2 A Woman's Story. I Ail somewhat tired or boating people say that I am unlike other girls, and I will save you that trouble gentle reader, and announce hero that I know I am unlike the majority of women, though I trust you will not find me unwomanly or masculine. Just when this fact became Dint evident . to myself I cannot say. I am sure, as a child I was like other children loved to play just as heartily and study as littlo as any of them. But whon I was a little older I remember my choice of practical studies was the source of amusement among my companions, and I took more delight In mathematics than I (lid in phil osophy, logic or French. Just when I began to differ from my sister May I as much of a mystery, but I found myself taking much more interest in listening to father telling of his business than I did in the platitudes of the average beau. It is of no consequence when or how this chnngo began, but it is a fact known to my mother and sister, as well as to myself, that I was not, in tastes or lino of thought, at all like tho rest of tho girls of my own ago and set. Tho difference between May and myself was made evident when father thought we ought to do some of the housework, as his business was not satisfactory, and our ex penses were heavy. May choso the task of keeping the living room and parlor in order, whilo 1 asked to be allowed to man age the marketing in every department. And I was as fully satisfied with my work as May was with her dainty task in the parlor. I supposo tho butchers and grocers said to each other, that I " was unlike other girls," when I explained to each of thorn that I was to do nil -the buying hereafter, and Unit they should givo no credit on father's account unless on a written order. 1 suppose too, my manner of checking their weights and measures, and watching their prices, was "unlike other girls," but ,1 saved my father, the first year I had this position, a very respectable sum, and I was so well posted at the end of the year, that I kucw I could do much better the next But when the second year was only a month old, a malignant feaver carried my father out of this world, and changed the life of every member of our household. Father had becu tho senior in the firm of Holliday, Gay & Co., and in fact he was the bead and front of the business, which was " Wholesale dealers in notions and ' fancy goods." We were a large family, seven of us chil dren and mother ; and I, Kale Holliday, the eldest ot the children, being twenty-two. Mother bad no knowledge of what my father had in business, and we were all surprised to find the amount was but thirty- thousand dollars. The question was, what would we do ? eight of us to live on an income of thirty thousaud dollars. Mr. Gay and Ellis were called in to advise with me. Mr.' Gay had been the book-keeper of the firm from its foundation; Ellis had been partner but a few years, and his duties were to take care of the goods', "stock man," in the business term. ' After the first greetings we sat about tho stove waiting for some one to open up the question, " what should we do?" No oiic seemed to want to begin, so I started the ball myself, witli : " Well, Mr. Gay, we want you to advise us a little about our future." " Really, Kate," said he, "I hardly know what to say, Ellis and myself find our bus iness in a more complicated shape than is pleasant to contemplate. The capital of the firm to-day is but fifty thousand, dol lars. Of this your father held thirty thou sand, and Mr. Ellis five thousand dollars. ' We lost heavily in business last year, and are worth but half as much as we were three years ago. We look for a good trade this spring, however, and think and your father thought, we shall make up this year some of the losses." " Why does trade look better now?" I asked. " Because prices were continually drop ping the last three years, and competition . has been ruinous. Two of the competitors have been compelled to close up, this winter, . thus leaving a good field open to us, and prices are re-acting and will undoubtedly advance during the entire season." , " Were those father's views?" : "Yes, certainly ; I am but quotiug him, for be was tho busiuess man of the firm." . . " What investment oau we make of our money," I asked, " that will be safe and profitable?" "Mr. Ellis aud myself have been talking the matter over'" said he, "and think there is no reason why any change should be made In the firm. We have decided to propose to you that you should let the firm go on as it is ; you to take your share . of the profits, only paying out of it the salary of a man who can tuke my place at the books, so that I can devote myself to the general management of the business." I turned to mother, and her faoe had a vacant look in it, as if all this conversation was of no interest to her. , May was cro cheting away busily, and looking ns con tented as if she bad a large dowry to de pend jipon for a living. Kit, the eldest of the other five was playing with the tail of a cat, as a boy of fifteen will usually do when business is on the tapis. Mr. Gay and Ellis looked at me as if I was to decido, but I did not feel at all com petent to tako such a responsibility upon myself. "Did you hear Mr. Gay's proposition mother ?" 