Evening journal., 1897-05-01
A LOST MOONsToNE.
ny ELEANOR w. #. BATES.

best attain. But no part OF the room
was dark, for there were large, high
windows and an ample slylight, which
let in noble flood Of sunshine, even to
dazzling on a clear day, so that Miss
Hall, the forewoman of the shirt fac
tory, petitioned Mr.. Chester for a cur
tain.
"Oh, don't shut out that lovely sun
lightl" cried "a fresh young voice.
you'll be blind yourself some day.
and then you'll know how good it is"
replied tho unrelenting forewoman.
I'll send up Peter" said Mr.. Chester.
"Here's en- order for six shirts. They
must be just right and made by hand.
The eyelet holes must be bigger than
common, TO accommodate the custom
er's'stud. He leftit for "A measurement:
here it is; keep it to-day, and hand it 10
me when you go home. Look out for
it,"
The patentee and manufacturer OF
Chester's superior shirts disappeared,
and Miss Hall held up the gem and
looked at It. Two or three girls left
their seats and came, with sewing
dangling over their arms, to inspect the
stud. 1t was really beautiful moon
stone of unusual size and luster, set in
the narrowest rim Of gold.
I've heard that they are costly
things" said Miss Hall. "Go back to
your work, girls, and don't idle any
longer"
At the extreme end of the room sat
two young women. One was a new
hand. who had propitiated Miss Hall by
n sample of exquisite needleworlS. Her
name was Floretta Simpson. The other.
Dolly Burr, was older, and had been in
Mr.. Chester's employ ever since he had
patented his handmade shirts, which,
from the unyaTying excellence of their
manufacture, were fast making his
fortune. She was now initiating Floretta
into certain technicalities. They had to
change their seats; for Peter, general
utility man, now appeared and draped
q white cloth across the sunny slSylight
to othedarkeningo Of the corner where the
girls had placed themselves.
"Can you get along now, think?" said
Dolly.
Yes; you're awfully good" said
Floretta. II know how to sew, but
never could put garment together
couldn't do a whole shirt to save my
life"
"Well, you won't have TO here. We
each have separate parts, and work on
them all the year round. That girl over
there does all the necls, unless there are
too many;. the new hands try the seams
first. Last month we we're rushed so it
took all one girls time just to put in
gussets, and she's a quicl worker, too.
You're in luck to be set to tucling;
think it's such pretty work."
"If these are all handmade garments.
what are those machines doing there2"
asked Floretta.
"Well, you see there is a cheaper
garment which is substantially hand
made, all but the seams; and when
work is dull, Mr.. Chester gets out lot
cf them and sells to retailers; but they
are not the patented article, and don't
fetch the same price. You'll have to run
a machine sometimes. I'd Just as soon;
IL makes q change. / used to run a ma
chine all the time, but that's hard
work"
Floretta sewed in silence a few min
utes.
Il hope 1 shall suit" she said, visit
fully. II never worked away from
home before; and you don't know how
bashful I felt when I first came in, and
all you girls looked at me-"
Up the stairs-for this attic room was
reached by no elevator-futtered 4
beautifully-dress fair-faced young
woman. She rushed at Miss Hall, kissed
her, nodded with bright smile to two
or three of the girls, and began to chat
ter volubly to the forewoman.
That's Mrs. Chester" whispeie ed
Dolly. "She used to work here before
she married Mr.. Chester"
Floretta fixed her eyes on the pretty
creature. "Can she sew?' she asked
and indeed one would have as SCOT
thought of a butterfly or a white mouse
sewing.
"Oh, pretty we'll; not so well as you
and l." answered Dolly, candidly.
81 can't have so much noise here
said Miss Hall, raising her voice. You
must all sew more and talk less. Miss
Simpson, if you've got that tuclSinl
done, I'll set you to work on these eyelet
holes. I'll give you the stud TO measure
by. Now make the eyelet just right foi
the stem of the stud. neither too large
nor too small Here's the stud; foi
mercy's sake don't lose it'll"
"Oh, let me see it," cried Mrs. Chester
rustling forward ooh. what beauty
The idea of this being wasted on man
Il ought to be set in a lady's ring
Wouldn't it be a lovely pendant for {
necklace? It is a cross between a pear
and 4 moonbeam."
She stayed talking some time longer
then departed, stopping on the top stall
to say; "Oh. you poor girls wish yoI
could all go to walk this lovely day"
Somehow it seemed darker-after sh,
had gone. The girls fep into a silence
Miss Hall called Peter TO uncover tn,
skylght. Floretta found herself shor
of thread, and, applying to the fore
woman for more, was sharply rebukeC
for not returning her empty spool, a.
the rules required. 1t was now ont
o'clock. Some of the girls went out fol