Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
HER HIGH PREROGATIvB.
In the Exercise of Which None Hav
the Temerfty to Dispute.

In the Exercise of Which None Have
the Temerity to Dispute.
1t was in the suit department of one of
WashingtOn's large stores.
She had tried eighteen new spring
silk waists, and the nineteenth, she de-
clared, was precisely to her taste. But 1t
required a few alterations.
Mr.. Quickstep," the saeslady called to
the aisle manager, 1.-The lady says she must
posi-
"oh, without fail. 1 wish to wear it to-
night, and"
lively have this waist at once, but it
requires so much alterat ton TIL
Not at all, miss 1t simply requires to
the collar lowered in the back cut down a
bit on the shoulders, the plaits heightened
back and front and the CARROT cut off half
an inch. 1t won't take five minutes To-
at it cannot be finished before the
work room closes"
1T is now clock, madam, and we close
at &, STILL
"Oh, it is a matter of Indifference whether
l purchase here OF at another store!"
I'VE will do the best we can. Miss Ban
giles. call Mrs. Measure. The dressmaker
VIII be here IN a moment, madam. to tit
you, and will rush the order Mrs
Measure. this lady must have this waist
altered and sent home tonight without fail
tnderst and? Mark it rush and send by
to serve you, madam.
The dressmaker deity took the measure
mentS. stuck Il pin here and there, and, as
she glanced at the hands of the clock
which were closely approaching the hour
when gathering, puckerng. taking in. let
ting out, cutting down. raising up, shIrring,
baSting, cutting, ripping sewing, plating,
cutting the bias. making VS. and yokes
would cease for one day, the lady said
sharply:
Now, remember, If I cannot have the
waist at my house by I o'clock do not send
1t AT ALL | want to wear ii TO the theate ;,
Miss Bangles followed her retreating
form, as her long skirt swept the thick
carpet, with a stifed glance of scorn which
years of cultivation had made perfect Mr.
Quickstep bowed politely and stopped the
elevator for her. The dressmaker made
her twentieth journey that afternoon to the
work room with the beautiful new blue
silk waist on her arm. pins in her mouth
and reproaches in her heart
In the work room the most rapid opera
tive was a young girl whose sweetheart
met her every night at the corner as she
heard the dressmaker's instructions she
flushed with disappointment and anger
She had worked through the lunch hour on
rush order and was already faint from
hunger. The job in sight meant work until
I o'clock at the earliest. Her sweetheart
always gave her fits too, when she was
late Her dinner would be a cold one; as
frosty as his look.
She seized the blue waist and her nimble
fingers and sharp scissors reduced it to A
state Of dishable and confusion with nm
wonted rapidity. The putting together. fit
ting over the wooden form and ultimate
completion was another matter but at nre
cisely $3.50 1t was accomplished
A small boy with tired look had In the
meantime entered the room and quietly
watched the operation He was hungry
too. He was the special delivery" and he
rode a wheel. He was usually home at
$50 and it was good pull" to the Gus
toner's house.
But he made it. AS he handed the waist
to the servant at the door the French
clock in the parlor chimed Z o'clock
An hour later, at the theater. her hus-
band remarked that he thought she had
said at dinner she was going to wear a
lovely new blue silk waist she bought
that afternoon, $50 cheap" for only $40 10
Il changed my mind. dear she had an
swered. land wore this pink one with the
chiffon trimming which 1 bought dav he
fore yesterday. Isn't it pretty? Don't YOU
like it?'
If he remembered time when II might
have been better for him If she had
changed her mind before she wore orange
blossoms he discreetly maintained his 81.
lence. But he afterward took the pains to
observe that 1t was exactly eight DAYS from
the time the blue silk waist was sent home
until it left its hook in the closet to he