1 inquired. . . " Yes, dear, what do you think of it ?" "I don't know," I answered. "What is your opinion?" ' , . i. " I have no head for business, Knto. I must trust to you and Mr. Gay." I know this was likely to be ber answer to all similar questions I should put to her, and yet 1 did not like to decide the matter off-hand. 1 ' " This is a point we cannot decide to night hut will give you our answer in a day or two," I said to Mr. Gay. "Very well," said he, "we have no doubt but that it is a good investment for you, and it will enable us to continue iu business, as wo could not do if your share of the capital is withdrawn. We talked the matter over after the gen tlemen had gone, but mother and May seemed determined to place the decision entirely upon my shoulders. " I must leave it with you, Kate," said mother. "But you know as much, if not more about such matters than I do," I ans wered. " No, dear, yon have a head for business and I have not," she said. The next morning I attempted to talk it over again but it was of no use ; they would persist in agreeing with me in every thing, and had no opinion of their own to offer. I put on my hat and walked down to Uncle John's storo. Thcie is no busier man in Chicago than Undo John. He is head in an importing house, and our only living relative. Of course he was busy when 1 entered the office, and I consoled myself by saying he was always busy. "Why, Kate, my dear," said he, "I'm glad to sco you. Shove tho papers off tho chair, and sit down hero besido mo. I'm awful busy, as usual, but not so much so but that I can do anything for you that yon want done." . " Thank you, Uncle. I'm here on a mat ter of business, and want your advice," and then I laid before him Mr. Gay's prop osition. lie listened carefully until I bad conclud ed and then said : Suppose I look tho business up a little more before we decido. I am engaged for this morning, but this afternoon I will see Gay, and then call around at your house to-night. I thanked him warmly, for I felt he was going to do just what ought to be done,ar.d then I went home to await the result. Ho reported that evening. "I find the business," said he, "is as Mr. Gay reported. They have had Tory hard times those last three years, to-day their affairs look more promising than evei bo fore. I think your money will bring you a bet ter income if left in the store, than if taken out and iuvested elsewhere. Gay and Ellis are neither of them very energolio,but both are thoroughly honest and reliable. I wish you were a man, Kate. I believe you could manago the business bettor than either of them ; but as things are, I would advise you to continue your father's share in tho business." This was his advice, and we followed it. Then we began to cut down our house hold expenses to correspond with our pros pects, and found many avenues for retrench ment, Kit went back to school; May still at tend to the dusting of the parlor, and en joyed life to tho utmost ; mother was the same pleasant borne body she had been in the best days and devoted herself to the younger children, while I was a sort of head manager of all. In this way the year rolled around, and tho firm of Holladay, Gay & Co., mado an inventory of their affairs. The sales for the year had been one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. The gross profits, fif teen thousand, the expenses, eight thou sand seven hundred, leaving a not profit of six thousand three hundred dollars. Of this our share was three thousand seven hundred aud eighty dollars, but from that we had to pay the salary of Mr. Thorton, twelve hundred, leaving our actual share of the profits,wo thousand five hundred and eighty dollars, or a trifle over eight per cent, on our capital. I was disappointed at this showing. It was not at all as good as I hoped it would be. Mr. Gay saw that it was uot up to my expectations, and confessed be was disap pointed himself, but, after all, he thought, we had dono better than the years before and might still better things the coming year. After b.i was gone, I attempted to tilk the mutter over with mother and May, but it was the same old story ; they bad a yes for my jes, and