The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-09
THE DEPARTMENT
STORE BRIDE.
BY Jasper Barnett Cowdin.

Lambert could afford anything from
| silk hose to a steam yacht, whereas
King had but a paltry six thousand
tucked away in a Broadway bank.
Yet King took up the bet.
Several OF us had had been loung-
ing in the club window discussing a
mammoth department store just open
ed and a bold assertion of Kings had
called forth the above challenge.
whats up now?" chimed in
Naughty McNaughton. advancing
and slapping Lambert familiarly on
the knee.
Our friend King, here, is trying to
a cool thousand out of me with which
to found a Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Bachelors"
1t was intended to keep the matter
rather quiet, for evident reasons, but
somehow the boys got wind and the
following day crowded about us for
paHticulars-Madison Trainor, Ions
dals. Mcpherson and the rest.
''Pick out pretty one, King!" call
| ed out Joe Lapeer, at the back of the
| uproar; "if you succeed, the Auto Club
| will do the handsome thing by you"
No time was to be lost over the mat
ter. lest King gain some unfair advan-
tage so Immediately he began arrang-
ing his plans.
One of the first things he did was
to call on Mr.. Fithian, managing edi-
tor of the Sunday Smudge. That
much besought parsonage was in a
passably good humor, and listened pa
tiently as King urfolded his project.
mot so bad, Mr.. King" was the
EDITORS conservative comment. Be
sides, you are the kind of fellow to
bring it to successful issue. The
point in doubt is the girl"
King assured him that the feminine
end of the scheme had received his
deepest meditation. and that he had no
misgivings as to the outcome.
well. write up your story. send it
in early, and I'll see that you get it's
| full worth"
King knew what that meant, as Mr.
| Fithian had always treated him very
| generously. The boys at the Club were
in Ignorance as to the sources of his
income; but it might be mentioned,
confidentially that under the nom de
plume of &c. Whiz" he packed up
| quite little money writing sensational
articles for the Sunday papers.
He had visited opium joints which
| were unknown to the police and ex :.
| posed their hideous vice, been stoker
in the bowels of big battleship in ac-
tion oc Santiago; ridden in the engine
cab of the Black Diamond Express;
and finally, he edited for a time the
funny column of an evening journal
under the heading of "Snickerin: A
| Cure for the Blues" So you see King
was hardened to unusual and trying
| situations.
After leaving the Smudge Office he
made hurried calls at several places
to settle a few preliminaries, and at
| precisely 1870 a. m. found himself be-
fore the wide portals of the big de-
partment store on Sixth avenue.
Lambert, Warren and Lonsdale were
there to shake his hand. and Incident
ally to see to it that he did not emerge
from the building until "all had been
| fulfilled"-or otherwise.
once inside the great hive thronged
| with busy shoppers, the magnitude of
the task he had undertaken staggered
MIN a bit; he was about ready to kiss
his five hundred dollars a sad good
bye, when the newspaper instinct raj.
lied within him, and bravely he SET
about his purpose.
For the first half hour he sauntered
leisurely up and down the long aisles
glancing to left and right, siyiy study
ing the feminine faces behind every
counter. His scrutiny was at length
terminated by the sight of a black vel
| NCl UOW SuIIlOuutiHB stray WlSpS OIL
light brown hair that waved over de-
mure blue eyes. a soft cheek, a kissa-
Die little mouth, black velvet caught
at the throat, a pale blue waist, gold
belt, black skirt, and - the presid-
ing goddess at the candy counter ap-
peared also possess, in addition to
mere prettiness, a little of that COM
mon sense, the lack of which causes
no man to ever strike his sails.
She evidently fitted in as the central
figure of Kings little scheme; but,
instead of "heaving to-" nautically
! speaking, he turned on his heel. strict
ly speaking, and sought an interview
with the head of the firm, Mr.. Stan
wood.
The latter was a dark-featured, So
ber-eyed, coldly critical sort of per-
son, over absorbed in a multitude of
duties. He dropped his pen with a
sigh and listened passively as King ex-
planned his mission.
The novelty of the proposal some
what aroused his jaded interest, made
| blaSe by the daily Startling An
nouncements," Unprecedented Sacri-
fces," and "Unheard-of Slaughters"
of his advertising department.
| You might telephone the secretary
| of the Auto Club, and also the bank
where l deposit, as to my social and
| financial standing" suggested King:
| lHe young iduy may CHOOSe 10 ask
| you some questions"
| "Oh, that will be all right" replied
NJ. Stanwood, positively smiling as he
took Kings hand. You have my best
1 wishes for the success of your plan,
which will no doubt prove a good 'ad'
| for the house. 1 will do what / can
| to aid you"
The real estate department was on
| the second floor, and thither went King
| to look over the list of country places
| to lett. The photograph of a snug
| furnished cottage at Amityville cap
| tured his fancy and, the rent being
reasonable, he leased it for the sea-
| son.
lie then took the elevator and Wis.,
| tied the furniture department, when
he secured few smart pieces at de-
| cided bargains.
The automobile exchange in the base
mcnt was a great feature of the new
concern, and furnished King a Sec
ond-hand machine at a ridiculously
| low figure.
The employment bureau offered him
a gem in the way Of servant girl,
warranted for one year.
The grocery department was a poser,
| but as things were being almost given
| away, King ordered at random. deter
mined at all events starvation would
What Is Life Without Health?