The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1904-12-10

dead of winter! Susan Jane Follans
bee, are you crazy?" cried Aunt Jane
shrilly. II couldn't sell parasol any
way unless It was good. stout blacl
one"
But Judy felt that even the little up
braidings were not SO hard to bear a
the gloomy silence that ensued whsI
Aunt Jane tied an old green barege vel
round her head and lay despairinglI
down upon the lounge with her smell
ing salts.
She took heart of grace, however, fol
she still believed a little in her bargain
and begged her aunt to let her display
one Of the parasols-only one-in thu
shop window. Aunt Jane said sh,
should expect to be sent to the insane
asylum, having parasol in her shoI
window in December, but she was Sc
discouraged that she did not care.
The parasol had been in the window
only an hour or two when Aunt Jan'
was thrown into flutter by the sigh
OF a very stylish young woman cross
ing the street.
IT'S Miss Betty Armstrong;" she de
clared. II heard the family had come
with a lot Of visitors, to spend the holt
days. That great house on the hill Ii
where they spend their summers. III
leave you to wait on her, because
amt dressed up" Aunt Jane hurried
into the back room, but she left the
door ajar
Il want to look at that parasol--it'i
such lovely shaded" said Miss Betty
Armstrong, who had come rustling in
accompanied by tall young man. "And
what delightful HANDLED" she added
as Judy passed 1t across the counter
Judy was glad Aunt Jane had left the
door ajar.
I'VE ought to have decorations like
this for the girls to carry in the min.
strel show" said Miss Betty. It's too
bad we didn't think Of It,"
Il have few more" The color
rushed to Judy's temples and her heart
thumped as she drew from the packing
case under the counter, one after an
other, the parasols she had thought she
would never care to look at again.
They'd be lovely for favors, Aft"
murmured Betty, admiringly. "And to
give the girls who take part in the tab
leaux"
Seven dollars-wh-e-wi" The young
man had seen the price marked on the
"old rose" parasol. Discount for the
lot, l suppose?" he added to Judy.
Judy made figures on piece OF pa
per, knitting her brows; she was try
ing to calculate how much profit her
conscience would allow her to take.
Aunt Jane, SO carried away by excite
ment as to peep through crack, re-
garded her hesitation as business diplo-
macy.
Judy still reckoned with an anxious
brow, divided between her desire to
Justify her business bump" in A....
.sne eyes, and her determination to
do what was known at Grow Hill ~
"the square thing"
"They were bought at bargain"
she said at last, in faint. but arm.
voice. II can sell you the whole for
$40"
The bargain was very soon conclud-
ed, and then Miss Betty was suddenly
seized with curiosity. ''It doesn't seem
like Miss Pringle to keep parasols,"
she said, looking around.
Judy told her customer that she had
purchased them, and being drawn out
of herself perhaps by the excitement Of
good fortune, told her how she wanted
to help them all at home. Miss Betty
was very kind and sympathetic, and be-
fore she went away asked Judy TO come
to her house to the minstrel show on
Christmas night, and bring her aunt
"They never asked me before, though
they've asked lots Of Poppleton folks
said Aunt Jane, little resentfully.
That was after she had collapsed
upon the lounge again, this time for
pure delight and without the veil.
They went to the entertainment and
had delightful time. Miss Betty
sought Judy in an interval between the
performances She said she had been
thinking Of what Judy had told her
about wanting to be good for some
thing. and make happier times at
home. and she thought she knew Of
something that would be profitable.
and would not interfere with the shop
keeping. Her father was a manufac-
turer of toys, and from his establish
ment work was given out; work that
required only taste and little knack
at sewing-the covering of the dolls
paTasols and canopies for dolls car
riages and the dressing of dolls
1t was profitable work. and If Judy
would like to try, Miss Betty thought
she could manage to get her the oppor-
tunity.
If she would like 1t! Judy swal-
lowed what seemed to be whole
bucketful of tears and let one roll OF
her nose by answer; and Miss Betty
perfectly understood.
1t was not long before a packing
case travelled regularly between Miss
PrIngle's store and Mr. Armstrong; |
Great mandatory, and Judy did work |
that she loved, that brought her as
much money as all Aunt James shop
keeping.
It was not much longer before acaseof |
dolls straw hats travelled regularly |
from Ethers hands to the same manu-
factory, and Ethel's toll was lighter
and her gains heavier in consequence.
Judy has dreams of firm in which
Ethel and Hetty and she win be part
nera, and Hosv-who IS at present un-
Ter great surgeons carerwill be the
general maraser and bookkeeper.-