Year: 1874

do not think there is any need
of my explaining how it happened,
that I, who when born had expecta
tions Of quite . fair fortune, should
have found myself, when woman
hood came, obliged to earn my dai'
ly bread. But so it was; and in
one of the large sewine-machine EN-.
poriums (no matter which one) Of
o leading American city. l held a
position as q teacher for several
years.


My duties we're very m0notonOus; ;
but | used to extract considerable
amount Of interest and amusements
while engaged in giving instruction,
from learning the histories-and
they were varied-0f my scholars.
If the proverbial cup of tea unlocks
the female tongue, l found that a
lesson on the machine, and initia-
ton into the my steries of setting a
needle, winding bobbin, and regu'
Iating a tension, were even more
conducive to communication. do
not wish to appear egotistical but
l must confess to quite power
which l seemed to possess of gain
ing the confidence of my pupils,
through my habit of taking al in
terest in them also that l was very
fond of an ''ower true tale;" per
haps some malicious critic would
call my propensity by no higher
name than female curiosity.


Even now, though time has bro't
it's changes to me, and l no longer
haunt the old familiar places, l of.
ten find myself recalling one and
another among the many romances
and stories in which l figured as an
interested and sympathetic listener,
and occasionally an unsuspected &C.
tor.


The present recollection always
comes back to me at the Christmas
time; and therefore when the sea.
son rolls around again, with it's mer
riment and cheer, its mistletoe and
holly, its written and unwritten
tragedies and comedies of life, l feel
like recounting it to others.


The position of instructress bro't
me almost entirely in contact with
my own sex. Sometimes 1 had a
male pupil-one of a mildly mechan-
ical turn, who would wish to become
familiar with the machine, so as to
be able to assist some wife or sister;
but the instruction room, as rule,
was usually quite free from frequent
visits of the sterner sex.


During the fall of a special year
1 became conscious, however, that a
certain Mr.. Harry Lee, gentleman
whom / knew to be an intimate &C.
quaintance of one of my employ
ers, and whose face was quite we'll
known to all in the establishment,
began to occasionally drop into my
department and look ON during in
struction hours. He was very pleas
ant and gentlemanly in his manners,
and gave as an excuse4for the inter.
est he took, that he was born Yam
kee and therefore very fond of in
ventions.


Although there were other teach
ers, 1 discovered that he fingered
most frequently in my vicinity, and
seemed more Interested in my con-
versation than that Of my compan-
ions. l was young at the time, and
no doubt had the usual desire of
my sex to please. l felt f1attered,
perhaps, at his respectful attention,
and took particular pains to make
my observations on "what l knew
about sewing-machines" as intelli-
gent rs my limited powers permit
ted. He soon became frequent
visitor, and sometimes when bust.
ness was dull would linger and con.
verse on other subjects besides the
technicalities of the trade. found
that he was well educated, had trav
eled considerably in his own coun-
try, and knew, as they say, "men
and things" His intimate friend
ship with one of the firm prevented
any remarks as to the frequently Of
his visits; and he made the addi-
tional apology for possible intrusion,
that be wasvery much at his leisure,
and sometimes thought of connect
ing himself with the business. l
mu st admit that was quite inter
.ested in him, and felt pleased when
sometimes he would bring me some
favorite book about which we had
conversed and exchanged views, or