The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-03
THE LADIES' TAILOR.

window opposite mansion on Fifth ave-
nue.. Ii appeared there cae misty morning.
when the fog lifted bit, Miss Mangroye
caught sight Of IL and exclaimed:
II shall positively sell this house and
move farther up town. Trade Is rs resist
less rs the sea. and for society 20 endcayor
fostop its Entertainments on the aristocratic
nortion Of the CITY Is as vain as was Mrs.
Partington's broom fight with the waves
] abhor trader
Sheturnci from the windowwith n shud-
der. as II the gilt letters OF the sign had
leaned over and touched her famihariy on
the shoulder.
Miss Mancrove was besicging society.
Jabez Nangrove. her father, had been
persistent success from the tllne nc ie1' '"o
farm and sold tinware from house to house
Whom he bonoht for a song prescription
FOR n liver pill. he quilted peddling and de-
voted his energies 10 pushing hangroVes
Iiyor pills. Fate may have been sarcas-
tic when 10 took him out OF the world by
.ore,ostion of the liver, but the public had
90 idea how congested his pocketbook was
tiIItbe amount Of his estate became known
and then there was amazement that there
had been so many bad liverS IN the world
during one mans lifetime.
The first step taken by his only heir,
Amele. was to sell the pill mandatory
&c good will and patent, at such sum
that nrovcd she was born to commerce
Then She bought the mortgage on an arts
,ocrafic mansion, forecloSed it and took
nossession. From there she had besought
society 10 take her in, had hoped to ensnare
.o,ne scion of one Of the old families, and
had failed because her father had been in
the patent medicine business. That was
why she hated trade
But her tactics had changed. She was
determined to break into society. She
wasn't pretty, exactly, but she had good
figure. wore no corset, and fiattered her
self that she had a manner rs pronounced,
DOT in the way Of loudness. but as notice
able as that of any Of the Four Hundred.
But she was not in it-that was the sum
OF II all. And accordingly she fretted
outside of the closed doors, and lay awake
a. night in her dainty bed devising ways of
making a break in society's walls.
One night, with a weary sigh, she fell
into troubled sleep; for hours she had
been scheming how to obtain the coveted
en;ree And now, in her uneasy slumber'
ghe began again the wearisOme wlll-o'-the-
wisp chase after the magic word entree.
Even in her sleep she felt herself uttering
2 protest against the repetition of the use
less pursuit, but before she had wholly
voiced her unwillingneSs 10 follow the
dancing, teasing sprite labeled entree she
saw the letters OF the ladies' tailor sign
march before her. They were in command
Of The big gilt NJ, who lifted his hat re-
spectfully to her as his company filed past.
At the word they broke into double
quick, and in a few seconds they had sur
rounded and held prisoner the agile and
evasivc little devil she had chased so many
times in vain
The company of gilt letters faced about,
and marching within respectful distance
of her, halted While they presented arms,
the corporal NJ. led forward the mischiev-
Gus imp and placed him on the palm of
her outstretched hand, which she closed
gently, holding fast the coveted privilege
which in her dreams the sprite always
bad represented.
II have the entree at last" she ex-
claimed, and awoke to vexation at having
felt so much JOY over a delusion, and final-
" To wonderment about the significance
of the letters having made the entree
prisoner and then presenting it TO her.
The dream troubled her not little the
next day. To her its meaning was plain
Ri Dufre, ladies' tailor, could procure for
her the entree to society. But how could
she call upon him, when nobody that was
anybody patronized him? At last she con-
Guided to request him to call upon her, and
she sent him a succinct, businesslike note.
The following morning he called upon
her, and she was astounded to meet a
handsome, quiet, well bred man, who pro-
ceeded ut once to open case of samples.
Not those" she said haughtily. Some
BODY else will wear a dress off the other
end of the same web"
"Ah" said the tactful business man,
closing the case. Il supposed | was to
show you the latest importations, but
am at your service TO procure for you and
fit You with what even the Baroness Roths-
child cannot procure duplicate Of.
'The reason want new tailor is that /
may be original in my costumes. If you
are reader of the society gossippublished
IN the sarcastic weeklies you will see that
am laughed at because |, as they val
carly say. am not in it, meaning that / am
excluded from the circle TO which / aspire
Yesterday, owing TO dream of the night
before. had an idea, which | determined
20 confide TO the first ladies' tailor whose
face inspired confidence. You seem to be a
gentleman, and one not likely TO betray a
secret"
She paused moment TO note the effect
of her words upon him, and was pleased
that he showed no symptoms of excitement
or eaQerness TO learn the nature of the
communication she was about To make.
81 determined never 10 wear the dupl-
cate of the material or the pattern of a
dress or hat worn by any other woman.
To that extent can be exclusive. Do you
think you are able TO meet my demands?
And if You are, what is it worth 70 you TO
undertake to render me wholly origina! in
the matter of dress?"
NJ. Dufre did not reply hastily. He
see1ned 10 be estimating the probable loss
that his devotion TO one person would cause
him One society woman might make the
fortune OF a ladies' tailor, but a woman not
recognized by the Four Hundred was not
likely TO make other wealthy women yearn
70 have Nj. Dufre make their dresses. Misc
Mangrove interrupted his thoughts:
Are you doubling your ability" she
asked
''Not for moment have / hesitated on
that account"
''How will so0,0 suit you"
For how long time in your scrvicet"
"ODe Year"
Perfectly"
Some "a me again tomorrow We shall