wls and pitchers and have the
milk measured out to them from large tin cans."

"Your youth must have been in the Dark Ages. I never heard of such a
thing."

"I am often impressed by your ignorance of simple matters. Yesterday,
out in the southwestern part of this very town, where I went to look
for a seamstress, I heard again one of those bells rung lustily, and
there was the tin can, as of old, riding majestically on the front
seat of the wagon; but probably as a concession to modern prejudice
the milkman was supplied with bottles, too. Come and tell me what you
think of my rainy-day window."

Marion crossed the room. "It looks cheerful," she said, "but I hardly
think it will bring us many customers to-day. It is too bad even for
James Mandeville."

Norah had ransacked their stock for the brightest draperies, gayest
baskets, and oddest jars, making of them a sort of barbaric medley not
ungrateful to the eye, which she regarded with satisfaction.

"Well," she said, "if we have no customers, I shall have all the more
time to give to collars. I am sorry I could not find a seamstress. I
did not dream there would be such a demand."

"And there is probably some one who would be glad to do them if we
only knew," said Marion. "Would it be worth while to advertise?"

Not troubled with much custom, the shopkeepers were working and
chatting in the south window that afternoon, when Miss Sarah Leigh put
her head in at the door.

"I hate to come in, I'm so wet," she said; "I'll leave my umbrella
outside."

"You need not mind," said Norah, rising. "As you see, we have a large
rubber mat and an umbrella-stand, and this is the first time we have
needed them."

"Thank you. I had to go to the grocery, and as Aunt Sally was out of
knitting cotton, I dropped in to get some. It is a dreadful day."

Norah pushed a chair to the fire, "Sit down and have a cup of tea.
Miss Carpenter and I are just going to have some."

Miss Sarah accepted the chair. "I have no business to,--I have a
thousand things to do; but this seems a veritable haven of rest."

Susanna now entered, a model of the respectable, elderly maid,
carrying a tray which she placed before Marion.

"Another cup please, Susanna," said Marion; and while she poured the
tea, Norah coaxed the fire into a blaze, remarking that it had fallen
into the way of sympathizing with the weather.

"Are you in the habit of treating your customers in this fashion?"
Miss Sarah asked,