora
May. lone would think it was dis
grace enough for Aunt Deborah-our
own mothers sister-to open a horrid
little huckster shop without our mix
inc ourselves up in the affair"
'.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 enoug h for fine needlew ork,
and her education has not fitted her TO
be o teacher, and her poor old rheu-
matte bones keep her from going be-
hind a counter or entering a factory.
| suppose you wouldn't be willing TO
have her come here and live with
you?"
.Ir' cried Medora. "Do you sup
pose want to proclaim to the whole
town that have such dilapidated old
relation as that?"
II would take her quick enough, "
said Grace, .'if didn't board with Mrs.
Hewitt, and share the little upstairs
back room with the two children. just
wait until ! marry some rich man, y
she added, with saucy uplifting OF
her auburn brows, land then see if
don't furnish up a stately apartment
for Aunt Debby"
Don't talk nonsense" said Medora,
acidly. "It's very likely, isn't it, that
factory girl like you is going to mar
nv 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 a
factory, while Medora, taking her
stand on the platform of false gentility,
had done fine sewing and silk en-
broidery on the sly to support herself,
putting on all the airs of young lady
of fashion the while. And now Aunt
Deborah May, to the infinite disgust Of
her aristocratically inclined niece, had
actually opened a little low-windowed
shop in a shady street, just out of the
main thoroughfare, and, as Medora de-
spairingly expressed it, "gone into
trade"
For Aunt Debby, in her bewildered
loneliness, had scarcely known what tc
do until Grace Craxall came to the res
cue with her hopeful courage and
straightforward common sense.
II only wish it wasn't sinful to take
a good big dose of laudanum and put
myself out of the way" sighed the poor
old lady.
"Now, Aunt Debby, that doesn't
sound a bit like you," said Grace
cheerfully.
"But what am l to dop" said Aunt
Deborah.
What can you do?" said Grace.
II don't know as 1 am good for any
thing" said the old lady, with quie
tear or two, except to help around th'
house, and l amt strong enough fol
regular hired help. Your uncle Away:
used to say that was master hand a
making bread.
"Then make it," brightly interrupt
ed Grace.
''Eh?" said Aunt Debby.
There's nice little store to let or
Bay street." went on Grace, "for $40 :
month"
"But 1 haven't got $40 month, ,
feebly interrupted Aunt Deborah.
"I'll lend it to you," said Grace
'out of the wages l have saved. AnC
there's a pretty bedroom at the bacl
of the shop, and clean, dry basemen
under it, where you can bake youl
bread. / know, for the sister of the
lady where l board is looking for dress
making rooms, and heard her speak
ing about it."
"Do you mean to open a bakeryP
said bewildered Aunt Debby.
"Not exactly that" explained Grace
'.But if Mrs. Hewitt or Mrs. Taylor, OF
any other of the ladies around herr
could get real homemade bread, sucf
as you make, do you suppose they
would put up with the sour stuff they
get at the bakers shops? And yot
could easily get up reputation OF
your raisin cakes and fried crullers
and New England pumpkin pies. Now
couldn't you?"
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"
II am sure Of it!'' cried Cheerful
Grace. "And I'll 90 there with yor
this very day to look at the place, ant
will engage it for three months OF
trial. And can paint you sign tt
put over your door: Homemade
bread by Mrs. Deborah May? And I'll
hem you some curtains and arrange
the shelves in the low window! I al
most wish was going to be- your shop
girl" she added merrily. "But I car
help you in the evening, you know"
Grace Craxalrs 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 coulG
scarcely bake it fast enough. People
came half dozen blocks to buy the
yellow pumpkin pies and delicious ap-
pie tarts; children brought their hoard.
ed pennies to invest in chocolate sweet.
meats, vanilla caramels, and cream
cakes with puffy shells and delicious
centers of sweetness. The little mon.
ey drawer grew fat with coins, and
Aunt Debby's dim eyes grew bright
and hopeful again.
And one day Herbert Valance, walk.
ing with Medora May, stopped and
looked in.
'Isn't that your cousin Grace" said
he, ''behind the counterp"
Medora turned crimson with vexa-
ton.
my cousin Grace!'' she said. "No,
indeed! We are not-in trade!'
What possessed her to utter this de-
liberate falsehood, Medora could not
afterward have told. Partly the sting
of false shame, partly a disinclination
for 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.
1.-The name is May" he remarked,
indifferently.