The Green Satin Gown by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards
page 18 of 106 (16%)
page 18 of 106 (16%)
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return to her modest greeting, and looked after her with approval,
and said, "Nice gal!" to each other; but Mary hurried on until she came to the finishing-room. Here she hoped to find a friend whom she could consult about her discovery; and, sure enough, old James Gregory was sitting on his accustomed stool, tying bundles of paper with the perfection that no one else could equal. His back was turned to the door, and he was crooning a fragment of an old paper-mill song, which might have been composed by the beating engine itself, so rhythmic and monotonous it was. "'Gene, 'Gene, Made a machine; Joe, Joe, Made it go; Frank, Frank, Turned the crank, His mother came out, And gave him a spank, And knocked him over The garden bank." At Mary's cheerful "Good morning, Mr. Gregory!" the old man turned slowly, and looked at the young girl with friendly eyes. "Good day, Mary! glad to see ye! goin' along home?" "In just a minute! I want to show you something, Mr. Gregory, and to ask your advice, please." |
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