Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-03-11

o
store, whether he had saved the piece
of red henrietta cloth for Mrs. Nor
rison, who came to town only once a
month. She was almost tempted to
write and remind him of it, but she did
I not.
/ Jennie and the demonstration drifted
! apart. The latter during her brief So
/ journs in town was busy laying in
I fresh supplies of clothes. Fine raimept
! palled upon Jennie, and when the volu-
bic demonstrator took her departure
Jennie turned to her magazines, pa
ners and home letters with a feeling
of relief.
Then came her promotion at the
store and with it a friendship worth
having-a friendship which represent
ed rescue from the desolation of a HAN
/ bedroom and the horrors Of cheap
boarding house fare. For the trio of
! girls took furnished rooms and cooked
/ those things which were at least whole
/ some and OF good quality If not elabo-
/ rately prepared. Her salesbook each
day showed a steady advance. Placed
! now In a regular department, she had
/ her regular customers. Dim visions of
| being head of department doomed up
before her, and yet
| They had been to fashionable thea
| ter. They had worn their very best"
these three busy women. and had treat
ed themselves to seats in the front row
of the balcony. Between the acts from
| nod
| over to watch the gay assemblage-
| When she reached her room, she
| turned the gas on full head, and, fitting
| her mirror, she studied her face. 1t
| was not an unpleasant task. Indeed
| the fioorwalker in her department had
| remarked to one of his friends that the
little country girl was "devilish pretty.
| by Jove" She shuddered as she re-
called his words and his foppish APP
pearance, even to the plated fob which
swung from his silk embroidered vest.
Then, strangely enough, her thoughts
went back to Frank Wilson, with his
| strong. resolute face, his square, deter
mined shoulders, his keen blue eyes,
which could be wonderfully friendly
without a CLEAN Of impertinence in
their clear depths. She brushed her hair
vigorously as she berated herself thus:
Jennie Holmes. you're 4 goose. You
thought that when you came to town
you'd actually be a part Of the life Of
this great, busting city-a part Of the
gay world you saw at the theater to
night And a pretty figure you cut.
Working In a store with hundreds of
other girls at $40 a week. You're get
ting pale and ugly. too. and l have
good mind to send you back home to
Grafton"
Then she thought of Thanksgiving
day, only two weeks of, and her aunt's
little front room with the organ, never
opened now, and-the store. Oh, dear,
the ribbon boxes must be in a shocking
mess by this time! And she cried her
self to sleep.
The next morning she was late at the
store for the first time. The girls left
her writing. 1t was a meek little let
ter telling Frank that she did not like
her work and asking very prettily for
her old position If the opening could be
made.
The reply came by wire:
Position open Will expect you Monday
The trio In the furnished rooms re-
solved itself into a duet. The other
girls were sorry to lose their bright
faced companion and secretly envied
her the beatific expression with which
she made her preparations for depar-
ture. They received one postal card an
nouncing her safe arrival at Grafton.
Then ensued long silence.
II guess she found the store in as
bad shape as she anticipated. ! can
just picture her Strengthening up ribbon
boxes and sorting trimmings" laughed
one of the girls. And then she sighed
and went back to such realities as bar
gain hunters and cash"
And the next day came the letter:
1 did not take my old position. but
think I will like the new one just as
well. perhaps even better. Frank and
will be married Christmas day. Can't
you come up? 1t will be very quiet af-
fair. but I'd love to have you. If you
can't come, of course I'll send you some
of the cake. Give my love TO the girls
liked. You know which ones l mean. !
am too busy to write more now. but
come * you can JENNIE
The two girls looked at each other
and pushed back their untasted lunch.
Said one:
1--WE might have known it. She
never was meant for business life.
Come on. We've just fifteen minutes
left, but we can get set of that hem
stitched table linen. wonder which
express company goes to Grafton"
The other girl stopped to kiss pho
tograph on the mantel.
Little girl, we miss you, but not half
SO much as he probably did when you
came TO u.s."
And there were tears in her eyes
when she looked in her purse for GER
tain five dollar bill.