The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-12-04
Remarkable Career of Miss
Molly Alpiner of
Chicago.
STARTED BEHIND A COUNTER
Attracted Attention by Industry and
Ability, Married the Proprietor
and Now Owns and Manages
an Enormous Business.
BY RICHARD sPILLANE.

and ambitious, applied for a job in
the Boston store In Chicago in 1884
Her people were poor and 1t was nee
essary that she help support the fam
lily. She was Chicago born and had
good common school education.
The Boston store at that time was
owned by Charles Netcher and Charles
w. and Edwin Partridge. The girl
was employed and was assigned to
the underwear department. She had
been there but a week when she be-
gan to attract notice. Most shop girls
are careless, inattentive and more in
clined to gossip among themselves,
than to devote all their time to bust
ness. Molly Alpiner was different.
She only got about five dollars week,
but she worked as hard as If she were
getting 500. She never was late,
never showed eagerness to get away
before her time and was as kind and
courteous and patient to the poorest
patron Of the house as to the richest.
Customers quickly got to know and
like her. Rather than have one of the
other girls wait on them they would
stand about for five minutes or more.
any two girls in the establishment.
She seemed to delight in that fact.
The more she had to do the better
pleased she was.
Charles Netcher, the head of the
establishment, kept keen watch over
the big store. 1t wasn't long before
he began to observe the unusual girl.
Within a month he reported to his
partners that he had in the under
wear department the most efficient
salesgirl he had ever seen. She was
not only a wonderful seller, he said,
but she was so ladylike and so good
natured that she made a friend of
everyone who came to her.
Married to the Proprietor.
When an employer finds an unusual
employee, he wants to know more
about him or her. Mr.. Netcher made
inquiries about Miss Alpiner. Most
shop girls have their minds full of
balls and parties. Mr.. Netcher found
that Molly Alpiner spent her nights
at home, or visiting friends. He was
30 well satisfied with what he had
learned that in a short time he pro-
NOTED her to the head of the under
wear department. She proved as
capable in that position as she had
as a salesgirl. The girls worked bet
ter under her than they had previous
ly. The sales increased and before
a year passed the underwear depart
ment had the reputation of being the
best managed portion of the whole es-
Enlistment
The girl was so earnest, so willing
and so kindly that Mr.. Netcher
couldn't help but admire her. This
admiration ripened into love and one
day he proposed to her. They were
married in 1887, three years after she
had entered the store as shop girl.
Molly Alpfner left the store and
went to live at the Avenue house at
Twenty-second street and Wabash
short time, for Mr.. Netcher built
beautiful home for her at 4427 Drexel
boulevard The girl who had been in
the underwear department lived
life Of ease and magnificence. She
had fine home and lots Of servants.
Each afternoon she got into her car
rage and drove down to the store for
her husband.
They were ideally happy. Mrs.
Netcher made as good wife as she
had shop girl. She wasn't much for
society, but she had her box at the
opera and her husband lavished money
on her. She had 80 many friends and
found SO much to do about her home
that she found little time for the friv-
olities that appeal to most young
women who suddenly become wealthy.
Became Head Of Store.
For II years she and her husband
lived together. Then, on June 20,
The eldest, Charles, was scarcely six
teen. Townsend was fourteen, Ethel
was twelve and Irving three. When
he died Mr.. Netcher was the sole
owner of the Boston store. Edwin
Partridge had a penchant for dabbling
in grain. Mr.. Netcher didn't like it
and bought out his interest in the
Boston store, Later Mr.. Netcher had
some difference with Charles w.
Partridge and acquired his holdings.
When Mrs Netcher came to consid-
er her affairs after the burial of her
husband, she found that his estate
amounted to between $4,500,000 and
$5,000,000. A large part Of this was
made up of the store, its stock, its
good will and its real estate. II the
store could be kept running as Mr..
Netcher had conducted 1t, her fortune
would be preserved. II the business
was not managed In first.class style
she would lose hundreds of thousands
Of dollars, II not millions.
Mr.. Netcher had many able assist
ants In bis business. but had trained
no one to assume control. The widow