Year: 1877




In the ante-room of Meredith & Sons great cot
ton factory, in Philadelphia, group of girls were
standing engaged in an animated discussion
They all young, some pretty, all dressed neat
ly, though many wore ill-chosen and unbecoming
fnery. One of these, who had a mock gold chain
and bracelets, and a profusiOn of jet trimmings
upon cheap silk dress, spoke very emphatically :
at is the stingiest proceeding l ever heard OFF,


"What are you all so excited about" asked
pretty little blonde, coming in from the loomroom


"Ellen Churchill"


"Dear me! What has she been doing now? ?? You
arealways discussing some dreadful deed of Elen's
like her myself"


eyes, we all know that" said the first speaker;
"you will defend anything Ellen does"


"But what has she done"


"Refused to sign the subscription list for the
tankard to be presented to Mr.. Rodman."


"And Mr.. Rodman has been such good friend
to herv' said a third voice.


The little blonde, Susy Whiting by name, looked
rather staggered at the new accusation against her
friend Mr.. Rodman, managerf for Meredith d Son
for nearly fifty years, about to retire on ac-
count Of the infirm.ies Of &c ana tie persons en-
gagged in the great factory We're eOlIecClDg money
to buy silver tankard to present to him. He was
q kindly old man, and always ready to lend
helping hand to the small army of work-people
under his control; so that the presentation was
really gift of love.


Ellen Churchill had come to the great factory
two years previous to the date of the indignation
meeting in the ante-room, and had risen to the po
sition Of forewoman in one of the loom-rooms.-
She was handsome girl Of about twenty when
she applied for work, and by every action and
word betrayed the fact that she had stepped from
a life of refinement to the drudgery of factory
hand. Her low, even tone betrayed the lady in
its well-chosen words; and her slim, white hands
bore no trace of toll upon their smooth skin. She
was courteous to all who came into intercourse
with her, but intimate with none. She had nursed
Susy Whiting through long period of contagious
fever, winning the devotion of that little maiden,
and the manager soon put her into positions of
trust till she became forewoman. Here her edu-
cation enabled her to keep the books required In
the room, thus doubling her salary.


And here was the great ground of complaint by
her companions. 1t was well known that the sal
airy of Ellen Churchill was sufficient to warrant q
good style of living and dressing. In the great
boarding house, where seventy of the girls had
rooms, she could we'll afford to pay for the best to
contribute to the amusement of the house, and
dress well. Instead of all this, she lived in the
attic, poorly furnished, with tiny stove, where
she cooked the cheapest of food. Her dress was
of the coarsest description, made by her own
hands, and ornament brokeits severe simplicity.
She never spent money in any pleasure-seeking,
nor Joined in any of the quiet merriment in the





to contribute to the silver tankard.


The excited group in the ante-room dispersed
for the day, walking home in the twilight OF Sep
tember evening, and still they talked of the young
forewoman.


"The question is," said Mary Leigh, who had
been foremost in the ante-room discussion, "what
does she do with her money? She never puts any
in the factory savings bank; she certainly spends
nothing on her dress. Where is it all then?"
"perhaDs she suppOrts her parents 2"
"Both dead I have heard her say SOP
"Well, 1 dare say Mr.. Rodman won't think her
such paragon as he has done, when he misses her
name from the subscription list"


"And Walter Rodman will probably resent the
insult to his father"


There was an cxultation in the tone of the last
| remark, but ill-eoncealeds Walter Rodman, the
only child of the old manager, was in the count
ing house of the factory, with every prospect OF
| soon becoming partner. A man past thirty, he
! had risen in the employ of Meredith Son, from
a lad of fourteen, and had saved money from q
| handsome salary, with the avOwed intention OF
purchasing place in the firm, upon the anticlpa-
ted retirement of old Mr.. Meredith, who was known
to favor the intention. Among all the clerks and
workman in the great factory, there was no one SC
handsome as Walter Rodman, none so quietly re-
| fined in manner none 80 great faVorite with all
But he had gone through thirty years of life fancy
Free until Ellen Churchill came to the factory.
There was something in the noble, refined TACT
of the young girl that attracted Walter Rodmar
| from the first. That thcre was some heavy trou
BILE broodng in the sadness Of her great dark eye
he never doubted; but if ever purity and goodnes
| were pictured in human countenance, they were II
Ellen's. From his father he learned much OF tn
new-c conner, of the quick adaptability she showed
for work evidently new to her, of the almost mas
culine brain that fitted her so soon to take contro
of the loom room where over hundred girls wer


at work.
Of her antccedents, he knew only that she brough


a letter from clergyman of her parish, in smal
town of New York State. That she was wOmal


of culture and refinement they could see for them


selves


But Walter Rodman, by nature frank and true


as his heart more and more acknowledged Ellie


for its queen, grieved over the evident mystery i


her life. While in her conversation she advance


noble and generous views, her whole style OF hV
ing was penurious to an extent rarely seen in VIC


men of her age, when living upon much smalle


salary than she commanded. 1t was not merel
, economy, but saving pushed to extremity.


There was a struggle constantly in the mind {


the young clerk-a struggle between his love an


his fear of repentance, if he urged his suit ltwa


revolving to him to think of his wife conductin


his household upon parsimonious principles, n
fusng to bestow of his abundance in charit.


dressing meanly, and perhaps influencing him


the same miserly habits. And yet, one hour wit
! Ellen drove away all such thoughts.