no for my no, but- no suggestion of their own to offer. My re course was Uncle John again. " Well, dear," he said when I called on him the next morning, " I am glud to see you, and how is the balance sheet." "Not quite up to my expectations," I answered, " but hore It is, aud I want to see what you think of it." 1 He examined it critically ; made some computations on a bit of paper, then said, " No it is not so good as we bad reason to hope It would be. In the first place, tho sales are very small, and do not show ener gy In pushing the business ; theu the gross profits are small, unless the losses from bad debts are more than they ought to be, and the expenses are too much for the amount of business done. Still you may safely say, that what was done last year, will be ac complished again this year, and you are really sure of this much incomo, with a good probability of increasing it." " But it scorns to me we ought to have at loast ten per cent, on our money, Uncle John," said I " and I think if the business had been pushed energetically, we would have had twice as much." "There is no doubt of that, but Gny hns always depended upon your father, and Ellis has done the same. Gay is a first rato man to attend to the books and watch the accounts, but ho can't make an ener getic gonoral manager." " I wish I could put some energy Into him," I said. " Why not go into the store and look after things a little ?" he aoked. "Nothing would suit me better." "Are yon in earnest?" "I was, but I didn't suppose you were," was my answer. " I really was not, when I spoke, but upon my word, I see nothing to prevent," said he. " You have good judgmont, and if you bad been a man I would have had you in there long ago." " Lot us see Mr. Gay about it," I said. On our way there Uncle thought up what he should say. Mr. Gay and Ellis followed us into the office, and after a few common placo re marks, Uncle came to the point. " Gentlemen, my niece has been to see me about the last year's business, and I share her disappointment in the result." " We were disappointed in it ourselves," said Mr. Gay. " I presume so," said Uncle John. "Now Kato thinks, and I agree with her, that her head is worth something though it is a woman's. She would like to come in here and take some part in the business. I think she would be a valuable acquisi tion to the house and we are here able to talk the matter over." " But what could you do Kate ?" asked Mr. Gay. " I can, at least, take the place of an en try clerk," I said, " if nothing more." " I will tell you what she will do, said Uncle John. She will prove horself as good a buyer as there is in the trade ; she will see places to practice economy that you have not ; she will have ideas about doing business that you will find val uable." "I think you might bo a help to us, Kate," said Mr. Gay, heartily, "and I will be glad to have you take hold with us." " So will I," said Ellis, just as heartily, and it was settled. Mother was somewhat opposed to it when I told her, and May was inclined to think it would affect our social position; hut both finally came to my view, and I began life as a " business woman." At first, I was morely an assistant clerk but I caught the business names and terms and strove to bring my hand-writing from the cramped feminine, to a plain business stylo, and succeeded. Then we discharged the entry clerk, and I assumed his duties. When I had a moment's leisure time, I gave it to studying the goods, their names and uses. After I bad become familiar with these, I took up, tho subject of cost, and then of the selling prices in our mark et and by the end of May I was pretty well posted. I frequently visited Uncle John, and many little bits of practical wisdom came to me out of his experieuce. Our force in the store consisted of Mr. Gay, Ellis, a " house man" and the porter; we kept one man on the road soliciting or ders. My experience so far had shown me that our traveling man was not a first-class salesman. He had been with the house several years, and was a good, honest man, but not very energetic or ambitious ; satis fied to keep such a trade as he bad, with out trying to add to it. We had several talks about him, and while Mr. Gay agreed with me in my esti mate of him, he said it would be impossi ble to replace him, by a man who would do any better. One day oue of our custo mers, after settling bis account, announced to Mr. Gay, that he bad closed up his bus iness in the country, and was ready to tuke hold of something in the city. ' I had observed the man when ho was buying goods in tho spring, aud saw he was winning aud gentlomauly. I called Mr Gay nside and suggested that Mr. Brown might bo willing to travel, and it would be