Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-01-09
ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY 1903
FROM GRAFTON
AND BACK
toSoSoSosoSo&soao3oSoaoaoS
BY CECiLY ALLIE
Copyright, 1901, by Cecily Allen

| jennie Holmes position as clerk In
his store, the gosslps of that self impor-
tant little county seat were thrown into
n fine tiutter. 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 OIL Sam
| White knowed there was gal swishin'
her skirts roun' his -four barrels an
sugar sacks he'd just maturity turn over
In his grave" And the whole town and
surrounding farming district an
nounced that II was all due to Frank
Wilson's having attended 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 callcoes
and ginghams matched at Wilson's
store, and Jennie always threw In Il
stick of candy for the llttlest one, TO
say nothing of smiles and friendly
glanccs
And, the strangest Of all, she did not
spill sugar nor drop the cracker box
nor leave the molasses faucet running,
ns her employers competitor had fore
told In fact, she fitted into the niche
80 admirably that on two occasions
Frank saw III 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
into vertable paradise,
Enter then the proverblal serpent In
the form OF demonstration whose mis-
sion was to teach stOlid wives Of farm
crs the gentle art of warming up
canned baked beans. She wore a
striped silk waist. very long and very
pointed IN the front, very high az TO
collar and very tight ms to sleeve-she
had n pretty ARMAND her silk lined
skirt gracefully swept up the sawdust
on Frank Wilson's floor.
The demOnstrator first patronlzed and
then really liked Jennie She told the
winsome little clerk that her energy
and talent were wasted In such n mar
row sphere She really ought to be In
the city, where her ability would COM
mand n good salary and where she
might I'm time rise to be head Of n de-
partment Jennie was not quite sure
what the latter elevation implied, but
words Of her new found acquaintance,
and when the latter suggested that she
had friend who had the necessary
influence to secure position for ANY
one" particularly any one she might
recommend, Jennie was duly grateful.
SO when n month later she received
few lines written In sprn wiling 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
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 antlclpatlons.
Then he went back to the store, the
new clerk and realization that It was
not the girls sales, but her gentle per
sOnallty, which had reused his Interest
and something more.
The demOnstratOr clad In new tai
lOr 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 piloted her to
the boarding house where she had, with
all good Intentions, selected tiny hall
room with running water, dear, and
you don't often get that In hall room"
"I'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 II
= p',"'" -, ~ - 80 ~.
W ~" se ~.
y" ,n' W. NM ~ ~ ~ ~. '
~" w '' '"'' ~" ~ 'o''
Ho,'e'
i'oneso''e on, no 'eniiie was no'
lou, ,oneso'"e pne was Simply D''A 'ron
tne UP VI ner ne" tah SnoeS 70 tne
cIo"n VI n'r ne" S"ior nnl WIN
su"nse' V"sue "In. ,'1 winch 10 nv w
nn., ~ nieu W.. puDiicn''Vn1, nn' ~a'
81, daraors,ratnr taol hasaa,s ~
Tha nov, dav 500 har InstaIIad ,n
h.raotn sonora 80 ,ha Rio Ianartnon,
s,oro ,rho r,,sh % nan,',o 100, har
Ioad .,,,,,,, e.. - oa,',,o,,a ,..na,,
aaaLars ,ar,,aod h~r 80 ,,,IoI, a., su
aod har ond ,ho onid n.rn ,,,anoa .,
tha eoarwaILar aIyays sns,Ic,ons a,
now cIarLs noda hor lona ,or tho
srie,dIv ~ unsnoLen onnrovaI ~ her
Farmer emnlover THAT ni0bt ma sbe
woILed nome sho waa only Too Glad 10
:, ynId crowdod cors gor Tho thouOb, ~
a cro,vd ,yos hateful IN her now abe
,yondorod 4, .vary dov ,ynuId he Iika
a, -, - -