He looked at me and gave me an answer which
exactly coincided with my theories. He said this, and it was just what I wanted him to say.
"If you do hand-work you'll have to use your mind. Lots of girls come in here with an idea they can let their thoughts wander; but you've got to pay strict attention. You can't do hand-work mechanically."
"All right, sir," I responded. "What do you pay?"
"I'll give you six dollars a week while you're learning." I could hardly control a movement of delight. Six dollars a week! A dollar a day for an apprentice!
"But"—my next question I made as dismal as possible—"when do you pay?"
"Generally not till the end of the second week," the kindly voice said; "but we could arrange to pay you at the end of the first if you needed the money."
"Shall I come in Monday?"
"Come in this afternoon at 12:30 if you're ready."
"I'm ready," I said, "but I ain't brought no lunch with me, and it's too late now to get home and back again."