Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-12-09
A CHRISTMAS. !
BARGAIN " ~

III IN ~ ~ IL ~ -
! Judy is my chief anxiety" wrote
Judys mother, Mrs. Phoebe Follansbee,
to her sister, Miss Jane Pringle. Just
as soon as We knew that the bank in
winch we had deposited our little all
had failed. Ethel went to work in the
stra" factory and Hetty is learning
! dressmaking. I am sorry to say that
: judy is still a little fighty-very fond
! OF pretty clothes, and not so sensible
as the others. Judy must help, but
don't know what she can do"
Judy! Fudge! l suppose she means
susan Jane," said Miss Pringle to her.
self. We'll, can't have her here, and
that settles it,"
| Nevertheless, this is the letter that
made it's way by the next days mail to
the small gray house, under the shadow
OF a great bald-pate mountain, where
poverty had flown in at the door:
dear Sister Phoebe: I have been
thinking that it would be handy to
have spry young girl to help me in
the store. But she must be sensible
and have good Judgment. besides being
spry, because I may want to send her
to the city to buy goods If you think
your youngest, Susan Jane, can learn
to DO as want her to, send her along. l"
Sense and good judgment! Why.
Judy won't dol" exclaimed Hetty, with
sisterly frankness, when she read the
letter. This seemed the general opin-
ion OF the family, but nevertheless it
was decided that Judy should CO.
"They don't think am good for any,
thing" said Judy to herself. But they
shall see."
She looked back through the blind
Ing tears at the little gray house. There
were handkerchiefs waved from it as
long as the stage was in sight. Hosy,
the only boy, who was lame, waved his
cap on the end of his crutch.
you're not pretty, and that looks
as II you might have some sense said
Aunt Jane, by way of greeting. But
the parrot was polite and entertaining,
and the little dry goods shop fascinat-
ing, and Poppleton's main street was
gay. Slowly, but surely, Judy's spirits
rose.
OF course the new assistant made
some mistakes. But she rearranged the
shop windows to the great satisfaction
OF her aunt, who was inwardly con-
scious that she herself was not *'tasty,"
and lacked an eye for color And she
advanced several new ideas which Miss
Pringle instantly recognized as i'm.
provements.
Christmas was coming-an anxious
time in shopkeeping Aunt Jane
was educating her niece up to a great
undertaking She had long dreaded the
necessary trip to the city for goods on
account of the faintness that was apt
to come upon her when she was in
crowds, and now she was beginning tc
think that she might tru-t Judy to sc
in her stead
Judys taste could certainly be trust.
ed and she was self-reliant and a ready
reckoner. With a definite and exact
| list Of the articles wanted, Miss Pringle
decided that her niece could go to the
city and buy the Christmas goods.
There are always Christmas novel
ties and attractive bargains" she said
81 am going to give you $40 extra and
leave the purchases to your discre ton. !"
What would they say at home? Judy
felt several inches taller as she walked
to the station.
The list first. 1t was long and unin
teresting. Experience had taught Aunt
Jane just what kinds of fancy soaps
and candy baskets would sell best
and those articles were all set down ir
rigid detail.
But while she was making these un-
exciting purchases, Judy's heart and
eyes were all the time wandering in
search of the fascinating Christmas nov
city. by which she meant to convince
Aunt Jane of her business talent.
1t was when she was buying a piece
of red cashmere that she caught sight
of a brilliant parasol. A salesman re.
moved it from it's casing and suspended
it conspicuously above the counter; il
was of red silk with elaborate f1oun.
cings of chiffon like loveliest gossamer
Judy gazed upon it in breathless admi.
ration.
Another parasol was suspended be-
side the first; this was of palest blue
with white flouncings. There was one
all Of chiffon-"old rose," the clerk
called the color cit was unknown to
Crow HID. It's handle was of twisted
wood that gave out faint, delicious
| perfume.
SELLING at retail for song. Don't
want to keep them over because white
is going to be the rage next year," ex-
| planned the clerk to some one who re-
marked that it was unusual to see para
soils at Christmas. "Six and seven-dol-
lar parasols-all for dollar and 4
half
Judy tried to be praetical-not to let
her esthetic sense run away with her
"business bump" She knew her weak
-oao for noroao1 ord ho1