The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-04-30
A LOST MOONSTONE.


~1c Sc-%---z 1-N --A-s a. ~ --@r " a-4S- n
dozen sewing machines stood about.
each II such light as its worker could
best attain But no part Of the room
was dark. for there were large. high
windows and al ample skylighi. which
kt in noble food Of sunshine. even 70
dazzling on q clear day. 50 that Miss
Hal. the forewomau Of the shit fac
tory. petitioned Mr. Chester for cur
tain.
~Oh, don't shut out that lovely sun
Hight" cried fresh young voice
You'll be blind yourself some day.
and then you'll know how good il is
replied the unrelenting forewoman.
III send up Peter said Mr. Chester.
Here's Al order for SIX shirts. They
must oe just right and made by hand
The eye.et holes must Dc bigger than
lcommou. 10 accommodate the custom
ser's stud. BE left II for q measurement:
here it Is: keep II to-day. and hand il 70
me when you 20 home. Look out for
lit
The patentee and manufacturer Of
Chester's superior shirts appeared.
s1d Mss Hal held up TIE gem and
looked at Il Two OF three girls LETT
dangling over their arms. 10 inspect the
stud Il was really beautiful moon
stone Of unusual size and Iuster. set II
the narrowest I'm Of gold.
I've heard that they are costly
things said Miss Hall go back %
your work. giris, and don't Idle any
longe-.-
Al the extreme end Of Tie room sat
two Young women. One was q new
hand. who had propitiated Miss Hal o.
sample Of exquisite need vork Her
name Was Floret7a Simpson. The other.
Dolly Burr. was older. ard had been in
Mr.. Chester's employ ever since he had
patented his handmade shirts. which.
from the unvarying eIcelle1ce ~ their
ms1 ufacture. were fast mak.- MS
fortune. She novy init .at.rg Flo-e-ta
into certain techn icalities. They had q
change their seats: for Peter. general
utility man. now appeared and d-aped
awhile cloth across the sunny sgyl5gh-.
To thedarkeniugo Of the corner where II
girls had placed themselves.
"Can you get along now. think % said
Dolly.
Yes; you're swfully good said
Floretta. Il know how 20 sew. but
never could put garment together. l
couldn't do whole shirt 10 save my
life"
well. you won't have TO here. We
each have separate parts. and work on
them all the year round That girtover
there does all the necks. unless there are
too many: the new hands try he seams
first Last month we were rushed 50 il
took all one girls time just 10 put ID
gussets. and she's quick worker. too.
You're in luck to be set 70 tucking; I
think it's such pretty work"
IF these are al handmade garments.
what are those machines doing there?''
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
CT them ard sells 10 retailers: but they
are not thA patented article, and don't
fetch the same price. You'll have TO run
a machine sometimes. I'd just as soon;
1t makes q change. used 70 run a ma
chine all the time, but that's hard
work"
Floretta sewed in silence a few min
utes.
Il hope l shall suit" she said. visit
fully. II never worked away from
home before; and you don't know how
bashful | felt when first came in. and
all you girls looked at me-"
Up the stairs-for this attic room was
reached by no elevator-huttered Z
beautifully-dressed. fair-faced young
woman. She rushed al Miss Hall. kissed
her. nodded with bright smile TO two
or three OF the girls, and began to chat
ter yolubly to the forewoman.
That's Mrs. Chester" whispered
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 soon I
thought of a butterfly or white mouse
sewing.
"Oh, pretty well; not so well as you
and l." answered Dolly. candidIy.
u 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 tucking /
done. I'll set you 70 work on these eyelet 4
holes. I'll give you the stud TO measure /
by. Now make the eyelet Just right for z
the stem Of the stud. neither too large I
nor too small. Here's the stud; for I
mercy's sake don't lose it,
"Oh. let me see It." cried Mrs. Chester.
rustling forward. "Oh. what beauty.
The idea Of this being wasted on a man!
1t ought to be set in a lady's ring.
Wouldn't it be a lovely pendant for a
necklace? II Is a cross between pearl
and a moonbeam."
She stayed talking some time longer.
then departed. stopping on the top stair
TO say: "Oh. you poor girls. ! wish you
could all 20 70 walk this lovely day"
Somehow it seemed darker after she
had gone. The glris fe2 into a silence.
Miss Hall called Peter to uncover the
skylight. Floretta found herself short
of thread. and. applying 10 the fore
woman for more. was sharply rebuked
for not returning her empty spool. as
the rules required It was now one
O'Clock. Some Of the girls went out for
lunch, while others produced small
baskets. and in one corner an oil shove
did yeoman duty in brewing divers cups