The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1902-11-06
FROM GRAFTON
AND BACK
BY cECILY ALLEN
Copyright, 1901, by Cecily Allen

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When the news spread through
Grafton that Frank Wilson had given
i Jennie Holmes a position as clerk in
his store, the gossips of that self impor-
tant little county seat were thrown into
a fine flutter. The women shook their
heads over their teacups and prophe-
/ sled that no good thing could come out
| of such an innovation. The men en-
! circling the stove in the store of
Franks only competitor In groceries,
| dry goods, crockery and general mer-
] chandise" decided that "ef OF Sam
White knowed there was a gal swishin'
her skirts roun' his flour barrels an
| sugar sacks he'd just natu'ly turn over
in his grave" And the whole town and
surrounding farming district an
nounced that it was all due to Frank
Wilson's having attended a business
college in the city for three months.
But in due time the women on trad
ing trips gravitated toward Jennie.
She had an eye for colors and knew
just how much 1t would take for baby's
first short dress or Martha James pima
/ fores. The bluff farmers liked her, too,
] because she seemed to read Alright the
mysterious instructions intrusted to
them by busy wives at home. There
was no complaint about the calicoes
and ginghams matched at Wilson's
store, and Jennie always threw In
stick of candy for the littlest one, to
say nothing of smiles and friendly
glances.
And, the strangest of all, she did not
spill sugar nor drop the cracker box
nor leave the molasses faucet running,
as her employers competitor had fore
told. In fact, she fitted into the niche
so admirably that on two occasions
Frank saw fit to raise her salary.
At this last piece of good fortune she
bought an organ on the installment
plan, and the wee front room at her
aunt's home was thereby transformed
into vertable paradise.
Enter then the proyerbial serpent In
the form of a demonstration whose mis-
sion was to teach stold wives of farm
ers the gentle art of warming up
canned baked beans. She wore
striped silk waist, very long and very
pointed in the front, very high as to
collar and very tight as to sleeve-she
had a pretty armand her silk lined
skirt gracefully swept up the sawdust
on Frank Wilson's floor.
The demonstration first patronlzed and
then really liked Jennie. She told the
winsome little clerk that her energy
and talent were wasted In such mar
row sphere. She really ought to be in
the city. where her ability would com
mand a good salary and where she
might In time rise to be head of a de-
partment. Jennie was not quite sure
what the latter elevation implied. but
she was properly dazZled by the fair
words of her new found acquaintance
and when the latter suggested that she
| had a friend who had the necessary
influence to secure a position for amy
one" particularly any one she might
recommend, Jennie was duly grateful.
So when month later she received
few lines written in sprawlins at
tempt at English angular penmanship
announcing that an opening awaited
her in the great city Jennie was wildly
excited. SO great was her excitement
that she did not notice the expression
on Franks face when she offered her
4 resignation and told him the good
news. Yet he went with her to the
/ train, saw her comfortably fixed for
the days journey and tried not to look
wistfully into the sweet face, fairly
shining now with happy anticipations.
Then he went back to the store, the
new clerk and a realization that it was
not the girls sales, but her gentle per
sonality, which had reused his interest
and something more
The demonstrator, clad in a new tai
Tor made suit and a silk waist even
more gorgeous than the one which had
dazzled Jennie and Grafton in general,
met her at the depot and ploted her to
the boarding house Where she had. with
all good Intentions selected a tiny hall
room with running water. dear. and
you don't often get that in hall room"
"T'll be around in the morning, my
dear, and take you to the store My
friend will be expecting you, Of course,
but my being with you will make it
pleasanter Then shall not see you
for a week or ten days. I'm going out
on the NJ. and G. X. for a trip. But
you'll be so busy you won't be lone
some"
Lonesome? Oh, no. Jennie was not
lonesome. She was simply sick from
the tip of her new tan shoes to the
crown of her new sailor hat with a
strange, vague illness which is not de-
fined in medical publications. She was
glad when the well meaning but chat
tering demonstration took herself of.
The next day found her installed in
bargain square of the big department
store. The rush of people made her
head swim, the rude captious bargain
seekers terrified her, the thick air sti-
fed her and the cold. wary glance of
the toorwalker, always suspicious of
new clerks, made her long for the
friendly If unspoken approval of her
former employer. That night as she
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