The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-07-15

EN;EE ltHHx her inspection in the
r. n full-length mirror.
every well, mad
am; I can alter it for
you in one moment" The girls tone was
fully as naughty and cold as madam's own,
and there was not symptom OF crlnging
m the proud face of s'that shop-girl," as
Mrs. Monteith mentally designated her.
She was used to servlity and fawnlng, ana
ofbeing flattered and told how exceedingly
well every thing became her, and, conse-
ouently. was not pleased with this quiet at
tendance.
dear me, what an awkward bow you
have tied'' and Mrs. Monteith petulantly
twitched the strings Of the bonnet spite
fully, as she took it of for the alteration.
Isabel Grant looked at her half dehant!y,
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 loaged to break out in q torrent and
overwhelm this aristocratic lady in her vlo-
2 lence.
She had been in a stormy numor 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
) If hat-pin, to this naughty Mrs. Monteith
at three in the afternoon, she had been
rasped and tortured, until every nerve was
in aquiver.
..Bless US, Isabel Grant, you look like q
shunder-cloud!" said lively Jennie Dewey,
IS Isabel came back to the work-roon Tor 8
aeedle.
.sGet up your lightning rods, then, if you
IRE afraid Of Storm" replied Isabel,
So l,,pn <Ny~
even with Jennie.
s'I'm sure don't see any need OF using
Nine. Arnot's needle" SAID another; ''you
have pins and needles enough in your e1-
preston to supply the whole shop.'
s.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
: It's sound the lively girls ceased their tan
talzng 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.
s.You have always soothing word, you lit
,lewhite dove" she said, in half-whisper,
and gentle expression came over her face
rs she made her way back to Mrs. Monteith.
twas very fashionable establishment,
Nine. Arnot's, and its plate-glass show
windows were uarvels 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
for the convenience Of the fashionable
ladies, whose labors in shopping were sup
.-acsed To- besasea asaustive, but woe to the
uniucky shop-girl who aissS:..ld dare sit down
on these inviting rests, for Nine. Arnot
was strict disciplinarian and indulged in
no inconvenient sympathy for her work
people. A mere shop-girl 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. ,
Nine. Arnot had no idea Of being .
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
sssweet person. Nine. Arnot, but the title
never extended to the work room :.
She was small woman, with blue eyes
which were capable Of a variety Of express
sions; to the rich Mrs. Monteith they
heamed with good nature and pleasant emo
tons; to Isabel Grant, the poor shop p-girl, a
paid person, they could fash with tyrau.
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 aSauence 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
utternost-
To say that Isabel Grant felt this amiable
quality in Nine Arnot's makeup is a fee
Bile term; it stung her, degraded her, flled
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
her aunt, with whom she had always lived,
and it was filed with bitter complaints Of
poverty, of the husband 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
hadno right in that already over-crowded
home.
She was 70 tender-eyed heroine who could
30 into that disordered household and, with
gentle words and sanity influences, lure
coarse John harmon from his cups and be
Q tower Of strength to the long-suferiug
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, il you can not look more
pleasant you had better retire to the work
room and let Miss Dewey take your place. !"
said Nine Arnot, coldly, as Mrs. Mon
teeth swept out to her carriage, followed by
Isabel's flashing eyes. ''Your expression
is enough to drive customers away, instead
Of attracting them.'
They were alone for 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-
80 al T,Nl la1