The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-03-14

(y7#ifllVj ~ T<S/ elegant bonnet for
@ Sc: s: s.; :::: :: e.: !: i:
am; can alter it for
YOU in one moment" The girls tone was
fully as naughty and cold as madam's S own,
and there was not symptom of cringing
IN the proud face of ''that shop-girl." as
Mrs. Monteith mentally designated her.
She was used to serviiity and fawning, and
Of being flattered 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 tiedI' 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 took the bonnet in her hand, with a
strong effort at repression, and biting her
lip until it bled TO keep Lack the words
which longed to break out in a torrent and
,vcrwhelm this aristocratic lady in her vio-
.ence.
She had been in q stormy humor all day,
and from the first customer in the morning,
he fat woman who tried on every hat on
he rack, and departed with the purchase
# q hat-pin, to this naughty Mrs. Monteith
1T three in the afternoon, she had been
rasped and tortured, until every nerve was
in CULVER
Bless US, Isabel Grant, you look like
thunder-cloudr' said lively Jennie Dewey,
Is Isabel came back to the work-room for a
aeedle.
Get up your lightning rods, then, if you
ire afraid of a Storm" replied Isabel,
briefly. She was in no humor for joking,
even with Jennie.
I'm sure don't see any need of using
Nine. Arnot's needle" sad 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 soft, gentle one, and at
its sound the lively girls ceased their tan
talzing laughter and looked gently at 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 a half whisper,
and gentle expression came over her face
us sue llcE way UdCh W IhIS hOllclIu
1t was verv fashionable establishmt
Nine. Arnot's, and its pIate-glass snow,
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
sbnluac JUbara the nhOicpSt enapmpnS of
pattern hats and Partisan styles We're kept
Elegant mirrors hung on all sides; easy
chairs and little sofas were scattered about
for the convenience of the fashionable
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 strict disciplinarian and lndulged in
no inconvenient sympathy for her work
people. A mere shop-girl was not sup
posed to be tired, and if she was there We're
plenty of good, hard chairs in the work
room, provided she found any time to use
one.
Nine. 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 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 IL variety of express
sions; to the rich Mrs. Monteith they
beamed with good nature and pleasant emo
tions; to Isabel Grant, the poor shop-girl, a
paid person, they could flash with tyran-
nical 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 a
mean, selfish heart to begin with, rises from
poverty to afluence 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 to the
utteriaost.
To say that Isabel Grant felt this amiable
quality in Nine. Arnot's makeup is fee
BILE term; it stung her, degraded her, filled
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 a lettar from
her aunt, with whom she had always lived,
and it was filled with bitter complaints of
poverty, of the husband s drunkenness, and
sad bewailings of her hard lot, which sent
the girls heart, throbbing with pain, down,
down like lead, and made her feel as if she
hadn right in that already oyer-crowded
hong.
She was no tender-eyed heroine who could
go inte that disordered household and, with
gentle Wards and sanity influences, lure
coarse John Harmon from his cups and be
tower of strength to the long suffering
wife. No, indeed she felt only too clearly
that, harassed, goaded and over-worked as
she had been, she would only prove another
element of discord there, and she longed,
with fierce intensity, for some refuge which
would take her from it.
"Miss Grant, if you can not look more
pleasant you had better retire 10 llic work
room ana let Miss Dewey take EQut place, :"
said Nine. Arnot, coldly, as Mrs Mon
telth swept out to her carriage, followed by
Isabel's flashing eyes. 'Your expression
is enough to drive customers away, instead
of attracting them"
They we're alone for q moment, and Nine
Arnot took the opportunity to speak her
reproof, but another party coming In she
was all smiles in moment.
There were several in the party, and de-
manding immediate attention, else Isabel