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Only A Shop Girl

Only A Shop Girl image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
July
Year
1871
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

" Gloves, sir ? " Yes sir. What numbcr f " The words feil with a tired sigh from the lips of the young girl who stood behind tho counter, and caused Douglas Lennox to take a second look into the sweet face and dark grey eyes which met his for tlie first timo. Bending over the box of gloves which she had taken down for his inspection, the young girl sighcd again, and Douglas hastily rose from the stool upon whinh he had lazily dropped. " I ara ashamed to sit when you aro standing," he said ; " I am sure you must be véty tired, aro you not ? " The young girl would have refused to notice a remark from most strangers, upon any subject except their purchases. There are somc people we instinetively feel we can trust, and Douglas Lennox's kind voice, and frank, honest face effectually disaruied resentment. She lookcd and said : " Eather tired. I have been on my feet all day," and the faint smile which diuipled the corners of her mouth added, in the young inau's eyes, to the winning beauty of her face. " But surely you can sit down when you have a spare moment ! " he said, somewhat indignantly. The young girl shivok her head. " No, not in business liours." " It is a shame," suid Douglas, " I have heard that such abominations existed in our city, but I never really believed it." " It is allowed in some stores," said the young lady. "Then why do you not leavo your place here and go to such a one ? askcd Douglas. She gave another faiut smile. " If you had been a shop girl for fogr years, and knew the difficulties of getting a situation, you would not ask that question." Then hastily pushing a second box of gloves toward hini, she added in a iuwer tone: " Mr. Sheldon is coming this way. I should lose my place here if he heard what I said. Picase look at the gloves." And Douglas, not stopping to examine whether he got the number he wüiited or not, quickly selected two or three pairs, paid tor tliem and left the store. But carried with him the imago of the sweet-faced shop girl, and it haunted him unaccountably all day. " Poor, tired little thing," he said, pityingly. " I wish she were my sister, and then she needn't work so hard. Once or twice he curled his haughty lip at the idea that he, the aristocratie Douglas Lennox, who was solo master ot' a handsoiue place on the Delaware, who counted his money by the thousands nul who for certain reasons had been the lawful prey of all the managing manimas and matriinonially inclincd daughters in society, should be wasting so many thoughts on a little shop girl. But she was aristocratie, he was also democratie, and had no false notions about caste. And when rathcr early next morning he took his way to the same store, Douglas acknowledged te hiraself that his purchase was merely an excuse and his real object an honorable interest in and a warm desire to soo again the winning face which haunted hiui ever since yesterday. That she recognized him, Douglas feit sure, trom the faint, sweet suiile that agnin dimpled the corners of her small inouth. But he saidnothing, however, only with an eager glance 01 admiration, and, whe:i in making change, her soft hand accidently touched his, it sent a thrill through his whole frame. " Whew ! " he said to himself, lifting his hat and drawing a free breath as he lei'1 the store. " Douglas Lennox, I believe in my soul you are captivated at last and that, too, by a little shop girl, whose name you don't even know ! Wonder what sister would say ! " And as he thought of his stylish sister entering the sume store, and perhaps, trading with that very little girl, entirely unconsciou that her brother's eye had ever rested ad miringly on the sweet face, Dougla laughed aloud. WftU, aftcr tho little speech he made as he left the store, I think you can imagino about what followed. It was astonishing how man y littïo purchases Douglas found he could not do without in tho noxt few weeks. And from dropping in at any store he happened to pass, he went to one particular store ; and if it so happened that hu was waited on by any other than the one particular clerk, he had tho blues all day in consequaice. How earnestly he longcd to learn her name, nobody knew but himself. He darcd not ask her, and he did not know kow else he should learn. But " fortune favors the brave," you know ; so one morning as he was selecting soiue fine cambric handkerchiefs from a box, the proprietor of the store came up and addressed her as Miss Romer. Douglas flashed a quick, pleased glance at hor, and the color deepened on the young girl'8 cheek as she met it with hei fiYfi. " Miss Romer," he repoated, I ara glad I have leimied your name, becauso you romind me of ray sister." (Oh, Don glas ! it wasn't becauso she looked liko her then n " I have no sisters, or brothers either," she said sadly. " Have you not ? " said Lennox, pityingly. " I should be very lonely without mine, though I have only onc sister. " Now I havo learncd your name, may I teil you mine 'i " " If you please," said Miss Romer. " It is Douglas Lennox at your service. Please consider the owner your frii-nd. Miss Romer," said the young man so gravely and kindly that she could not be offendcd. " Thank you," she said simply. Thrn pushing the box of handkerchiefs nea him, added, " Do these suit t " Douglas was very quick to tako th gentle reminders which she sometimo gave him, that he was prolonging hi stny, eü hc tUV'ned his attehlio'n to tho handkorcliitifs. It chftnced thaf MissKomer still lftt her hand rest on the edgo of tho box. It was a vory small wliito hand, with little i limpies at the joints, nul pink, shelí-like n:iU, and Ijeiinox, who was a