Around quarter to 12 a teenager girl came into the store alongside a man who looked like her father. The man addressed Sam directly whilst the girl wandered around picking up items carefully, before putting them back down. Theresa went to the girl to see if she could help her find what she was looking for.

"Hello Miss, are you looking for anything in particular?" she asked.

"Oh hello, I didn't know that Mr. Carter had a girl working in the store. My name is Amanda," said that teenage girl. "Who are you?"

"Please to meet you Miss Amanda, my name is Theresa and I'm working in the store today with Uncle Sam."

"Theresa? That's a nice name, have you come to live with your Uncle then or are you just staying for a spell?" asked Amanda.

"No Amanda, my father is not well so I am living with Uncle Sam and Aunt Lucy for a while. I don't know how long for. Do you live in town Amanda and is that your Pa over there talking to Uncle Sam?"

"Yes that's my Papa talking to your Uncle. We do live in town with mama and my younger brother. Papa brought me to the store to buy some new dresses and petticoats for school. School starts next week and I've outgrown my school dresses. Mama was going to bring me but Eddie, well his name is Edward but he hates being called that , was sick this morning and mama is waiting at home with him." Said Amanda feeling quite comfortable talking to the pretty older girl, who although they had just met, Amanda felt that they would be good friends.

"So Amanda, do you know what size dresses and petticoats you need?" asked Theresa worried for a moment that she was forgetting that she was supposed to be working and not chatting.

"No not really. Mama said that I've grown quite a lot since last term and well…." Amanda looked over her shoulder to see where he father and Mr. Carter were before she leaned forwards. "I've grown quite a lot in the chest area. Mama said that I need to look at getting something a little more supportive now but she was going to help me. Can you help me with that, Theresa? asked the 14 year old girl shyly.

Theresa smiled, and whispered back, "Yes I think so Amanda. Wait here one moment." Theresa left the girl and walked over to her Uncle and Amanda's father. "Excuse me." She said.

When the men stopping talking and looked at her Theresa said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, Uncle Sam, Miss Amanda has asked for some help finding some clothing in her size. Do you have a tape measure and may I take her back into the back store room for privacy so she can try some different undergarments on?"

Both men blushed slightly at the request but nodded and Sam spoke, "Theresa there is a tape measure in a box under the counter and yes you may take the young lady back to the store room, if it is OK with her father. Would that be Ok with you Mr. Peterson?"

"Yes." Was the curt response from the man who was clearly still embarrassed by the conversation.

"Thank you, sir," said Theresa before he hurried back to the younger girl and she led her to the back of the store, stopping to collect the tape measure from under the counter on the way. When they arrived in the back room Theresa cleared an area towards the back and with Amanda's help she created a little private area with some boxes piled on top of one another. Pushing Amanda behind the makeshift screen, Theresa went to the other side to see if the screen was high enough. Satisfied that if someone like Uncle Sam came back that Amanda's dignity would be intact Theresa called her back out from behind the boxes.

"I think that will do as a make-shift screen, Amanda. Now let me measure you quickly and then I will get you a few items to try on."

Amanda followed Theresa instructions about raising her arms and Theresa made a few notes of the measurements on a piece of paper. "OK Amanda, you go behind the screen and I will be back in a few minutes."

Amanda retreated behind the screen and Theresa returned to the store and selected a variety of undergarments matching the sizes she had noted down. Then she selected 3 dresses in colours that she felt would flatter Amanda's figure and match her hair or eye colour as well as some petticoats. Carrying everything back to the back room Theresa placed them in a pile on a crate of tinned tomatoes.

"Amanda?"

"Yes?"

"Amanda, I have selected some underwear for you to change into. I will pass them to you one at a time to try on. Let me know if you need any help OK?"

"Yes, thank you Theresa." Replied Amanda.

Theresa picked up one of the undergarments with adjustable straps for the bust area and passed it to Amanda over the make-shift screen. "Try this one first; it looks the most comfortable of the 3 types Uncle Sam stocks in your size."

