The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-03-06
CHAPTER XVIII.
IN THE WORKRoOM.

CHAPTER XVIII.
IN THE WoRKROOM.
In an upper room furnished with
eight or ten sewing machines there sat
as many girls at work. The room was
well ventilated and warmed; the girls
looked contented; there was no talking,
but every girl sat over her sewing ma
chine and guided the work, while the
needle jumped up and down in that
most surprising and wonderful instru-
ment In a smaller room at the back
a forewoman was at work.
Downstairs there was a. show room,
quite an humble kind of show room, i'll
which one or two more sewing ma.
chimes were at work. And at the back
of this swas a small office or sitting
room in which there were two ladies'
conversing. One of them was the
lady who 1.-the. concern. 1t was con.
Quoted on cooperative principles,
which is the reason why it has since
been closed, because, of all: things
in this world, there is nothing more
difficult than to persuade people to
buy things at cooperative productive
Stores-that is to say, where the pro-
ducers sell their things without the
medium of boss, chief, bourgeois, or
master.
This particular attempt was just
then in the stage when little feeble
public interest in it had been excited
by superhuman efforts of its friends.
and success seemed possible, though
there were many anxieties. The two
ladies in the Office We're discussing
these anxieties and possibilities. One
of them, the manager of the concern,
a lady no longer young, had spent
her whole life among the working.
women.
"My DEAR" she said to the younger
lady--it was the same young lady who
had caught Katherine on the bench as
she was falling forward-'I really do
think we have made a move"
The above stars represent quite a
long conversation about linen gar
ments, and orders, and expenses, and
receipts, from the cooperative point OF
view deeply interesting.
'And how do you get on with your
hands?"
''There is the usual percentage of
stupid girls, lazy girls, and incompe-
tent girls. I know exactly what to
expect. The most satisfactory of all
is the girl you brought to me-Katha.
rine."
what is her full name?"
81 do not know-I have not yet
asked her. She is quick to learn, ODE.
dient, and ladylike."
"Yes. She is lady-like, poor thing!
Perhaps she was formerly a lady's
maid"
"Poor thingr' the other echoed.
"Without friends and relations. Left
to die. Oh, what a fate! What a
punishment"
"Yet her face is full of innocence
and purity. Can such face lie?''
'She said that she had no friends
and no relations. What can that
mean"
"Let us go upstairs and see her"
They went upstairs where Katharine
sat-at work before Il sewing machine,
quiet and industrious. She looked up
and smiled as the ladies entered the
room. The look, the smile, the very
carriage of her head, We're altogether
different from the manner in which
the other girls greeted the chief. These
girls were all what We call decent and
respectable; some of them were come
ly; some were even pretty, as London
work girls very often are, petites,
with narrow, sloping shoulders, small
face, and large eyes; some were coun-
try bred, and showed it in their figures
and the ample" width of their shoul-
ders; some had the manners, of the
shop; some of the factory; some, of
the London back street; some, of the
slum; some of the farm; some. of the
servants hall; none of them had the
manners which We're shown by so
simple. a thing as Katharine's smile
WHEN she lifted her head.
She suffered no longer; she knew not,
and had not the least suspicion, of the
dreadful things that were thought
and said about her by the ladies
yes. the very ladies-who had befriend-
ed her. She was in a haven of rest.
She learned readily how to use the
sewing machine; she even took some
kind of interest in the work; she sat
steadily. working all day; she gained
a sufficient weekly wage; and she had
a raom in a decent house recommended
by the lady who ran the cooperative
business.
The young lady, her rescuer, shook
hands with her, though somewhat
doubtfully-there are several ways OF
shaking hands, as everybody knows,
aud when a young lady shakes hands
with girl who mas the manners OF Il
!ady, but has been. picked up starving;
and confesses TO having no friends ana
no relations. Il certain something
constraint. doubt, condescensiOn, or en-
roura agement-cannot but be remarked
in the manner of extending or with
drawing the hand. Chapters-Whole
essays-great b0Oks-might be written
on the differences. shades, and grades
of shaking, hands, from the afaple
greeting of a prince to the cheerful
Grasp which a wOrk-house chaplain be
slows upon his sheep.
Katharine. however, noticed nothing