Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-07-11


fully as naughty and cold as madam's own,
and there was not a symptom of cringing
In the proud face Of "that shop-grl," as
Mrs Monteith mentally designated her
She was used to servility and fawning, and
of being battered and told how exceedingly
well every thing became her, and, cOnse-
quently, was not pleased with this quiet at
tendance.
"Dear me, what an awkward bow you
have tiedl' and Mrs. Monteith petulantly
twitched the strings of the bonnet spite
fully, as she took it off for the alteration.
Isabel Grant looked at her half defiantly,
then = = the bonnet in her hand, with a
strong effort ut repression, and biting her
lip until it bed to keep back the words
which longed to break out in a torrent and
overwhelm this aristocratic lady in her VIC
lence.
She had been in stormy humor all day,
and from the first customer in the morning
the fat woman who tried on every hat on
the rack, and departed with the purchase
of a hat pin, to this naughty Mrs. Monteith
at three in the afternoon, she had been
rasped and tortured until every nerve was
in culver.
"Bless us, Isabel Grant, you look like a
thunder-cloudr said lively Jennie Dewey,
as Isabel came back to the work-room for a
needle
"Get up your lightning rods, then, if you
arc afraid of n storm" replied Isabel,
briefly. She was in no humor for joking,
evop with Jennie
"f'm sure don't see any need of using
Nine. Arnot's needle, SAID another; 'you
have pins and needles enough in your ex-
preston to supply the whole shop
"For shame, girls, you can't help seeing
that Isabel is tired and worn out with wait
ing on those trying customers"
The voice was n soft, gentle one, and at
It's sound the lively girls ceased their tan
talizing laughter and looked gently ut the
speaker, it WAS sweet Lottie Ford, the lame
girl, whose tender sympathies for others
was born of intense suffering, and Isabel,
having secured her needle, stopped and
kissed the white, blue-veined forehead OF
the girl as she turned to leave the room.
''You have always a soothing word, you lit
tie white dove, she said, in half-whisper,
and gentle expression came over her face
as she made her way back to Mrs. Monteith
1t was worry fashionable establishment,
Nine. Arnot's, and it's plate-glass show
windows were marvels of tasteful beauty,
hung with airy laces and bright designs in
ribbons; the showroom itself had little to
indicate the character of the establishment
except one large rack in the center of the
room, hung with trimmed hats, and the row
on row of band boxes on the handsome
shelves where the choicest specimens of
pattern hats and Partisan styles were kept.
Elegant mirrors hung on all sides; easy
chairs and little sofas were scattered about
Tor the convenience of the fashionable
ladies', whose labors in shopping were sup
posed TO be so exhaustive, but woe to the
unlucky shops girl who should dare sit down
on these inviting rests, for Nine. Arnot
was a strict disciplnarian and INDUCED in
no announcement sympathy for her work
| people. "A mere shopgirl was not sup
b6sed to be tired, and if she was there were
plenty of good hard chairs in the work
| boom, provided she found any time TO use
! one.
| Nine. Arnot had no idea of being q
harsh mistress; in fact she prided herself
| exceedingly on her Christian virtues, and
considered herself particularly amiable
| person; indeed among a certain class of her
| customers she was spoken of as that
"sweet person." Nine, Arnot, but the title
never extended TO the work room
She was small woman, with blue eyes
which were capable of variety Of express
/ SkQuSt 10 tue flGN MIS- MpAAdltA AISl
beamed with good nature and pleasant emo
| tions: 10 Isabel Grant, the poor shop-girl @
paid person, they could flash with a tyran'
meal CLEAN that transformed the plump
pretty face completely.
Nine Arnot had been once poor herself
bitterly poor. and had risen by various
stages 10 the position she now occupied, and
commend me 10 that person who, with &
mean. selfish heart 10 begin with, rises FROM
poverty TO atluence for an example Of the
snob perfect: one who will grind her pool
dependents down to the very smallest pow
der and make them feel her power 70 the
uttermost
To say that Isabel Grant felt this amiabls
quality in Nine Arnot's makeup is a fec
BILE term, it stung her, degraded her, fillei
her very soul with bitterness from day Il
day, but as yet she had seen no escape from
Il, for she had her bread TO earn