Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-06-04

Miss Minister acQulesced; out sne "as
not exactly pleased, and giarel at Eda
more uncompromisingly than ever.
'There," she said, some two hours
afterward, ~ knew how it would be il
you girls had your lunch upstairs! A
great grease spot 0a the glove counter
and six pairs OF Suede tans ruined. Yes,
ruined.'
Eda grew pink-theu pale.
II haven't been near the glove
counter" said She ~ did eat my lunch
up here, because there are rats and black
beetles down in the packing basement;
but l ate it under the stairs where it
couldn't possibly harm anything"
"Then," SAID Miss Minister, with the
air Of criminal lawyer bullying wit
ness, chow came this grease spot heref'
Eda could not tell. There was some
thing about Miss Minister that para,yzeo
her reasoning faculties and struck her
dumb.
"You don't know" repeated Mis-.
Minister. II thought not. You CAM
deceive me. The price OF those six
pairs Of tan Sueles will be taken out Of
your salary next Saturday night, Miss
Elkins."
Eda looked aghast. She hal been out
Of employment some time, and owed
money 1or ner ooaro 70 Mrs Imson, her
respectable landla1y. Without her full
>slary it would be impossible to meet
. her obligations. Her lip trembled, her
dove like blue eyes brimmed over with
tears, but at that moment party of
customers swept in.
'Hosery counter to the Lett" said
Mr.. Berlin, answering their inquiry.
And Eda started to think hcchad been
so near to her.
''Do not be trouble Miss Ellzins," ;"
he said. in a low tone. 'Pll explain
matters to the chief You shall not be
fined for what was not your fault"
But neither Miss Elkins nor Mr.. Berlin
knew what Miss Minister was perfectly
we'll aware of-that the grease spot was
caused by the careless handling down of
the oil can of the carpenter who was
looscning a hinge on the counter door.
"lf you're going to discharge any OF
the young women in my department, "
said Mise Minister to Mr.. Yardley, the
acting member of the firm Of YardleY g.
Yardley, "it had better be Miss Elkins.
She amt worth her salt"
>"Eh?'' said Mr.. Yardley, who was not
without perceptive powers Of his own,
and who had been rather favorably I'M
pressed with the blue eyed NOVICE in the
white goods department.
~ cannot quite agree with Miss Min
ster," said calm voice behind the acid
tongued Superintendent $50 far as
ny judgment goes, MIST Elkins is an
excellent clerk, and is constantly i'm
proving in all respects."
And Miss Minister looked around with
a startled air.
Contrary to her expectations, Eda was
retained, and by means of the machinery
Of gossiping tongues, that belongs to
every such establishment, she soon
learned through whose beneicent agency
it was.
"He has been so kind to me!' sht
thought. "Ot, wlsh-I wish l could
do something for him. But that nevc
could be possible
Eda was just beg inning to be reel koneo
among Messrs. Yardley S Yardley first
class salcswsmen, when one day letter
arrived at Mrs Timsons humble dool
-Ir her.
A distant cousin on the Caual'
frontiers was dead, and there was n
heir save herself for fin, farm, wei
wooded and watcrcd, and containing
picturesque old house, said to be clos
on a century old.
YOU'D tier scA it, said old Mr.
scratchaV lawyer. "It's worth tiv'
or six thousand dollars at least, an'
maybe more"
Eda scarcely knew what to do. If MI
Berlin had been in town she would &C,
tainly have written back to New York t
ask his counsel. But he was travelin
for the firm, no one quite knew where.
"I'll go home and think II over, sal
Eda
She had scarcely been absent fort
night, but when she returned there hac
been changes. Old Mr.. Yardley had re