Welcome to sleep stories with Steph your go-to podcast.
That offers you a calm and relaxing transition to sleep.
Into a great night's sleep.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now.
And know where you need to go.
Close your eyes.
And feel yourself sink into the support beneath you.
And let all the worries of the day go.
Drift away.
This is your time.
And your space.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And let it out with a long sigh.
That's it!
There is nothing you need to be doing now.
And know where you need to go.
Happy listening.
Lillian's Business Venture Lillian Mitchell turned into the dry goods store on Randall Street just as Esther Miller and Ella Taylor came out.
They responded coldly to her greeting and exchanged significant glances as they walked away.
Lillian's pale face crimsoned.
She was a tall slender girl of about 17 and dressed in mourning.
These girls have been her close friends once.
But that was before the Mitchells had lost their money.
Since then Lillian had been cut by many of her old chums and she felt it keenly.
The clerks in the store were busy and Lillian sat down to wait her turn.
Near to her,
Two ladies were also waiting and chatting.
Helen wants me to let her have a birthday party.
Mrs Saunders was saying wearily.
She has been promised it so long and I hate to disappoint the child,
But our girl left last week.
I cannot possibly make all the cakes and things myself.
I haven't the time or the strength.
Helen will have to do without her party.
Talking of girls,
Said Mrs Reeves impatiently,
I'm almost discouraged.
It's so hard to get a good old round one.
The last one I had was so saucy I had to discharge her and the one I have now cannot make decent bread.
I never had good luck with bread myself either.
That's Mrs Porter's great grievance too.
It's no like tarts to bake bread for all those boarders.
Have you made your jelly yet?
No,
Maria can't make it,
She says,
And I detest messing with jelly.
That I really must see to it soon.
At this point a saleswoman came up to Lillian who made her small purchases and went out.
There goes Lillian Mitchell.
Said Mrs Reeves in an undertone.
She looks very pale.
They say they're dreadfully poor since Henry Mitchell died.
His affairs were in a bad condition,
I'm told.
I'm sorry for Mrs Mitchell responded Mrs Saunders.
She's such a sweet woman.
Lydian will have to do something,
I suppose,
And there's so little chance for a girl here.
Lillian walking down the street was wearily turning over in her mind the problems of her young existence.
Her father had died the preceding spring.
He'd been a supposedly prosperous merchant.
The Mitchells had always lived well,
And Lillian was a petted and only child.
Then came the news of Henry Mitchell's sudden death and financial ruin.
His affairs were found to be hopelessly involved.
When all the debts were paid,
There was left only the merest pittance,
Barely enough to rent the house.
Barely enough for Lillian and her mother to live upon.
They moved into a tiny cottage in an unfashionable locality.
And during the summer,
Lillian tried hard to think of something to do.
Mrs Mitchell was a delicate woman and the burden of their situation fell on Lillian's young shoulders.
There seemed to be no place for her.
She could not teach and she had no particular talent in any line.
There was no opening for her in Willington,
Which was a rather sleepy little place.
And now Lillian was almost in despair.
There really doesn't seem to be any place for me in the world,
Mother.
She said rather dolefully at the supper table.
I've no talent at all.
It's dreadful to be born without one.
Is I must do something and do it soon.
After she had finished up the dishes,
Lillian went upstairs and had a good cry.
But the darkest hour,
So the proverb goes,
Is just before the dawn.
And after Lillian had her cry out and was sitting at her window in the dusk watching a new thin moon shining over the trees down the street Her inspiration came to her.
A minute later she whirled into the tiny sitting room where her mother was sewing.
Mother,
A fortune is made!
I have an idea!
Don't lose it then,
" says Mrs Mitchell with a smile.
What is it,
My dear?
Lillian sobered herself,
Sat down by her mother's side and proceeded to recount the conversation she'd heard in the stall that afternoon.
This is where my brilliant idea comes in,
Mother.
You've often told me I'm a bold cook and always have good luck.
Tomorrow I shall go to Mrs Saunders and offer to furnish all the good things for Helen's birthday party.
Then I'll ask Mrs Reeves and Mrs Porter if I can make them bread for them.
That will do for a beginning.
I do like cooking,
You know.
I believe that in time,
I can work up a good business.
It seems to be a good idea,
Said Mrs Mitchell thoughtfully.
I am willing you should try.
But have you thought it out carefully?
There will be many difficulties.
I know.
I don't expect smooth sailing right along.
I suspect I'll probably fail altogether.
But somehow I don't believe I will.
A great many of your old friends will thank you.
Oh yes,
I know that too,
Mother,
But I'm not going to mind it.
I don't think there's any disgrace in working for my living.