no harm to sound him a little. Mr. Brown, in answer to Mr. Gay's ques. tion, said ho would be willing to travel a fow years, and would make a trial trip if we wanted him to. Wo had a consultation over the matter Mr. Gay, Ellis and I and ohunces pro, and con. were gone over. Ellis was de cidedly opposed to it ; Mr. Guy would agree to hire him or not, just as it was de cided upon, while I was in favor of giving him a trial, and endeavoring to push our busiuess out of the restricted limits we had been selling in. Would I discharge our present traveling man and put Brown in bis place ? No ; the other man had a ter ritory wherein bis succoss was good. I would confine him to that and give Brown the remainder of his route and some new territory. Mr. Gay came over to my sido, and Ellis finally gave bis consent.. . Brown was hired, and his first trip was a success. It brought us a score of new cus tomers, and the other man did much bettor within tho limits we gave him than he had ever done before, on all his old route. I was gaining confidence in myself, and in my judgment, and both Mr. Gay and Mr. Ellis, freoly admitted that the innova tions I had made, were alof them, suc cessful ones. Our spring trade showed a decided increase over the same season the year before, and in making our memoran da for fall stock, we prepared for a contin uation of this increase. It wub Mr. Gay's duty to go to New Yoik in tho spring, and fall, to buy stock, but just as he was ready to start now he was prevented by illness, and the doctor said it would be a month before he would bo able to attend to any business. What should we do? Mr. Ellis knew nothing about buying goods and though I was pret ty well posted, we thought it would never do for a woman to start ou such a mission. Uncle John, when I spoke to him about it, settled the matter nt once. " I am going to New York after stock, noxt week," ho said, "and you can go-with mo. I'll look aftor you. Mother and May did not like it, but showed them it must be done, and they made no objeotions. Undo went with me to all the houses where I wanted to buy, and place matters on a proper footing for me, and then I be gan my round of business. The first place where I bought, I was Bhowu through by the junior partner Mr. Ross a man of perhaps twenty-seven or eight. His man ner with mo was perfect. No more free dom than if we were sitting together in a drawing-room, and no affectation of supe riority over me because he was a business man, and I but a woman. After my purchase in his line were com pleted, he placed himself at my service, and went with mo to other houses, and was of great assistance too. He also made our stay pleasant outside of business ; ac companying us to tho Art Gallery, and also driving us about the city. When I bade him good-by, I felt vory well ac quainted with him, and liked him. My purchases met with approval at the store, aud we prepared for our fall trade. Our two traveling men were in high spirits and prophesied good trade on tho routes. One of the principles of the firm was that advertising did not pay. They said it did well enough for retailors but was of no use to wholesale men. This I was inclined to doubt, and many were the discussions we had on the subject. Finally I persuaded them to let me expend a few hundred dol lars, and give my theories a trial. I visitod tho printing offices, borrowed circulars and ideas, aud filially got up some lists, circulars, cards, &o., that I fancied would be what we wanted, and then I de voted a week to the task of mailing them to the country. Success again attended mo. Firms that we had never sold to, now came in to us, aud Mr. Gay was busy from morning till night waiting upon just such trade. The traveling men also wrote that the advertisements helped them with thoir customers, and business went on swim mingly the rest of the fall. Did I do anything but work in the store do you ask ? Of course I did. I attended parties, the lectures and the opera, and en joyed myself to tho utmost. I did not join the " Woman's Rights" party, however, and made no cause with them. I could see no barriers that prevented woman from going into business, if they wished ; but I noticed they all wanted to bo doctors, min isters, lawyers, editors or lecturers. Noth ing less than these suited their ambition had ready sympathy aud assistance to offer the women who were struggling hard to earn an honest living in such places as they found themselves. I bad sympathy, too, for the womeu who were studying hard to fit themselves to minister to the ills of thoir own sex. i saw many who wanted to study medicine, only if it could be done among men ; and others, who could soe no good iu a college education unless