chosen a task especially fitted to her powers, as she had money,
time, tact, and the winning manners that make friends everywhere.

Beaming with pleasure at their approval, but feeling that they made
too much of her small success, Anna called the club to order by
saying, "Ella looks as if she were anxious to tell her experiences,
so perhaps we had better ask her to hold forth next."

"Hear! hear!" cried the girls; and, nothing loath, Ella promptly
began, with twinkling eyes and a demure smile, for HER story ended
romantically.

"If you are interested in shop-girls, Miss President and ladies, you
will like to know that _I_ am one, at least a silent partner and
co-worker in a small fancy store at the West End."

"No!" exclaimed the amazed club with one voice; and, satisfied with
this sensational beginning Ella went on.

"I really am, and you have bought some of my fancy-work. Isn't that
a good joke? You needn't stare so, for I actually made that
needle-book, Anna, and my partner knit Lizzie's new cloud. This is
the way it all happened. I didn't wish to waste any time, but one
can't rush into the street and collar shabby little girls, and say,
'Come along and learn to sew,' without a struggle, so I thought I'd
go and ask Mrs. Brown how to begin. Her branch of the Associated
Charities is in Laurel Street, not far from our house, you know; and
the very day after our last meeting I posted off to get my 'chore.'
I expected to have to fit work for poor needlewomen, or go to see
some dreadful sick creature, or wash dirty little Pats, and was