Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-04-21
A Commercial Adventure.

through a haze Of yellow fog-the
dead ailanthus blossoms ratified over
head as if the tree in front of Mrs.
Medlaw's red brick house had bios
somed forth full of little rattle boxes.
And Mrs. Med)aw had just sat
down to her evening reflection of
toast and tea, when Polly, the little
maid, who always wore green check
ed bingham and carpet slippers, came
shutting in.
"Please, ma'am, there's two young
ladies down in the parlor as says you
are their aunt"
ooh, bother!" said Mrs. Medlaw,
in sort of soliloquy, "it's Eda and
Ella. / knew they'd come to me
when their father died. AS if l
hadn't anything else to do but to sup
port a swarm of lazy relations. Why
didn't you say wasn't at home,
Polly?"
81 would, ma'am, if I'd supposed
they was any relation of your'n, afore
I'd let 'em in" said unconscious Pol
ly. "But they was dressed so nice,
and looked so clipper l thought, of
course, they was real ladies"
"And just as the tea was boiling,
too" said Mrs. Medlaw. "Oh, dear
me, what world this isl"
Eda and Ella Carr were sitting,
pale and black robed, in the mouidy
smelling little parlor, when their
aunt came in. They were pretty
girls, with delicate, wax-white COM
plexions, hair so dark that it gave
you the impression of being black,
and great blue-grey eyes.
"Well, girls" said Mrs. Medlaw
rather ungraciously, $50 you've come
here?"
"We had nowhere else togo, aunt"
said Eda, meekly.
"Humph !" grunted the old lady.
"Take off your things. l suppose
you calculate to stay all night ?
Well, and what are you going to
work at?
"We don't know, aunt, " said Ella,
trying hard not to cry.
swell, amt it high time hou had?"
said Mrs. Medlaw. "Folks can't live
on air! And two great, grown-up
girls like you ought to be doing
something to earn their salt. There's
always work for willing hands. I've
had to foreclose mortgage on Il lit
tie fancy store. l want to put some
one in it to sell out the stock. I'll
give you fair commission on what
you sell. Come, what do you say to
that?ost a.AN" @et
81 am willing to try" said Ella.
Heaven knows | am anxious
enough to earn my own living"
"And3 /, too,p said Eda. 1--WE
know nothing about such bust
ness"
"But you can learn, suppose"
said Aunt, Medlaw.r an .a ma ora al
"But we can learn" said Eda,
hopefully. 6BE8t Bs s8rle g.
And in less than week the little
thread and needle store around the
corner, which had presented a grim
and suffered front for some days,
was reopened, and two pretty girls,
dressed in black, were posted behind
the counter. A
Mrs. Mopson sent two little boys to
match a skein of green worsted, and
enquire for peppermint taffy first.
The widow Hope purchased little
hosiery, and three cheappocket hand
kerchiefs. A small girl came to ask
the time of day, and an old man
bought a pair of susspenders, all
within the hour, and Eda and Ella
began to think they might, in time,
develop into commercial characters
of note. f'"| wv. ... y.
re be sure, business waxed rather
dull towards the end of the day, but
just at dusk a tall, nice looking young
man came in to buy card of pearl
shirt buttons. Ella took down box,
and they were quite long time in
selecting the prettiest pattern, and
the most appropriate size.
81 forgot one thing" said the
young man, after he had contracted
for an eighteen cent Investment. 81
must have them sewed on. Could
you do it?"
"I'll try" said Ella, laughing, "it
you'll bring the shirts, around"
So the young man brought his
shirts and sat down to wait, while
Elias needle flew deity in and out,
III ,,,,e -, N Hx,n,.,, all l,o, III