The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-09-19

machine, and took me with him 'caus,
| kept head of the class all the term
didn't see printed up ON big gill
sign on Eighth Avenue, 'Button-hoies
Tuaor-mdcic, Upstairs
"But I'm not tailor.u
'You can make button-holes, cam
you?r
And I'm not in New York"
"Iou can go there. There's no de
mand for button-holes here. There i,
in New York, or those fellows couldn't
live. Eth? 90 you see?''
''John," said Nellie, thoughtfully
81 believe.there's method i'm your mad
ness.'"
"You betr' said Johnny. "Now
look here. Let's make some excuse to
20 to New York, Nell, you and 1. Let's
see if there amt some show for you.
Father and mother needn't know but
that we've gone TO see Bill Dooley's
wife's new restaurant. She's often i'll
vited us. Well prospect little"
Nellie was so pleased that she actual
ly kissed Johnny, a performance that
filled his youthful mind with astonish-
ment, not To say dread.
"Don't do that, Nell," said he.
"Iou mean well, but / amt used 10
kissing. A stick Of chewing gum when
we go by the new store now, i should
appreciate that more"
'Nellie and her brother carried out
their little plan. They found the place
and discovered up three pair of stairs u
grim-faced New England woman pre-
siding over a squad of girls, each of
them with more work than she knew
how To finish.
''Im glad TO get more hands," said
Mrs. Hawley. ''There amt one wo-
man i'm thousand knows how To
make button-hole. You are the
thousandth one"-with glance at
Nellie's sample-''I'll pay you by the
day or by the button-hole, just which
you prefer"
~ would rather be paid by the guam
tity of button-holes l make" said Mel
lie, valiantly.
Mrs. Hawley nodded approval.
THAT shows you're sure ofyourself,"
said she. ~ do like grit ~
''But where am to live?" hesitated
Nellie. at would cost too much and
takeltoo much time to 90 up and down
TO Verlet Vale every day."
''You can rent a room in the neigh
borhood and board yourself, cheap"
suggested Mrs Hawley, 'and go home
Saturday nights and stay until Monday
morning, if you please. Some of my
young women club together and hire
floor. Ii comes more reasonable"
Nellie caught at the idea at once, and
in two weeks time she was well initiat-
ed into the details of her new profess
sion. 1t was perhaps less high sound
ing than literature, more prosaic than
art, but twas a profession, and the
money Nellie earned was very precious
i'm her sight.
Moreover, it was an agreeable sur
prise To her, at the end of the first fis-
cal month, to discover that she had
paid all expenses, and that there was
yet modest surplus To be laiG aside
for future exigencies.
"Button-hole makingr niffed Miss
Huldah Hall, when she heard of the
new enterprise. "Well, for my part, |
would have chosen something genteel
How can Nellie Dover expect 10 make
creditable match if she stoops 10 such
business as that?''
Johnny pursed up his mouth when
this speech was repeated to him.
"Well," said he, ''guess, any how
YOU can fix il, our Nell will make some
sort ola match before Huldah Hall
does. a vinegar-tongued old eat like
that ~
Nellie had been enrolled i'm Mrs. Haw-
ley's .'tailor-made corps for several
weeks, when, one slippery, sleety, De
cember night, young man came into
the "office" with a flat brown paper
parcel in his hand 1t was nearly the
hour for closing.
as this the button-hole making
place?r rather bashful asked the young
man.
Miss Bowling, the forewoman nod
ded curtley.
''Tve got dozen button-holes that
| want made in a silk dress body right
awav," said the young man, evidently
embarrassed at finding himself among
such a bevy of girls
''You can leave 'em," said Miss Dowl-
ing, with glance at the black silk
waist which he now took from the pa
per wrappings. "Name, please ?''
But" said the young man, ''that's
just what can't do. | must have the
waist back again in two hours"
'Impossible ~ was Miss Dowling's
verdict.
Couldn't you sew them in two
hours?' asked the young man appar-
emily much discomfited-
''It's closing time" said Miss Dow
ling. "Our young women are going
home. We can't take occasional jobs
like that" and she turned the safe key
with snap.
\ u, Dover took pity upon the
customers blank dismay.
"Give it to me-" said she, "I'll do
itr'
Miss Bowling stared.
at will take you two hours at least"
said she.
'Oh, / don't mind" said Nellie,
al am ever so much Obliged" said
the young man, drawing long breath
Of relief
Miss Bowling went away with a toss
Of her head. One by one the other girls
dropped off, until Nellie sat alone by
the drop light, stitching busily, the
customer sitting opposite.
''How much m to pay you" said
the young man, secretly wondering at
the length and silkiness of Nellie's eye
lashes rs they droOped over her work.