St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-25
CHRISTMAS IN A CUPBOARD.

Anu you were 10 STUUudte HcAt SUM
mer?''
:" 80 will still. If have good luck;
but if you don't listen to my plan and
say yes. then l shall grow discouraged
and digrace YOU by failing in my exam
nations. just think how dreadful that
would be-"
Dot made her declaration in such
mock. tragic tone that it made her
mother laugh, and then she knew that
the battle was Won.
"Weil, what is il?' asked Mrs. Kent,
turning SO that she could see DORIS face.
''Pli make TIA digniiipd head anyway,
and I'll not disgrace you. Pm gong 10
bv business woman. It's all arranged.
Ive settled lt,and Pve got my patrons"
"Wnat is it to be-? Can | be III itp'
and Mrs. Kent entered into the spirit Of
the hour with Dot.
"Weil. you can be silent partner-a
very silent partner, remember. You're
10 share the profits ana do no Work.
Isn't that what silent partners usually
du?''
"l'll he just the 'Silentest' partner
that ever was, Dot" laughed the moth
er; "only must be ill it, as the chill
dren saw"
There was real anxiety in Mrs.
Ken.'S heart, but she would not show
it. Dots enthusiasm was too genuine
to be- dampened, and the child had had
So much to bear, and had borne it SO
bravply, that she would not spoil her
happiness. But she was destined to be
very much surprised when 1.-THE buSi-
ness" was unfOided to her.
You Know. mamma" began Dot,
'that ever so many i'll the house go
out to work or take work home, and
have very little time to do their own
work. They buy bakers bread and
rolls, and even cake and pies. They
never make nice Stews nor anything OF
the kind, because they say they don't
have time. Now, why should they buy
from the baker when they can get
things nearer home, without going out
of the house, even. Now. that's what
Pm going to do. I'm gong to furnish
bread, and Whatever else is wanted, tO
every family in the house that buys of
the baker. L can give them better
Tread than they get now of the baker,
at tsIe same price"
Dots mother was looking at her with
wonderful eyes, but she said nothing.
/ he silent partner was earning her
name.
"You see, the way happened to think
OF it WAS this" went OH Dot. Mrs.
Anderson came in one day when was
taking som6 bread outs>f The oven."
"'Ohp she said, how good that does
smell. 1t makes me think OF the bread
MY mother used to make
"Well, she looked SD longingly at it
that just cut one of the lUayeS in half
and gave it to her. The next morning
she came up again, and the first thing
She said was:
Dorothy Kent.who made that bread?'
"'Why. did,
"'Nonsense; don't tell me child like
youp
"'But, Mrs. Anderson said, who
else could make il? You see l am alone,
and mamma is i'll. II must be either
Ted or me, and Pm sure you dom: think
Ted did it,
'She laughed little aud said was
queer child, and then wanted to know
how | could do it.
.'And then told her about the cook
ing classes at school. anu she i new
ered' and Did you evered' and Well.
never did all through the story, for
she had not heard about the cooking in
school, and thought 1t Was SO funny.
When got through she said:
lowell, never heard anything like
it outside of a story book. If could
lave sucn bread As that all the time
shouldn't have dyspepsia So much. l
'lo believe its that dreadful bakers
stuff makes it,
"Then, mama, the inspiration seized
me, and | asked ner If she would buy
bread of me inst al Of the baker.
LAS if wouldn't She said.
$50 made my bargain with her. and
l began supplying her at once. 1t only
meant setting little larger quantity,
and the fire that baked mine baked hers,
too. That WAS the beginning. Miss
FarnSWorth then came to know if |
would make small pan of corn mullins
,ur her sister aid herself every oLner
morning, and supply her with bread. as
| did Mrs. Anderson. Of course | said
yes; and then Mrs. SOule came and SAID
her husband got a smell of Miss Farms
wnrth'S mullins one morning as Fed
va, carrying them down, anu he wanted
suMle like them. Tnen Mrs. Anderson
earl led in some of my bread to show
them. and Mrs. Soule wanted that; SO.
you see, Pve quite a Little trade already.
Then Mrs. Anderson has asked me TO
MAKE some buttOnhOles, and do some
fine hand stitching on snue uuderclntll-
ng she is making for lady who won't
wear machine-made things. SD, you
See, Pm business woman already,
thanks to the dear old Winthrop school
ana its teachings. Mamma, had best
turn up my hair and put Oh long dresses,
ur shall stay just Dot?"
always, Dot, my own little Dot"
Tears an; smiles were struggling for
mastery, out tears gOl the better of the
struggle, and Dot had what she called
"a real comfort cry'' in her mothers
loving arms.
The new business prospered; the
firm did not grow rich, but it kept
alung even," as the silent partner said.
and the farm money! still lay un-
touched. Dots lessons were learned.
and examinations were no bugbear.
Christmas was coming. and it was by
no means The hopeless season 1t at one
time bade fair to be. ''r,.ere is only
one drawback to real happiness"
sighed Mrs. Kent; ait your uncle Ted
we've only with us. But don't even
know that he is alive, and, if he was. he
would not know where to lOok for us.
Oil Dot. IL doesn't seem SO long ago
since We were Dolly and Ted. boy and
gill. like you and little Ted. | hope
you may never drift apart as we have
dOne. Don't ever let your Ted go off
To seek his fortune out of your reach.
don't Know why think SO much of
my brother Ted now-a-days; he's never
out of my mind. Perhaps it is because
have more time to think"
WAS he like our Fed, mother?''
''Yes, very like him, the same sunny
face and happy disposition. You don't
know how startled | am sometimes by
sotue tone of the voice or turn of the
head. forget it is my boy Ted, and
my little brother seems standing befors
me. think love Ted for both"
1t was the week before Christmas
Dot was up to the eyes in business.
Several special orders had come in. and
she was busy in the work OF prepara-
tion. Ted came rushing in.
''Dor'' he cried, ''can you make
shirts?'
"Well. that's question to ask; don't
make all yOurs?'
"Of course you do; but l mean real
grown up ones, with an Old-fashioned
touch to 'em."
lied, what are you talking about;
are you out of your head?"
No, Pm not. I've got you a job,
that's all. a little while ago a nice
looking man came into the store. MIR.