passioiuit:! ftdtnirefr of pretfcy-handa, longed to clasp theni in his owa, and }vi'ss tluni to his Ups. But ho wap h cliivalrous gontlciinin, and would no more have takon uiiy libiiy with the humble shop girl than with he higlie.st lady in the lund. About this time Douglas took to enrly Ulorning Walks, whioh ge'nerally led down o Chi'stnut si reet. Whether the fact hut he occasionally met Ilias liomer on ïcr way to the store, and oneo or twiee valkvl witli luir liad anytliing to do with he matter ot not, I eannot say. ]!ut after Kuch occiisons I do know that rhe spirits ot' Mr. Douglas J.iüinox. iiniroved considerably, One Suaday aftetnoon zieai Btinset, )ouglas lut't a lively circle in Uis isti r'.s larlor, ind wdiit out for a quiet walk by iini-rlf. He enterea one of tho parks; ind was strolling through the sunny, jreen paths, wnën liis heart gave a quicK )ound at the sight ot' a trim little figure n blue. resting on onoof the shady seuts. ■Vr a moment he hesitut d, then he rossed over and spoke. " Good oviüiing, Miss Romer." Miss Homer aroso witu the lady-lïke grace whicli luid long told Dnughi that lic was used to eultivated society, and cturncd his salutation. And then they ait down together, and yiolding to the alm Sabbath evening influonces they 'ell into a quiot talk, as naturally as if hry had been old aequaiutimoes. They talked of themselves, und Miss iomcr told Dduglas that her home had leed in New Haven, and her father was ituHeman of nieans, who had lavishod upon her, his only child, cvcry advantoge which money and taste could procuiO, She told him of the death of her father ml niother in a single week, and how her 'ather's estáte proved involved, and left ïer penniless and alone. She told him she had sought for some ïcans by which to support hcrself, and ie had finaHy obtainod her situation in Mr. Sheldon's store, and kept horsolf in onifort. And Douglas told hor that ho, too, was n orphan, ouly himself and Bell left : jut he touched very lightly on the wealth liat was his, lest it should give her pain. Wltile they talknd, Miss Romer dropped ïer fan, and Douglas piking it up, saw rotten upon the plain, ivory handle the une, " Ilelen Komer." " Helen was my mother's name," said ie reverently. " Was it ? It is mine," said Miss Komer, in pleased surprise. " I m glad it is yours," said Douglas, nd he feil to thinking how ofton he had ritten his mother's name, " Helen Lenox," and how mueh ho would liko to write it again with an " E " between the ames. They sat vei-y süll a little while, hardy talking at all, and forgetting the Kiteess of the hour, until the gleam of the trcot lamps close by startlcd Miss Iloner. fcihc hastily arose, saying, " 1 dïd not cnow it was so l;ite. 1 must go home at I nee." Douglas rose, too, saying, " May I accompany you 'i " She hesitated a moment, her color carne and wunt, and tixai) she, looking up with a plcuding glance, said: "I had rather you would not, Mr. Lennox." Douglas flushed then, but he asked genÜy, "Will you teil me why 'r " Helen was silent, and crimson deepening in her fair face, and presontly Douglas repeated his demand in a iirmer tono " Please teil me why, Miss Romer." " Because, Mr. Lennox, a your.g girl in my position cannot iiavc tho trlendstup ot' a gt'iitlenian in yours without - " she icsitatod and could not go on. Without making herself a mark for idle and thoughtless tongues, I suppose you nican ! " asked Douglas, with a dash of jittemess in his tone. ÍShe bowod hur hoad in assent. Douglas quickly akod unotb.er quesioii : " Miss Romor, I have sought your society a good ruany times latoly. Havo [ been tho causo of any such pain to you ? " Helen seemed deeply aitated, and did not reply until the young inan said cn;reatingly, " Teil me, Miss Bomer." " A little," sho answerod faiutly, then once more looking up at hiin with a pleading flanee which touched lus heart, jhe added, " But I know you did not intend it, and I have been trying all tho evening to teil you that when we part hi:ic, it had better be for good." The young nian's resolution was instantly tjikin. "You shall not teil me any such thing, nor I don't mean to part with you at all. I understand what you mean, and I would give ïny right hand- yes, my life - rather than hij ure you. But I suppose that even a shop girl may have an honest lover, a husband, and a home. Miss Romer - Helen - if I offer you these, will you accept them V " Helen Romer trembled so that she was obliged to sit down again. " You cannot mean it," she faltcrcd. "Oh, Mr. Lennox, don't triflo with me ! " Douglas sat down boside hor, and took in his own ono of the littlc hands ho luid so longcd to hold and caress. " God ] knows I would not triüc with you, dcar i girl," hc aaid solemnly, " and Ho knows I ' do mean it, I never meant anything in my lifo before. I have lovcd you, Helen ' - let me cali you so - ever since the first time I met you in the store, and I have longed to take you away from toil, and surround you with luxury. I am able to do this, Helen, for I am wealtby, though I did not teil you this before." " And I am only a poor girl, with nothing to offer you in return," said Helen softly. " Ñothing ! you have thn most precious possession that ever comes to a man in the world - you have a woman's heart, in y darling ! Will you give me that ? " " If you will takeit, Mr, Lonnox." And Lennox, too deeply moved to R]ic:ik, dtow hor close to his heart, as they sat in the tbiok shadow, and pressed his first kiss upon her lips. Helen's days of weary toil were over, but she never forget, while reigning queen of her husband's princely home, how his love songht her out when " only a shop girl." And many a yonng girl who stood in her fonnor position f'ound a true fricnd and ready helper ia the bcautiful and pottod wife of Douglas Lennox.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus