Year: 1874

TAKEN INTO PARTNERSHIP


Juliet Wayne felt desolate and down-heart'
ed enough. Her boots leaked, and her feet
were wet, and she had not money enough in
the world to buy pair of rubbers. If she
only had some rubbers, the old boots could
be made to answer while; but the shoe stores
had raised the price of their articles astonish-
ingly. 1t was all on account of Goodyear $
patent but the precise why and wherefore OF
the case, Juliet did not understand.


She put up her feet on the hearth of the
stove, and contemplated them with woeful
countenance 1t was so strange, she thought,
that number two boots could not bessold any
cheaper than number seven. She did not see
the philosophy of the thing. One might as
we'll have big feet as little ones, as far as
keeping shod was concerned.


It was raining dismally, and Juliet had a
cold in her head, and her eyes we're pink, and
her nose felt swelled, and her throat dry, as
if it had been made into toast. Then she had
broken the little ruby brooch which had been
her mothers, and been obliged to pin her
scarf with a brass scarf.pin that had fallen to
her in some kind of lottery which she had
been foolish enough to invest in; and to crown
the whole, her land d-lady, Mrs. Smith, had
lust called on her for her weeks rent of her
room. She wanted the money to buy a new
dress for Jane Matilda, her promising daugh-
ter.


Jane Matilda was taking lessons on the
piano, and had taken to wrapping her hands
up in cold cream and kid gloves by night,
and spent half the forenoon with an old pair
of curling tongs, getting her hair into natural
ringlets.


The grocer's son, around the corner, had
been making errands to Mrs. SIS lately, and
once he had asked Jane Matilda to 60 to the
Museum with him; and as he was well to
do of course it was perfectly proper for Jane
Matilda to have new dress.


Juliet was willing she should have it, only
it was entirely out of her power to furnish the
means just at present; and when she told
Mrs. Smith so, the good lady founced out of
the room in pet, and slammed the door be-
hind her. So you see, Juliet had enough
trials to make her feel quite down-hearted.


For some years she had been employed in
the millinery establishment of Madame LIE
Baron, and had received very fair wages-for
her taste was exquisite, and madame was fully
alive to that fact. But suddenly madame had
concluded to marry, and Mr.. Shoddy, her
husband, could not think of allowing her to
continue the business. So she closed her
store, and she and Mr.. Shoddy departed for
Europe, fully expecting to astonish all the
crowned heads in that locality by their splen-
dor.


Juliet had been out of work for three weeks,
the greater part of which time she had spent
in seeking another situation. But it was
such dull time, that nobody wanted to en-
ploy additional help The fashionables were
all out of town, for it was the middle of July,
and it was too early, as yet, to begin to think
much about the fall opening.


For herself, Juliet would not have cared
so much, because she could have worked
somewhere for her own board; but she had
an old grandmother in the country, who de-
pended entirely upon her. Juliet's uncle,
who was rich farmer, had sent the poor old
lady to the almshouse, alleging, as an excuse
for his meanness, that she was only his fathers
second wife, and therefore no relation. But
Juliet could not bear to think of the kind old
soulin that ungenial place, and so she paid her
board with nice family, near where Mrs.
Barrett had lived all her lifetime, so she was
quite at home. And for her sake Juliet felt
as if she must be earning money.


She sat still awhile, as wretched and un-
comfortable as she could be, and then she
thought she would make little fire and dry
her feet. She took piece of newspaper from
the woodbox, and lighted match but just
as she was going to hold it to the paper, the
word in large letters-'WANTED'-caugh her
eye


We all have weakness for this reading of
personal columns. | confess to it myself.
Not that ever find anything there to my ad-
vantage, but like to know what other peo-
pie want, supposing they can getit.


Juliet read the notice:


"WANTED.-A smart, active woman, who pos
sesses undenable good taste, as partner i'm a
wel-known millinery establishment. 4 months
trial required, and if she be found suitable, her
capacities will be considered an equivalent for
capital, and she will be taken into partnership,
with one-third ofthe profits by way OF remunera
ton. Call on Mrs. La Rue, lis S--street.'


1t was rather peculiar advertisement, but
then Juliet had heard of such things. She un-
derstood well enough that Mrs. La Rue in
tended that the taste and business capacity of
the person required should be such that her
attachment to the establishment would be
equivalent to one.third of the income.


"a smart, active woman" said Juliet,
thoughtfully, quoting from the advertisement.
"Undeniable good taste" wonder if can
claim as much. Anyway, 1 mean to make
application for the place. The worst she can
say is no.


I'd like to know if Mrs. La Rue will object
to me on account of my shoes. Dress goes a
great way with some people. And there is .
darn in the side breadth of my dress, but I
can manage to keep that out Of sight under
my shawl.


Juliet got up, smoothed back her hair, ,S!nd
held some cold water to her eyes; theI she
put on her little round straw hat-%ith its
black trimmings and the bunch Cf Iorget-me-
nots, Just the color Of her eyes and her care
fully kept stella shawl, with the salmon and
blue border.


The little hat was wonderfully becoming
and Juliet Wayne was fresh and pretty as a
daisy, notwithstanding her wet feet and the
cold in her head.


She had one ofthose clear complexions that
nothing ever mars or Injuries, flushed with
pink in the cheeks and lips, and her blue
eyes we're the sweetest eyes you ever looked
into; clear, calm and truthful, and not afraid
to meet your most searching gaze. Then her
hair was light brown, and it had a way OF
breaking all up into ripples and curls, espe.
cially on wet days; and by the time she had
reached S-street, it would have made a
ho;r Il roccor ,o1 with onvv to COO how dnler.