The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-04-09

andth one with q glance at Kitty's
sample" I'll pay you by the day OF ~
the button-hole, just While, you prefer.
II would rather be paid by the guam
tity OF buttonholes make, said Kitty.
valiantly.
Mrs. Hawley nodded approval.
THAT shows you're sure OF yourself,
said she. II do like grit?"
But where am to liver" hesitated
Kitty. 1T would cost too much and
take too much time to go up and down to
velert Vale every day"
"You can rent a room in the neighbor-
hood, and board yourself cheap" sug-
gested Mrs. Hawley. land go home
Saturday nights, to stay until Monday
morning, if you please. Some OF my
young women club together and hire
floor. It comes more reasonable.
Kitty caught at the idea at once, and in
two weeks time she was well initiated
into the details Of her new profession.
It was perhaps less high sounding than
literature more prOsaic than art, but 1t
was a profession, and the money that
Kitty earned was very precious in her
sight Moreover, It was an agreeable
surprise to her, at the end Of the first
fiscal month, to discover that she had
paid all expenses, and that there was yet
q modest surplus to be laid aside for
future exigencies.
Button-hole makingr' shifted Miss
Huliah Hall, when she heard OF the now
enterprise. well, for my part, l would
have chosen something genteel! How
table match il she stoops to such busi-
ness as that?"
Johnny pursed up his mouth when this
aneech waS reDeated to him.
Veil" said be, II guess, anyhow you
can fix it, our Kit will make some sort OF
a match before Huldah Hall does. A
vinegar-tongued old cat like that y
Kitty had been enrolled in Mrs. Haw-
ley's taiior-made" corps for several
weeks when, one slippery, sleety Decem-
Der night, a young man came into the
office with fat brown paper parcel
in his hand. 1t Was nearly the hour for
closing.
lis this the button-hole making
placer" rather bashfully asked the young
man.
Miss Bowling, the forewoman, nodded
CURLY.
I've got a dozen button-holes that /
want made in a silk dress-body right
away" said the young man, ev- .ntly
embarrassed at finding himself among
such bevy OF girls.
You can leave EN-" said Miss BOWL
ing, with glance at the black silk waist
which he now took from the brown paper
wrappings. Name, please?"
But" said the young Ir"n, that's
Just what can't do. I must have tie
thing back again in two hours"
Impc 5sibleI !" was Miss Dowling's
verdict.
Couldn't you sew them in two hours?'
asked the young man, apparently much
discounted.
Its closing time," said Miss Bowling
"Our young women are going home
We can't take occasional Jobs like that,
and she turned the safe-key with q snap
Kitty Dover took pity upon the would
be customers BLANK dismay.
Give it to me" said she; II will do it !!
Miss Bowling stared.
1T will take you two hours, at least,
said she.
"Oh, | don't mind" said Kitty, cheer
fully.
II am ever 80 much obliged" said tn,
young n, drawin'- a long breath o
| relief. Miss Bowling went away with I
| toss of her head. One by one the oilel
young women dropp I'd of, until Kitty sa
alone by the drop-light, stitching busil!
away, the customer sitting opposite.
How much am l to pay your sale
| the young man, secretly wondering a
| the length and sickness Of Kitty's eye
| lashes as they dropped over her work.
Ten cents apiece is our price," sait
Kitty.
I'D pay it, and be thankful, If yo'
| asked twice the money!" said the custo
| mer. You see, it's for my mother
| She's bound to make her own gowns
No one else could suit her. But her eye
sight is failing, poor dear, and she wa
| dreading the button-holes. So when
| saw her go out to spend the evening,
| Just wrapped up the dress-body and tool
| it around here, where l saw your sign
And when l go to the church parlors a
nine o'clock and bring her home, shel
think the fairies have been at work"
| Kitty glanced shyly at him as she re
threaded her needle. Surely, this wa
not the type Of city young man agains
| whom she had been warned by PARSE
| Langdon and Grandma Dover.
II think" said she, that you mus
| be a good SON."
| "Oh, but" argued he, you don't kno1
what a good mother she is. I'm from tn
| country, you see-from Ventnor-and
had a chance to get work in New York
as foreman in q wocd-engraving place
and she gave up everything to follow me
and make homo for me-"
"Ventnor" cried Kitty. why. 20
must be Nicholas Welfield?"
| That's my name, said the customer
but who are your"
II am Katherine Dover. My Aun
| Jane lives next to the old Welfield FarI
at Ventnor. And strange as it ma
seem, with little shy laugh hav
heard all about you. Here Is the dress
body" folding it up and handing it
him, II should like to know what you
mother says when she sees the buttol
| holes all made"
III call at your place and bring he
with me to speak for herself" said Mel
olas Welfield, taking heart Of hope, :"
| you will allow me. She will be 80 glad
see some one who knows the Ventn<
people
And Mr.. Welfleld paid her. and thanke
| her, and went his way.
| That was the way it began. Need an
one doubt the end of it? Nicholas We
field was q brave, handsome young fe
low. Kitty was a pretty girl with
heart of gold. And before the spriu
| hung her pink garlands on the appl
| orchard at home Kitty was married.
And now" said Johnny, with o pr
| digious sniff of contempt, - should IL
| to know what Miss Huldah Hall thinks
| Shirley Browne.