it was in a college for men. With these I had no sympathy whatever. I was a woman, and glud that I was , a woman, and while I wanted to earn my bread, and took a thorough delight in my busiuess, I hoped to remain just as woman ly s my sister May, who had none of my ambition. . . When tho year was ended, our inventory showed a somewhat different result from that of . a year before. Our sales had in creased to oue hundred aud seventy-five thousand dollars, and our net profits were thirteen thousaud five hundred against six thousand three hundred dollars the year before. This was a good incroaso surely, aud while it was not due to any one of us alone, I knew part of it was mine, and I was well satisfied. Shortly after this, I was somewhat sur prised and pleased to sue, coino into tho olllce, my New York friend, Mr. Ross ; and in the evening he called at the house with Undo John. Wo bad a very pleasant evening's chat, and were glad to hoar that he was intending to stay a week or two. Nearly every day after this he was in the store, aud the evening generally brought him around to our house. I learned to re spect blm thoroughly, and enjoy his com pany and mother and My were as much his frionds. ' - Perhaps I ought to have boen prepared for it, but I was not, and was very much surprised wheri he asked me to become his wife ; and then he told me bis visit was really made to me instead of bis relatives. My heart decided in his favor at onoe, but I was .not willing to go away from mother and May until Kit was old enough to look after them. That point had been canvassed between him and Uncle John. He would be willing, he said, to come west and take father's place in the store. Noth ing could have been better than this, and iu a fow months wo Were married. So ended my active business experience ; but my interest in tho storo hue never flag ged and my husband tells mo about affairs as if my advice was necessary to him, whilo I enjoy their success as if I was once more behind tho desk. They have been very successful, and I hope my boy will have both his father's aud mother's talent for busiuess. Yes, thank God t I have three children, and when I have them and thoir father near me, I have all the " rights" my heart desires. Important Notice ! Having laid in a very heavy stock of W I T 13 R AND 1 VlI j GOODS which must be closed out, I have decided to offer my entire as sortment at prices Regardless of Cost ! Persons wanting BARGAINS will " hit the nail on the head," by giving me a call. , IL'lio Best X?iints only JO Cents per yard and other goods in proportion. A splendid assortment of Winter BOOTS & SHOES is included in the above offer. 1 MORTIMER, New Bloomfield, Pa. November 19, 1873. Chartered March 11, 1870. - XT . 11 . Mutual Aid Society OF PENNSYLVANIA, JIOMM OFFICE : LFJJANON, Lebanon county, Penn'a. ' ITeMenl, Secretary, Treasurer, lion. J. II. KlNTOKTfl. Geo. A. Mauk. Uidkon Light. Tula Society iu bailed on the aaaeMroeut plan. Aasets subject to Assessment, $8,000,000.00. Death losses paid to dale, $00,000.00. This Society Insures for SIX POl.I.AIiH nor thousand for the nratyear: rIVK liOU.AKH annually, uer tliou Hand, tor the next vovu vitam, TV.O JjoXLAUH per thousand annually during the remainder or natural lite, and pro-rata mortality aaaeHeuieuta a eachduath may occur, whieh lor Uiti Firm Chits la aa follows: Ajj Ana. Aim I Alfa Am. As M 5S 86 67 68 M) 0 til (12 (.3 61 65 28 Ti 74 7i 77 79 HI 83 . 8.) Ml 87 88 89 W 41 92 1.7D 1.82 1.94 2.1)4 2.18 2.28 2.40 2.4ft 2.fO ".lift 2. ft) 165 At 21) , 31) HI 32 s:i ' M lift !W 87 :w lit) 40 42 411 44 45 4H 4T 41 4'J fill M 52 63 94 il 1)8 l.W) l.Oti 1.12 1.18 1.24 1.30 ; 1.411 l.W 1.00 Ii2 M M IK 6i Ii7 ISH tW 7 71 71! T For all rlneitos of 2,ooo benefit the stove rates are In ullt-aHi'M double, and tor all claaeaultf.l.wwlieuenui tripled Klt'ht eliiMc now In operation. Claasea open to In sure for f 1,000, g,uuu and SW.ixiu. Male and Female Iroiu l ilt-cn lo HIltyFlve years of aire, of Koud moral habit, iu koo1 health, hale, aud of sound miiirl, !rreR-ctivn ot rreetl, or race, may be coma members. For othur Information, address ;i:o. a. mauk, Weo'y II. It. Mutual Aid Society, I.IBAXOM, Pi. Ou, I). H. KAKI.Y. lmi. Ax't, llitrrlsliuig, Pa. 1,. W. OKAUMKIt, AttVt. On. Ats't, Oen erul Audit's OlUce, corner ot 9th Mr reel. Hud ilkll lloiul, LEBANON, l'A. H-AtlKNTH WANTKllI 8 1 bm Why not have a Beautiful Complexion? WHY BH ANNOYItu WITH ' CHAPPED HANDS ok ROUCH SKIN' tvlit'ii such 1111 agreeable aud eltectuul REMEDY CA.V DB OBTAIN ED AT SO SMAI.U A COST. 11 V U 8 1 N W It I (i U T 8 ALCOKATED ULYCERIXE TABLET." Bold by Druggists & Dealers In Toilet Articles. "0
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