Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-03-20

out CIR the green wirc network that
incloses his desk. his eyes rest naturally
upon the blonde head and delicate fig
ure. because they are directly in 'front.'
of him. and in the course of the day he
learns without making any inquiries
that she is No AZ.
As for the girl herself, she is thinking
Of nothing bat that terrible day. and
wondering whether she viii live through
Il. Her face Is flushed. her ewes glist-
ening and feverish. the Joint result of
bad ventilation and bewildering trans
actions.
To her this first day behind the coun
ter seems n shoreless eternity. She
can scarcely remember when il began.
and has almost lost faith in its possible
ending. Two hours of this new and
trying ordeal are enough to make her
unufierably weary; before the day is
half over She is aching misecably in
every limb and joint After tbs. stand
ing IS the pursst agony And all day
long the feminine division of humanity
bears down upon them en- masSe- The
puoprietors. welded 10 quick sales and
the largest possible profit. are positive
/ " ubiQuitOus IN their efforts 10 enforce
the sfrictest attention TO duty; Obsequi-
0us statesmen with an eve 10 premi-
ums and percentage step briskly about;
casil-boys scurry hither and thither. and
erraad-b0ys find no rest for tie sOles of
Their feet The silk man spread his
stock upon the counter and displays the
popular shades. by daylight. BY gss-
light. singiy and in combinations. He
] - t~~a-~ o.fa - N.1Aa4
/ spreads them. gathers them up agsin,
talking Elihly all the while, and Is
borne 70 the utmost limit Of defereatsal
patience before the exact shade is
f0und ami the 6nal decision made The
lace man. on the alert for whom he
nv bcguile, j. bland and courteous.
while the girls af this same glove
counter dive among the boxes and be-
come bneathless m the sfteEapt TO con-
Fin,e some dubious customers that a
pearl-gray glove IS an exact match for
the pale-biue sample she has brought.
or wee vcrsa. smiling. dropping words
Of honey all the time. and wishing in
their inmost consciousness that perdi-
fion may ultimately collect al woman
kind.
But it does end At last The custom
ers are gure; the curtains are up. the
counters are again shrouded in white
canvas. making che ilng aisles look like
50 many wards in a hospital. and these
human swallows begin 20 pour out Of
their great chimney
The cashier on his way 70 the cloak
room sees No. 47er0uehingon the ledge
behind her counter. She i thinking of
the long. dark streets that lie before
her, and Of tie aching feet that protest
sgainst further service
Whea he comes back she is still there.
He stops, and SAYS kindly: ..If YOU
don't hurry out they viii lock the doors
Z Everybody else i gone now"
'-h0w viii | ever get home" she
noans. Ii0ing wearily. her eyes-still red
from CRYING.
IN 90 with you if You are afraid
Is Il fars'
20, yes. it's far. and then ] am so
tired" BE Is the only person who has
spoken TO her to-day. excepting the Gus
toners she has waited upon he has
such a graceful. easy way, that By the
time be has helpel her to put on her
cl1ak he seems like an old acquaint-
ance- They hurry out together. and
are Just IN time. for the doors close be-
hind them with = bang. and the bolts
are drawn
Il happens that their WAYS lie in the
same direction. that they are domiciled
in tw0treary boarding-houses not more
than half a square apart, and after this
they 90 home together every evening.
and speedily come TO be very good
friends indeed
The season known 70 retail traffic ss
'-busy WAKES and wancS Summer
comes. and August. sweltering. intOler-
able. settled upon the deserted town.
The houses are like ovens. the streets
( Ike blast furnaces. and everything that
remains behind the migratory p0pula-
. ton Is undergoing q lingering process
of cremation The proprieiOrs have fed
the heat. one salesman 10 4 department
i found 70 be sufficient, and the rest
are away taking their summer vacation.
Those who remain behind have little TO
do. for there are hours together when
E thene Is not penny worth sold
4 Il happened thar ~ IS reigning
alone in the glove department. and she
f. Is a refreshing ob;ect for contemplation
blue 0rga1d-. with pale ribbons fiutter-
ing af throat and waist
Above her head her wares are most
effectivelE displayed in complete can
/ opy Of loag-wristed gloves IN every con-
ceivable color and shade of color, and.
there being nothing else 10 do. she sits
upon the ledge below the Shelving and
wields 4 monstrOus palm-leaf
I When no hing Is selling there is no
change 10 be made, and the cashier
steps ont Of his narrox. sitting inclOs-
ure and wanders in search of a breeze.
] The long lace mits that fringe the eanO-
py over the glovc-counter are stirred as
Il by 4 zephyr. and the airy freshness
of -.47'' Is attractive be goes behind
the counter and sits down upon the
( ledge
you look awfully gloomy to-day.
/ What is the maftssrs" sheasks.
well. have reason 10 look gloomy.
have made an unpleasant discovery;
or perhaps ! should say. I've been un-
pleasantly discovered"
.sfeli me about H. !"
20 it is a long story" ne says. more
than hall persuaded.
This is very long afternoon
'Nel. ! have very rich and verv
crOckety old uncle. and about seven
months ago received letter from him
him telling me thst if / would come
ard take charge of his Lusiness and
marry a girl that he had picked out for
me he would leave me his fortune He
said the girl was pretty. and l knew the
fortune was ample. and as / was not
getting along very wei where / was
yOu viii infer that / did not hesitate
long before accepting the proposition.
Il was all arranged with the girl. who
seemed to be quite fascinated with the
n nance Of the affair. and started for
the town in which she and my uncle