How dared he? what had I
done that he should believe me such a thing as that? I don't know what
words I used when I did find them, and I don't care, but they must have
stung. I can't tell you how he looked, but it was dreadful; and he said,
'I'll bring down that proud spirit of yours yet, my lady. I'm not
through with you,--don't think it,--not by a good deal'; and then he
made me a fine bow, and laughed, and went out of the room.
"The next day Mr. Dodd--that's one of our firm--gave me a week's notice
to quit: 'work was slack,' he said, 'and they didn't want so many
girls.' But I'm just as sure as sure can be that Mr. Snipe's at the
bottom of it, for I've been at the store, as I told you, four years and
more, and they always reckoned me one of their best hands, and Mr. Dodd
and Mr. Snipe are great friends. Since then I've done nothing but try to
get work. I must have been into a thousand stores, but it's true work is
slack; there's not a thing been doing since the war commenced, and I
can't get any place. I've been to Miss Russell and some of the ladies
who used to come to the store, to see if they'd give me some fine
sewing; but they hadn't any for me, and I don't know what in the world
to do, for I understand nothing very well but to sew, and to stand in a
store. I've spent all my money, what little I had, and--and--I've even
sold some of my clothes, and I can't go on this way much longer.
Pages:
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79