The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-24

| big that Its proprietors were syIoeether
removed from contact with their en-
proves or knowledge of the working
OF the whole machine. AS they MADE
their rounds they had an opportunity
TO observe wha. was going on Even
the crush of holiday shopping did not
blind them 70 TIE fact that a girl out
OF the ordinary was behind their rib
bon counter, that she knew how to dis
play what she had for sale and that
Inc patrons left her with a smile of
satisfaction and good feeling. They
noted, too. that the sales at the rib
bon counter were greater that Christ
mas than they ever had been in any
previous holiday season.. So. when ali
the other extra hands went, Mary Nc
Closkey stayed
All this time little Miss McCIoskey
was getting SIS week. She was born
almost round the corner from the store
and she still lives in the house where
she was born. She had no carfarc tn
pay, she went home to her luncheon
and SIS seemed lot of money. This
was her first job and she was perfectly
satisfied. She had the distinction of
having been retained on the selling
force when she had only heen taken on
as an extra and taken all in all,
life seemed very fair.
To sell ribbons was a 10y. To meet
and serve women of wealth and fashion
had its own charm and taught her much
of qualities and modes. There was sat
isfaction. delight even, in ner work,
which made her wonder why other girls
complained so much of the monotony
of daily toll. There was no monotony
to her
Nine out of Ten girls who work in
the big stores Of various cities find much
interest in discussing what So-and- SO
said or did al last nights party. or
on that motor ride. What she" wore
and what he said Git is very important
what "he" said must be thoroughly
discussed and speculated upon before
the customer is waited on. Miss Nc
Closkey had plenty of amusement. but
saw nc reason for talking about it in
detail with the other shop girls. She
found enough to do attending to her
own work. No one ever had to wait
while she finished conversation with
some other employe. Possibly one OF
the bosses took cognizance of this fact
along with the steady increase of sales
At the ribbon counter. for after the
extra" girl had been there two years
her wages were increased to ten a
week II seemed like small fortune
for Miss McCloskey. There did not
seem to he much chance after this
great leap for her to go higher. she
was content she sold ribbon and in
creased her acquaintance among the,
rich and extended her circle OF pur->
chasers. steadily building up her bust
ness year after year until she had
been behind the ribbon counter eight.
years. She still was getting ten n
week.
Then one day there was a sensation
N he q
said last night and what she" Wore
were forgotten. And why shouldn't
they be? Who ever heard of New
York merchant doing such an absurd
thing as taking a girl from behind the
ribbon counter and Transforming hel
into a huyer-not only a buyer. but
foreign buyer? Sending her abroad
to France, of all places, to buy goods
for the house. And not only that, ths
girl he had selected to buy neckwear
and waists abroad had never even sold
a waist or "a bit of neckwear in all hei
life beforei What did little Mary Nc
Closkey. born in Seventeenth street,
practically round the corner from tho
store. still living In Seventeenth Street
and never far from New York In her
life. know about travelling TO Europe
as purchaser for a great New York
establishments Assuredly II was au-
surd everybody in the store realized
that-eXcept the boss.
His buyer of neckwear and waists
had left suddenly This buyer had AT.
ways purchased his goods in America.
1t would have seemed bad enough If
Miss McCloskey had the responsibility
of buying as the former buyer had
done. But 1t was the boss's idea to
make these purchases abroad. TO send
Miss McCloskey over there to do the
/ 4. Il f,n n 1.I
stupeGed everybody from tho book.