Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-12-13
HER PROMOTION.

Handsome Mr.. Ormsbee, the proprietor
Of the mammoth department store, was
talking over the drug counter to Miss
Choate, the prefumery girl Gradually it |
begun to be whispered about that Mr.. |
Ormsbee was taking a most abnormal in
terest in drugs, and indeed there seemed
some show Of reason for this statement,
for he was certainly pausing at that par
tiCular counter oftener than necessity
seemed to demand. 1t must have been
drugs because it was out of all reason that
Mr.. Ormsbee should be suspected of an
absorbing interest in the perfumery girl,
for he had never been known to take an
absorbing interest in anything but bust
ness. Miss Choate was as tall within two
inches as Mr.. Ormsbee himself and had a
remarkably fine figure, but her face was
not handsome-not strictly speaking. To
be sure, there was something about her
which invariably made people turn and
look again, but 1t could not well be called
beauty. 1t was rather dignified repose
of carriage-an aristocratio bearing that
stamped her as not being altogether of
common clay. And this was the light in
which Miss Choate was generally regard
ed. 1t was known that she was the daugh
ter and orphan of a clergyman that she
supported her mother and young brother
with her wages at Ormsbee's, and it was
supposed that her advantages had been
rather better than the average, for there
was hint of elegance in her manners not
usually discoverable in clerks.
For instance she used the word "mad-
am" instead of "lady," that worldwide
sign of the plebeian, and she never took
any part in the cheap conversation carried
on behind the counter. The shallow ones
thought her disagreeably proud. Those
who took pains to study her knew that she
was only dignified and reserved. She had
been at Ormsbee's for years-had begun
as a cash girl, been raised to an assistant
at the drug counter and finally given full
charge of that stock.
She had won golden opinions right and
left and had gone on in the even tenor of
her way until young Fred Ormsbee,
nephew and heir apparent of the proprie-
tor, had begun paying her marked atten-
ton. This did not please Miss Choate in
the least, and she limited in polite terms
more than once that he was at liberty to
go about his business Now, Mr. Orms-
bee, the elder, held this young man in
tender esteem, having superintendent his
rearing from the earliest days Of calfhood.
He had never withheld anything in reason
from his brothers. child, and when that
child made known to his devoted relative
the consuming passion wherewith he was
being consumed for the elegance and &C.
complishments of Miss Choate, the per-
fumery girl, the elder Ormsbee said kindly:
"I'll see what 1 can do for you, my boy.
A poor clerk who repulses the advances OF
a prospective millionaire must be worth
winning" 1t was after that that the pro-
prietor began to take an unusual interest
in his drug department; to stop there fire.
ouently and engage Miss Choate in con-
yersation; to consult her opinion with re-
gard to the relative merits OF dlherent
brands of olive oils, soaps, complexion
pastes, etc. Miss Choate was an engaging
talker and displayed technical knowledge
of her stock gratifying to business man
accustomed to careless clerks.
Mr.. Ormsbee had long considered her
invaluable as a saleswoman and respected
her for her dignity, but 1T took Just THIS
circumstance of his nephew's infatuation
for the perfumery girl to fully open the
eyes of the elder Ormsbee to the surpass-
ing attractions of Miss Choate, the young
woman, for 1t was not to be suspected for
moment that the limited brain power oil
Fred Ormsbee had comprehended In its
length. breadth and thickness the excel
lenoe of Miss Choate's character. 1t wai
not character that Fred Ormsbee made
specialty of, but form-style-and he hao
never. he thought, beheld anything IL
that line that quite equaled Miss Choate' s.
Perhaps at first he had not been perfect
" In earnest in his attentions TO ms un
cle's clerk, but it took only rev uellcaee
" Norded snubs from her to convince mn
that there was nothing In the woe Worie
so emipently desirable as Miss Choate I
favor; hence his appeal to his uncle wht
had always procured for him every coveted
thing and could beyond shadow OF doup
supply him with Miss Choate.
Mr. Ormsbee, ST., stood there IN IRON
Of the drug counter attentively listening
To what Miss Choate was saying apou
olive oils, and presently some quesGlol
arose as to perfumeries, necessitatlng ME
Ormshee's presence behind the counter In
stead of in front. This, by the way wa
three months or more after the services o
the uncle had been enlisted in behaI O
the nephew, and Mr.. Ormsbee had pee
making almost daily visits to the uru
counter. ouf,,r,ov
"There is no reason why this peri ui, Il =,
should sell better than the otheI'
Choate was saying, "only that " has
fasbionabIe name. The other is fine
scent hut the faddists have started rus
for this. and customers haven't discrlmint
tIon enough to see. oh, Mr.. Ormspe'
what have doneP a.
She had made quick movement IN tt
earnestness of her speech ana sIlasneu "
eut glass bottle Of perfumery she hell
deiueing him with the contents and paul
cutting her hand. 1000 ., ,,,,
"Three dollars out Of my wages, , We
her first thought, and then she saw tn 4b a
oident was even more disastrous thah Una ,
for the blood was flowing over her dress
a bright stream. A. O,,,sha
"Heavensl exclaimed Mr. OrmsDS
and he whipped out his handkerchief
bound up the cut as dettly and tenueri ~,
woman could, and perceiylng MI
Choate's paleness went himself ana q
her glass OF wine. 4. ton
"You must 90 home" said ne ~ '0n