Part 20 (1/2)
”Well, et to madam's,” said Cora ”She'll be sent in to help us try on our things”
They were soon in front of the shop with the big' glass front--the only real, big glass front in Chelton--and behind the plate was displayed a single hat--a creation--as Madam Julia described it
Madam Julia was very exclusive
The door-boy, a dapper little colored chap, in an exceedingly tight-fitting suit of blue, with innumerable brass buttons on it, in double rows in front, in triple rows behind, and in single rows on sleeves, opened the portal for the young ladies, bowing low as he did so
”I guess this is Mary co now,” said Cora in a low voice as she heard so from behind the silken draperies that separated part of the shop
But the three custoirl appeared through the parted curtains
”Miss Ki her own nairl's answer ”I will tell madam”
”Where is Mary?” whispered Bess
”That accounts for the sign I saw,” spoke Cora, telling her chums of the notice that an apprentice anted ”Mary ed Madam would never keep two--in Chelton”
Madam Julia, as she was always called, entered with a swish of skirts and leaving a trail of French instructions behind her in the work-roo on this ”effect” and the reshaping of that ”creation”
”Ah, yes, Mees Kian ”I am all in readiness--but--pardon--zat Marie--she haf left me--in such hastiness--I am all at what you call ze ocean--how you express it?”
With a pretty little ly at Cora
”You mean all at sea, madam”
”Ah, yes! At sea! How comprehensive! Ze sea is always troubled, and so am I Zat Marie she left s--I depend so much on her--”
”Has Miss Downs left?” Cora could not refrain fro
”Ha! Yes! Zat is eet Precisely So quickly she go away an' leaf me She does not think much about it, perhaps, but I am too busy to be so annoyed Just some relation not well--indisposition, one--it was not so in irl must leaf her trade and depart with such quickness--run away
Louise! Louse! Come instantly and for me find zat motor chapeau for Mademoiselle Kimball”
Her voice rose to a shrill call
”Quick!” she called, and then ca--eet was already packed--”
Louise, who had replaced Mary Downs, found the bonnet Cora had ordered, and handed it to her an patting the irl's black tresses
”It will suit you to perfection!” exclaimed the French woman ”You have ze hair beautiful Zere!” She brushed the hood down over Cora's ears ”Zat is ze way Do not wear a motor hood as if it was a tiara!
Zat is of a hatefulness! Such bad taste! Voila--what is it zat you As Yes, zat is what I mean”
The hood certainly looked well on Cora Bess and Belle nodded their approval It was of the old-fashi+oned Shaker type, of delicate pongee silk, and showed off to advantage Cora's black, wavy fair, as it fell softly about her te?” deue ”Zat--what you call Shaker--eet is ze prettiest--so chic--voila!” and once more she patted it on Cora's head
Cora was very well pleased with it Then the ht out