Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-15
"Where did she liver Did her mamma

|
fused LcI- VIII {. cest-cns.
where did she liver Did her mamma
| keep carriageT &c.
Hearing them talk Of their school. Of
their mutual friends, Sylvia felt that she
lived in world apart, a thousand miles
| from theirs, and when, on her return
home. her mother spoke of apprenticing
her to Miss Pixley-a friend Of the De
Lacys-who had an establishment in q
neigh boring street for the sale Of imitation
pearls, it seemed as if her last hold or
happiness was slipping away from her.
Florence thought well of this plan.
| "Let her learn her trade" said the
kind-h hearted fellow, "and by-and-by /
Will furnish her with capital to start her
| IN BUSINESS
In fact, Miss Pixley talked of retirin e
IN few years.
One dreary morning in November, her
| father took Sylvia to an old householder
and di1tier than their own. On the door
was fixed a small glass case. covered witt
| dust; within were some necklaces Of
| imitation pearls, mellowed by time. arl
! the prctentiOus name OF ATabella PiXIey
| suTnounted the whole.
What fnrloln place II was! A narrow
| staircase AID narrower door; sInau room.
woman, with a front Of false curls, and
black lace mittens, reading a creased ard
| s0iIed number Of magazine, and appear.
| ing somewhat out Of temper that she had
| been disturbed in this lively employment
Miss Pixley received the father AMI
daughter without rising; spoke at length
of her social position, of her father. and Of
q faithless agent who had absconded with
their fortune. She, therefore. became ex-
tremely absorbing to Mr.. Chip, who al
ways felt a keen interest in such incidents.
He tore himself away from the thrilling
narrative with difficulty, telling his
daughter that he would come for her at
seven in the evening.
The new apprentice was shown into
the empty wOrllrooIn, and was placed be-
fore large drawer Of pearl beads, in
which needles and scissors, bodkins, and
cheap novels, were thrown pell-mell.
Sylvia had only to sort the pearls. and
to string them in little lunches of equal
length to sell to small shopkeepers. The
other young ladies, Miss Pixley said, would
soon be there and would show her exactly
what to do, and Miss Pixley thereupon
returned to her magazine
At nine o'clock the workwomen arrived
five tall, pale girls, faded and worn,
shabbily dressed, but with their hair
carefully arranged.
Two or three talked between their
yawns, rubbing their eyes, and saying that
they were dying for want of sleep. Then
they went to work at a long table, where
each one had her drawer and her tools. An
order had just come in for some mourning
ornaments, and they must hurry. Sylvia,
who had been taught her duties by the
forewoman, began to string mechanically
a quantity Of black beads.
The others took no notice of the new
conner, except by an inquisitive stare, and
that was to take place that day at a
church round the corner.
"Let US go" cried one dark-eyed girl.
at is at a quarter to twelve exactly. We
shall have time"
So at that hour the five girls snatched
their shawls and rushed down the stairs
like a whirlwind, leaving Sylvia to eat
her dinner, which she had brought with
her, at a corner of the long table. The
GIRL thought it drearv enough, and her
life intolerable.
At once the workwomen returned, noisy
and gay.
Did you notice the richness Of that
white silk and the veil Of real point
What luck for her!'
And they continued to chatter in the
workroom as loudly as they had done in
the church, where, unawed by the
solemnity, they had dissected every
costume and appraised every material. A
rich marriage, jewels, and fine clothes,
were the themes of their discourse. But
their fingers flew as they talked. The
walls of Miss Pixley's close rooms no longer
bounded their horizon; their hopes and
their wishes had Owe "ped them.
"If you were rich, what would you do7"
said one.
"Do? Why, 1 should live in Belgrave-
square and keep six carriages"
Sylvia listened silently in her corner,
handling the black beads with the delica-
cy and precision Of touch she had learned
from Dora.
When her father appeared in the even
ing, he received many compliments on her
industry ana skill. Henceforward one
day was like another; the only difference
being that some days she worked On white
instead of black pearls, or she strung red
beads that looked like coral, for Miss Pix
ley used only limitations and tinsel; and it
was thus "little Chipp" took her first step
in life
For some time the new apprentice,
younger and better educated than the
others, found herself in solitude among
them. Later. as she grew older, she was
admitted to their friendship and their con-
fdence, but never shared their pleasures.
She was too proud to run through the
streets to stare at wedding, and when
she heard of their methods of amusement.
she shrugged her shoulders with disdain.
Sylvia had higher aspirations.
Sometimes. towards the end Of the year,
she was obliged to send her father home
again without her, and remain with the
others to finish some pressing work.
Under the Pickering light of the gas,
the pale faces bent over the pearls, white
as themselves. 1t was the same fragile
brilliancy. They chatted of the theatres.
and the minstrels, concerts, and music
halls, and the pearls ratified as they
talked.
In summer the work was less hurried,
and in the middle of the day the appren-
tees rested. and one of the girls would
read some work Of fiction aloud to the
others.
But Sylvia cared little for romances
she carried one in her own small head, in
fnitely more interesting to her than any
she could read.
Nothing had obliterated her interest in
the factory. Every morning she passed
it with her father at the same hour. when
the chimney belched forth thick volumes
of black smoke.
She heard the busy hum of the work
people, and the rhythmical strokes of the
machinery. and all these things We're as
ISOLATED in the memory with recollections
OF pleasures and ease.
THE child is not looking well. Mrs.