The suburban citizen., 1900-05-19

AUNT Medlaw, said she, 1--WE came
here for aid and adyice-not to be in
suited"
"Humph" snarled the matron.
"What do you expect to do about it.
Sit down again, Ella Carr. Don't
get mad for nothing. There's another
chance L got for you"
'What is that?"
GIVE had to forclose a mortgage on
little fancy store ! want to put
some one in it to sell out the stock
I'll give you a fair commission on
what you sell. Come, what do you
say to that?"
"Pm willing to try" said Ella.
Heaven knows am anxious enough
to earn my own living"
"And l, too" said Eda. "We
know nothing about such a busi-
| ness"
''But you can learn, L suppose, "
said Aunt Medlaw.
"But we caa learn" said Eda,
hopefully.
And in less than q week the little
thread aud needle store around the
corner, which had presented a grim
and shuttered front for some days,
was reopened, and two pretty girls,
dressed in black, were posted behind
the counter.
Mrs. Mopson sent her two little
boys to match skein of green worsted,
and enquire for peppermint taffy first.
The widow Hope purchased little
hosiery and three cheap pocket hand
kerchiefs. A small girl came to ask
the time of day and an old man
bought pair of suspenders, all with
in an hour-and Eda and Ella began
to think they might, in time, de-
velop into commercial characters of
note.
To be sure, business waxed rather
dull toward the end Of the day, but
just at dusk tall, nice-looking young
man came in to buy a card Of pearl
shirt buttons. Ella took down a box,
and they were quite a long time in
selecting the prettiest pattern and
most appropriate size.
81 forgot one thing" said the
young man, after he had contracted
for an eighteen cent investment. "I
must have them sewed on. Could
you do it?"
"I'll try" said Ella, laughing, "if
you'll bring the shirts around"
So the young man brought his
shirts, and sat down to wait, while
Elias needle flew deftly in and out
He was in a hurry, he told her--be
was foreman in the printing Office of
great daily paper, and worked at
nights, when the rest of the world
was asleep, like bat or an owl.
In the meantime Ella was trying to
suit an old lady in green spectacles,
who wanted some ribbon, whose color
she didn't exactly know, whose width
she wasn't certain about, and whose
qaality she had not yet made up her
mind concerning. But Elias patience,
tact and good temper were inexhaus-
tible. At last the old lady was suited,
and went away rejoicing, leaning on
the arm of her nephew who had
manifested extraordinary interest in
the shade of the drab ribbon.
"That's a nice girl, Oswald" said
she. "Do you know, l almost think
she might suit me as a companion.
She seems so very good-humored L
wonder if it would do to ask hel if she
would like such a situation"
"I don't see why not, " said Oswald
Grey, thinking he had never seen
softer gray eyes or prettier hair.
Shall we go back?"
Tomorrow will be time enough"
said Mrs. Martiguy.
On the morrow she came back.
"Didnt the ribbon suit?" asked
Ella.
"Oh, yes" said Mrs. Martiguy;
'the ribbon was all right. But there's
something else want"
"What is that?" asked Ella inno-
Gently.
ga companion to read to me, take |
care of my canaries aud play drowsy
old tunes on the piano when feel |
sleepy. I give five hundred year,
Saturday afternoons and board Will |
you Gomez"
Eda looked at her sister. Five hun
dred year seemed a great sum for a