prosperity of the little shop, her sister's absence had already
told on its business. Now that Ann Eliza had to carry the bundles
to the dyer's herself, the customers who called in her absence,
finding the shop locked, too often went elsewhere. Moreover, after
several stern but unavailing efforts, she had had to give up the
trimming of bonnets, which in Evelina's hands had been the most
lucrative as well as the most interesting part of the business.
This change, to the passing female eye, robbed the shop window of
its chief attraction; and when painful experience had convinced the
regular customers of the Bunner Sisters of Ann Eliza's lack of
millinery skill they began to lose faith in her ability to curl a
feather or even "freshen up" a bunch of flowers. The time came
when Ann Eliza had almost made up her mind to speak to the lady
with puffed sleeves, who had always looked at her so kindly, and
had once ordered a hat of Evelina. Perhaps the lady with puffed
sleeves would be able to get her a little plain sewing to do; or
she might recommend the shop to friends. Ann Eliza, with this
possibility in view, rummaged out of a drawer the fly-blown
remainder of the business cards which the sisters had ordered in
the first flush of their commercial adventure; but when the lady
with puffed sleeves finally appeared she was in deep mourning, and
wore so sad a look that Ann Eliza dared not speak. She came in to
buy some spools of black thread and silk, and in the doorway she
turned back to say: "I am going away to-morrow for a long time. I
hope you will have a pleasant winter." And the door shut on her.

One day not long after this it occurred to Ann Eliza to go to
Hoboken in quest of Mrs. Hochmuller. Much as she shrank from
pouring her distress into that particular ear, her anxiety had
carried her beyond such reluctance; but when she began to