The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-07-11


fully as naughty and cold IS inadam's own,
and there was not a symptom OF cringing
m the proud face Of that shOp-girl.'' as
Mrs. Montelth mentally designated her.
She was used 10 servility and fawning, and
OF being fattered and told how exceedingly
well every thing became her, and. c0nse-
quently, was not pleased with this quiet at
tendance.
Dear me, what an awkward bow you
have tiedlp and Mrs. Monteith petulantly
twitched the strings Of tho bonnet spite
fully. as she took it OF for the alteration
Isabel Grant looked at her half defiantly,
then took the bonnet in her hand, with a
strong effort at repression, and biting her
lip until it bled TO keep back the words
which longed TO break out in a torrent and
overwhelm this aristocratic lady in her yio-
lence.
She had been in a 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. Mouteith
at three in the afternoon, she had been
rasped and tortured, until every nerve was
in CULVER.
BLESS us, Isabel Grant, you look like
thunder-cloudI'' said lively Jennie Dewey,
as Isabel came back to the work-roOm for
needle.
"Get up your lightning rods, then, if you
are afraid of Storm replied Isabel,
briefly. She was in no humor for joking,
even with Jennie.
ssPm sure don't see any need Of using
Mime. Arnors needle.r SAID another; "you
have pins and needles enough in your ex-
r.r.aa rfOr, 20 aurr,Ix- k,e. rrhola chara
For shame, girls; you can't help seeing
that Isabel is tired and worn out with wait
ing on those trying customers" t
The voice was a soft, gentle one, and at
its sound the lively girls ceased their tan
talizing laughter and looked gently at the
speaker; it was sweet otiie 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 10 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 very fashionable establishment,
Nine. Arnot's, and its plate-glass show
wiIrAows were maryels of tasteful beauty,
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
e.
ladies, whose labors in shopping were sup
posed to be so exhaustive, but woe TO the
unlucky shop girl who should dare sit down
on these inviting rests, for Nine. Arnot
was a strict disciplinarian and INDUCED IN
no inconvenient sympathy for her work
people A mere shopgirl was not sup
posed to be tired. and if she was there were
plenty Of good, hard chairs in the work
room, provided she found any time to use
one
Mime. Arnot had no idea of being a
harsh mistress. in fact she prided herself
exceedingly on her Christian virtues. and
considered herself a particularly amiable
person; indeed among a certain class Of her
customers she was spoken OF as that
s.sweet person. Nine Arnot, b. t the title
never extended TO the work ROOM
which were capable Of variety of express
sions; to the rich Mrs. Monteith they
beamed with good nature ana pleasant emo
lions; to Isabel Grant. the poor shop-giri.
paid person- they could flash with tyran-
nicai CLEAN that Transformed the plump
pretty face completely.
Nine Arnot had been once poor herself,
bitterly poor, and had risen by various
stages TO the position she now occupied. and
commend me to that person who, with
mean, selfish heart to begin with, rises from
poverty to ahiuence for an example of the
snob perfect; one who will grind her poor
dependents down to the very smallest pow
der and make them feel her power 10 the
u'termost.
To say that Isabel Grant felt this amiable
quality in Nine Arnot's make up is a fee
BILE term; it stung her, degraded her, filed
her very soul with bitterness from day to
day. but as yet she had seen no escape from
it, for she had her bread to earn.
The season was almost over, and only this
morning Isabel had received letter from