"
Mary had no conception of what either a department store or dry goods
might be, but determined not to confound her mentor by a display of such
ignorance.
"Seemed to me, though, you might get some things second hand, so I got a
list of likely places from my sister, who's lived in New York longer'n I
have. I thought mebbe--" her tone was tactful--"you didn't want to waste
your money any?"
Mary was impressed again, as she had been before her wedding, by the
natural good manners of this simple and half educated woman. "Why is it,"
she wondered to herself, "that one would not dream of knowing people of
her class at home, but rather likes them here?" She did not realize as
yet that for Miss Mason no classes existed, and that consequently she was
as much at ease with Mary, whose mother had been "county," as she would
be with her own colored "help."
"You guessed quite rightly, Miss Mason," Mary smiled. "I want to spend as
little as possible, and shall depend on you to prevent my making
mistakes."
"I reckon I know all there is t' know 'bout economy," nodded Miss Mason,
and, as if by way of illustration, drew from her bag a pair of cotton
gloves, for which she exchanged her kid ones, rolling these carefully
away. "They get real mussed shopping," she explained.
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