St. Paul daily globe., 1888-03-23
A PROFITABLE BUSINESS.
How Two Pretty Young Ladies
Kept Fancy Store.


How Two Pretty Young Ladies
Kept Fancy Store.
Mrs. Media w had just sat down to her
evening rejection of toast and tea when
Polly, the little maid, who always wore
green checked gingham and carpet slip
pers, came shufiing in.
"Please, ma'am, there's two young
ladies down in the parlor as says you're
their aunt" -
..Oh, bOther!'' says Mrs. Medlaw, in a
sort of soliloquy, ''it's Eda and Ella. |
knew they'd come on me when their
father died. AS il | hadn't anything
else to do but support swarm OF lazy
relations. Oh, dear me, what world
this iSn' -
Eda and Ella Carr were sitting, pale
and black-robed, in the moldy-Smelllhg
little parlor when their aunt came In.
They were pretty girls, with DELICATE,
waX-white compilations, hair so dark
that it gave you the impression of being
black, and great bue-gray eyes. AZ
"Humph" grunted the old lady.
"Take Off your things. | suppose you
calculate to stay all night? Well, and
what are you going to work at?'' esn
1--WE don't know. aunt" said Ella, try
5Well. amt it high time you had?n
said Mrs. Medlaw. "Folks can't live on
air. And two great growll-up girls like
you ought to be doing something to earn
their salt. There's always plenty OF
work for willing hands. Eve had to
foreclose mortgage Oh a little fancy
store. | 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?'
s'I'm willing to try" said Ella.
'sHeaven knows | am anxious enough to
earn my own living"
''And l. tO0,'' said Eda.
And in less than a week the little
thread and needle store around the cor
ner, which had presented grim and
shattered front for some days, was re-
opened, and two pretty girls. dressed in
black, were posted behind the counter.
Mrs. MOpson sent her two little boys
to match skein of green wOrsted, and
inquire for peppermint tally first. The
Widow Hope purchased little hosiery
and three cheap Observation-Disclosures
A small girl came to ask the time OF day,
and an old man bought pair OF SuS-
spenders, all within the hour-and Eda
and Ella began to think they might, in
time, develop into commercial characters
of note.
To be sure, business waxed rather
dull toward the end of the day, but just
at dusk tall, nice-lOoklng young man
came in to buy card of pearl shirt but
tons. Ella took down box, and they
were quite long time in selecting the
prettiest pattern and the most appropri-
ate size.
81 forgot one thing" said the young
man, after he had contracted for an 49,
cent investment, Il must have them
sewed on. Could you do it?''
cpl try" said Ella, laughing, elf
You'll bring the shirts around"
So the young man brought his shirts
and sat down to wait, while Elias needle
flew deftly in and out.
In the meantime Eda was trying to
suit an old lady in green spectacles, who
wanted some ribbon whose color she
didn't exactly know, whose width she
wasn't certain about, and whose quality
she had yet to make up her mind con-
corning. But Eda's patience, tact and
good temper were ineXhauStible. AT
last the old lady was suited, and went
away rejoicing. leaning on the arm OF
her nephew, who had manifested ex-
traordinary interest in the shade of drab
ribbon. 3e1
'sTbat's nice girl, Oswald" said she.
''Do you know, almost think she might
suit me as companion. She seems to
be so very good-humored. | wonder if
it would do to ask her if she would like
a situatiOn"" al
II don't see why not" said Oswald
Grey, thinking he never had seen softer
gray eyes OF prettier hair. ''Shall I'VE
go back?'
Tomorrow is time enough" said
Mrs. Martiguy. -
On the morrow she came back. i
Didn't the ribbon suit?" asked Eda.
ooh, yes, the ribbon was all right, but
there's something else | want"
"What is that?" asked Eda, iIinO-
Gently. mn ms
"a companion to read to tme, take
care of my canaries, and play droYsy,
old tunes on the piano when [ feel
sleepy. | give $500 year, Saturday af-
ternoon, and board. Will you cOme?'''
Eda looked at her sister. Five hum
dred year seemed great sum for the
girl who had never yet earned SIS for
herself.
"Yes, 90, Eda," said Ella. 81 can
manage the store by myself easily
enough"
AT the end OF the month Eda came 10
report to her sister.
"Well, Eda, how do you like it?''
asked Ella.
'sOh, so much! Mrs.. Martiguy is
queer, but she is so kind. And-and-
Oswald Grey, her nephew, is very po-
lite?"
lis hep"
"Yes." said Eda, lingering at box of
hooks and eyes 81 like him ever SO
much, and he likes me. To tell the
truth, Ella-''.
81 see,'' said Ella. putting her arms
around her sister; she wants you to be
his companion for life, eh, Eda?"
How did you know?" faltered dim
pied Eda.
"Oh, Pm not quite fOol,'' said Ella.
"But now. I've got something to tell
you. Mr.. Lessner, the young man who
bought the buttons, has saved up lit
tie property, and he wants to invest il
somewhere, and Aunt Medlaw wants to
sell out this store. So he's going to buy
it and Pm going to keep it on condition
that marry him.
go Ella"
'.Not such very hard condition.
either" said Ella. ''Because he's very
handsome and very pleasant, and like
him very much: in fact, believe I'm in
love with him."
WASTE-BASKET FEEDERS.