The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-13
DOROTHYS PRENTICE DAYS.

Her che kS were thin in consequence /
II a six weeks unsuCCessful quest Tor /
work They had been plump enough ,
when. three months before. she had
left the expensive Oakland Seminary
al the emo If ijVe prosperous, happy
eo-lucky schoolgirl years. As soon as
banIrI1utcv and death had come upon
her. al 81 she had felt only the grief
or the death loss. and not disagree
able. consciousness that Tor the future
she must depend On her own efforts Tor
slluurrt Being Il a cheerful, energetic
ana practical turn of mind, the out
look did NOT daunt her: other less COM
petent girls earned their living, she
argued. there WAS no reason Why she
should not do the same
she stTaighlWay developed a talent
for management ana economy that was
a source Of no little pride 10 herself.
Poor little giTl-there was no one but
herself 10 appreciate whatever good
qualities she might prove To possess.
She had no relatives near enough 10
assist her. and those she could claim
remotely had long been estranGed by
her father
Between herself and the principal Of
the seminary there existed no SYM
patty despite their prolonged residence
together So when that worthy woman
had seen Dorothy settled AT SO month
in a dingy little nook beneath the
caves of a duh and respectable board
ing house. had given her much sage
advice: had promised 10 recomInt nu
her should she hear Of any one VINO
wished TO employ a teacher, and had
cordially invited her To call at any
time. she went away quite satisfied
that she had done her fun duty by the
delicate girl.
Then began the search for work. But
times were hard and Dorothy was
Young Nursery gONeTnesses were not
in demand, and her one talent, draw
ing. had Jared i'll under seminary tut
lion. And on this day Dorothy had sat
down 10 consider the disposition of her
last s. BILL taking refuge. after two
hours of deep COgitauon- IN the thought
Of Monsieur lie Barron
Monsieur lie Barron was the fashion
able tailor who had married an old
goveTmess Of DorOthys pre-Semnary
days. To be sure, Dorothy's Madame lie
Barron was dead and e second Madame
lie Barron reigned in her stead, but In
the old days the jOVial tailor and the
rolIicking little girl had been very good
friends
Monsieur lie Barron received her
with subdued Vivacity at his shop door;
the present Madame lie Barron being
behind the book desk. from which place
Of vantage she kept a stern eye and a
nations Of monsieur her husband.
But. my de-ear Mees Gordong-it is
not possible, You to work, And i have
uothine-no. nothing Oh. but the hard
times-yes. yes" shaking his head
comprehendingly and looking askance
the while at the unsympathetic coun-
tenance Of Madame lie Barron peerlnS
above the desk rail.
i thought you might let me sew for
Won" ventured Dorothy, in no very
steady voice.
but my de-ear Miss Gordong! My
work is not done here. / hat leetle
familv-fathair, mOthair, brothalr,
seestair-who do most o. my Worn
Yer, fine sewers Yer experienced
wees But wait. Madame in con-
ciliat0rv tone 10 his wife, will you give
Nees Gordong the address Of Schrad-
zky2 He must employ good many
women. Also Of some wholesale houses
on SansCme Street Oh, Mees Gordong-
am yer sorry. Eef / can do anything
else" with an appTehensiye but meek
~ rebeIlious glance at his steTner hair,
come To me at any time-tO me or to
Madame lie Barron.
.-Schradzky. Stevenson Street, be-
tween Fifth and Sixth read Dorothy
for the tenth time as she turned down
into the hitherto uneXplOred region
south Of Market. which expresses ev-
othv's a-istocratic world She stumbled
along the rough sidewalk Of the shabby
tenement alley, looking in vain for a
sign
can YOU tell me if there is a coat
factory in this street." she asked 81 q
big and battered Irish lady, who. with
unrepressed curiosity was surveying
the stylishly dressed intruder from q
tan fight Of uupainted front steps
sure. y0Un find il jist inside the
door where the pale young Teddy Is
a-goiug in. she replied. civilly enough
albeit with arms alImbo. Go clear
back through the basement, she called
out as an afterthoucht
Dorothy opened the area-door and
slipped through into a dark-rOofed pas
Eagewav which led 70 a filthy back
ward surrounded by queer little tumble
down houses all Of which looked as il
they had been built somewhere else and
moved into this paupeT asylum, TO
crumJle ID pieces in the dreary COM
pauiauship If q destitute old age
She wandered bout for several min
utes. .hen paus-d uncertainty before a
dHapidated cottage from which pro-
ceeGed a slight bur constant hum. At a
corner Of the building were two
pUlleys. around which long bands re-
v8Ived a Glear-eyed black and tan
dog guarded the doorway, in company
with a NANCY tortoise shell cat
Dorothy brushed, trembling. past and
ascended a flight If crooked stairs lead
ing to = diugy WGrkroom, a room not
more than IgEl5 feet in which were
packed seventeen girls, TWO men and
TWO Whirliug, hot pressing machines.
The atmosphere was sitting, and Dor
othy sank painting into an empty chair
by the door
Where is the foreman" she asked
~ a cOars--looking Jewess, who eyed
her with evident suspicion Just then
the man eutered-a great, hulking Je%
81 shirt sleeves.
he smoked cigar stub set in thC
small bowl ~ a slender-stemmed pipe
and continually removed il 10 dig out
the end with a greasy brass pin.
-I came for work" Dorothy said
The man leered at her graceful gowr
and trim HAT (her one respectable suit
By the way. as she had had little mon
ey ta spend on m0urnng), and resumed
his manipulation ef the cigar stub.
Vat can yau do2'
Il can sew GA the machine and make
good burtuu-hales
"Ch, Vel. I hat not much work. bu
come gn Monday. III see"
She hurried back through the darl
passage, finding even Stevenson Stree
beautiful by contrast. She could no
work there. she was certain; her heaC
already achcd with the stencil Of tn,
machine grease and breathed-0ver air
She went back down Market TO san
some a long walk for already tinglin;
feet From there she plOdded on L
Fremont Street where Ut a grea
shirt factory she was told she woul'
have 10 pay one dollar 10 BE- taught
aa4unr Il Oh