Amanda tried on all of the undergarments and dresses and selected the first undergarment Theresa had given her as the most comfortable. She liked all of the petticoats and two out of the 3 dresses. Discarding only the light green one purely because she didn't like green, she was though happy with the yellow one which had small leaves on it and the blue one which Theresa had told the younger girl brought out the colour in her eyes.

Dressing again in her original clothing Amanda and Teresa returned to the store when Sam and Mr. Peterson had been standing talking about the new Marshall who was covering the town whilst Roy Coffee was visiting his very sick brother in Boulder City.

The two men stopped talking when the girls emerged from the back room. "Well Amanda, did you select what you needed?" Mr. Peterson asked his daughter.

"Oh yes, Papa. Theresa helped me choose the correct sizes. May I get two sets of undergarments, two petticoats and the two dresses mama said I had to choose?"

"That will depend on the costs Amanda," and Mr Peterson addressed Sam carter. "Could you please total the bill, Mr. Carter."

"Certainly," said Sam taking the pile of clothing from Theresa. It only took him a few minute to total the good up. "Well Mr. Peterson, with the other items you purchased that comes to 12 dollars and 84 cents. Would you like to pay now or would you like to set up and account?"

"I'll pay now Mr. Carter. Would you please wrap Amanda's clothing separately."

"Yes of course. Theresa could you fold and wrap Miss Amanda's good in brown paper please whilst I conclude business with Mr. Peterson."

"Yes sir," said Theresa taking each item off the counter she carefully folded it and place them on top of one another. Selecting a few sheets of brown paper she wrapped the clothing up, securing the parcel with string.

Mr. Peterson paid the bill and he thanked Theresa for helping Amanda with choose her clothing. Handing his daughter her parcel he turned to leave the store, "Come Amanda we need to return home."

"Coming Papa," Amanda said before she hugged Theresa quickly, "Thank you so much for helping me. I know that you are older than me but I hope we can be friends."

"I'd like that Amanda and you are welcome, I am glad that I was able to help you today. Come by the store again soon." And she waved as Amada ran out the door to catch up with her father.

Sam carter came up behind his niece and wrapped his arm around her in a one handed hug. "Looks like you've made a friend my dear. You did very well with that young lady Theresa and you saved me from being put in an uncomfortable situation too. You seemed to enjoy yourself serving the girl did you like helping her?"

"Yes Uncle Sam I liked it very much. I am sorry for being a little annoyed earlier Uncle Sam but I did try to be polite with those men but they dismissed me as if I wasn't even here."

Sam kissed his niece on the top of her head, "I know darling, and you are right they were rude towards you, but this is the Wild West still and some men are stuck in their ways. Some men don't want to allow women to work in stores, or banks or lots of other places. You just need to accept that for now and try and remain polite. Let me deal with anyone who doesn't want to be served by a young lady." At Theresa sighing he said, "Don't worry my dear, There will still be plenty of people who will be happy to have you serve them men and women. Now it's nearly lunchtime, why don't you go back to the house and check on your aunt and then bring us back each a sandwich and some lemonade. If it is quiet in the store we can sit on the bench outside to eat it."

"OK. Uncle Sam, before I go can I make a suggestion about the store?" Theresa asked.

"Yes, of course. Please tell me, what your suggestion is."

"Well, sir, it's something I realised when I was helping that young girl, Amanda. I realised that you have nowhere for customers to try things on where, they can have a bit of privacy. I made a make-shift screen out of boxes for Amanda to change behind, but I don't think that looks very good and not everyone would like changing behind a pile of boxes. I thought perhaps you could build a proper screen or make an area where a curtain could be put on a pole and be pulled across." Theresa watched her uncle carefully as she stated her case for a changing area and slowly Sam's face changed from thoughtful into a wide smile.

"I think that you've made an excellent suggestion, my dear. I don't know why I haven't thought of that before. Why don't you take a look around the storeroom after lunch, consider carefully where you think the best location for this changing area should be and we'll talk about it with your aunt at supper. Now," he said pushing the young girl away from him towards the door. "How about that lunch, my stomach is starting to grumble," said Sam