I'm going to do my best and not care what people say about me.
Early the next morning Lillian started out.
She had carefully thought over the details of her small venture,
Considered ways and means,
And decided on the most advisable course.
She would not attempt too much and she felt sure of success.
To secure competent servants was one of the problems of Willington people.
At Drayton,
A large neighbouring town,
Were several factories,
And into these all the working girls from Willington had crowded,
Leaving very few who were willing to go out to service.
Many of those who did were poor cooks.
And Lillian shrewdly suspected many of her rast housekeeper in the village would be glad to avail herself of the new enterprise.
Lillian was,
As she said of herself,
A bald cook.
This was her capital,
She realised.
And now she meant to make the most of it.
Mrs Saunders listened to her business-like details with surprise and delight.
It's the very thing,
" she said.
Helen's so eager for that party,
But I couldn't undertake it myself.
Her birthday's Friday.
Can you have everything ready by then?
I think so,
" said Lillian briskly,
Producing her notebook.
Give me the list of things you want and I will do my best.
From Mrs Saunders she went to Mrs Reeves and she found a customer as soon as she had told the reason of her call.
I'll finish the bread and the rolls you need,
She said,
They'll be good too.
And about your jelly,
I can make a good jelly and I'll be very glad to make yours.
By the time she left,
Lillian had an order for two dozen glasses of apple jelly as well as a standing one for bread and rolls.
Mrs Porter was next visited and grasped eagerly at the opportunity.
I know your bread will be good,
" she said,
And you may count on me as a regular customer.
Lillian thought she had enough on hand for a first attempt and went home satisfied.
On her way she called in at the grocery store with an order that surprised Mr.
Hooper.
When she told him of her plan,
He opened his eyes.
I must tell my wife about that.
She ain't strong and she doesn't like cooking.
After dinner Lillian went to work,
Enveloped in a big apron,
And whipped eggs,
Stoned raisins,
Stirred,
Concocted and baked until dark.
When bedtime came she was so tired she could hardly crawl upstairs,
But she felt happy for the day had been a successful one.
And so also were the days and weeks and months that followed.
It was hard and constant work.
But it brought its reward.
Lillian had not promised more than she could perform,
And her customers were satisfied.
In the short time she found herself with a regular and growing business on her hands,
Her new customers were gradually added and they always came to stay.
People who gave parties found it very convenient to follow Mrs Saunders' example and order their supplies from Lillian.
She had a very busy winter.
But of course it was not all plain sailing.
She had many difficulties to contend with.
Some days.
Everything seemed to go wrong.
When the stove smoked or the oven wouldn't heat properly.
When the cakes fell flat and the bread was sour and the pies behaved as only totally depraved pies can.
When she burned her fingers and she felt like giving up in despair.
She also found herself cut by several of her old acquaintances.
But Lillian was much too sensible to worry about this.
The friends really worth having were still hers.
Her mother's face had lost its look of care and her business was prospering.
So she was hopeful and wide awake.
And she kept her wits about her and looked out for hints and learned to laugh over her failures.
During the winter Lillian and her mother managed to do most of the work themselves,
Hiring little Mary Robinson next door on especially busy days.
And now and then calling in the assistance of Jimmy Bowen and his hand sled to carry orders to customers.
But when spring came,
Lillian prepared to open up her summer campaign on a much larger scale.
Mary Robinson was hired for the season.
And John Perkins was engaged to act as carrier with his express wagon.
A summer kitchen was boarded in,
In the backyard,
And a new range brought.
Lillian began operations with a striking advertisement in the Wellington News and an attractive circular sent round to all her patrons.
Picnics and summer weddings were frequent.
In bread and rolls,
Her trade was brisk and constant.
And she also took orders for pickles,
Preserves and jellies.
This became such a flourishing branch that a second assistant had to be hired.
It was a cardinal rule with Lillian never to send out any article that was not up to her standard.
She bore the loss of her failures and sometimes she stayed up half the night to fill an order on time.
But prompt and perfect remained her motto.
The long summer days were very trying and sometimes she did get tired of it all.
But when,
On the anniversary of her first venture,
She made up her accounts.
.
.
Lillian was very pleased.
To be sure she'd not made a fortune.
But she had paid all their expenses,
Had a hundred dollars clear,
And had laid the solid foundations of a profitable business.
Mother,
She said jubilantly,
As she wiped a dab of flour from her nose,
And proceeded to concoct the icing for Blanche Remington's wedding cake.
Don't you think my business venture has been a decided success?
And Mrs Mitchell,
Surveying her busy daughter with a motherly smile,
Said Yes,
Lillian.
I really think it has.
