Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-07-16
IN THE WEE
SMA' HOURS
BY ANY Lee

00A@D azD q - AmR 2
Mrs. Ruggies disapproved- -hysteric-
ally. James Anstruther said less, but
thought more deeply. But in the end
Elsa triumphed.
There were so many things, she in
sisted, that she would need for their
little home when the wedding occur
red In October-th things without which
she could not keep house, but which
her mothers limited income would not
| permit her to buy. Seven dollars a
week and her three meals daily, with
absolutely nothing to do but hand out
! keys and mail! The hotel was within
walking distance of their home, so she
could save every cent of her salary, to
| say nothing Of what her mother could
save on their table in her absence.
Mrs. RuggIes had the old fashioned
southern prejudice against business
| life for women. In a vague way she
realized that it was perhaps a particu-
larly perilous position In which to
place her pretty daughter. Then, too,
she looked forward with dread to the
three meals alone each day. Little did
her daughter realize how much she
would save on the table, how seldom
she would set forth for herself more
than tea and bread and fruit
Anstruther felt the rooted objection
which every good, manly fellow must
make at thought of his sweetheart
working for her daily bread. He want
ed to assume that burden himself, but
Elsa had insisted upon waiting until
every cent was paid on their home
nest. Moreover, he disliked the publici-
| ty of 1t all, the phase of life which she
must inevitably see day after day.
But Elsa alternately pouted and ca
joled until she won her point and was
duly installed as key and mail clerk
at the Stuyvesant House.
At first she was radiantly happy in
her work. The manager of the hotel,
Mr.. Paxton, had been her fathers
friend and took more than passing III
terest in his new employee. 1t was
pleasant to wear her long, trailing
black skirt and a fresh, dainty shirt
waist every day and to sweep into
the dining room, where well trained
walters served her. And pleasanter
still it was to buy certain little luxu-
ries she had long wanted to add to her
wedding outfit.
But by and by the serpent of envy
raised its head In her new found Eden.
The regular guests passed her in such
bewildering variety Of frocks that
her own simple outfit turned rusty In
her eyes. Out of town people, In for
few days shopping, sent home G. o. d.
packages that made her own pur-
chases look absurdly small. She dis
covered that what appeared like luxu-
ries to her were the everyday necessi-
ties to the majority of Stuyvesant
House guests. And why should these
women who carried their beautiful
gowns with such poor grace be given
all the good things of life while she
had SO little to set off her natural at
fractions? There were the two daugh-
ters of a Butte mine operator who
wore rings outside their gloves and
tipped the walters with crisp bills.
They had actually offered her tip one
day as she handed out their keys.
Thinking of it all, fever sometimes
burned in her veins that.even the over
worked electric fan above her head
could not counteract
Many of the guests tried to patron
ize her, but she kept herself proudly in
hand. As for the men, she vouchsafed
them only the demurest good morn
ing" when they made frequent and
often unnecessary trips to her desk.
This-until Ainslee came. Ainslee rep
resented a prominent New York i'm
porter, ordered his clothes from a
Broadway tailor, knew life and how to
enjoy it and had been a privileged
guest at the Stuyvesant ever since he
had been on the road. He was a spe-
cial favorite with Mr.. Paxton, who
granted him the unusual favor of an
introduction to the new clerk.
Ainslee was to stay a week this time.
When Mr.. Paxton heard it, he regret
ted the Introduction. Ainslee convinced
the head waiter that it was the diplo-
matte thing and likewise a pecuniary
advantage to that dignitary to give
him seat at Miss Ruggles' table.
Later he assured his pretty table visa
Wis that she was looking peaked and
pale. Her position was too confning.
She needed more fresh air in the even
ings. Now. the very next night he must
run out to Lake Placid to meet>a Gus
toner. Would she go along? 1t meant
lovely trolley ride, dinner with mu-
sic on the piazza and summer spec
tacle at the Casino. 1t would take him
but short time to go over business
details with his customer, and In the
meantime she could be drinking in
that much needed fresh air.
Elsa consulted both her mother and
her fiance, but with an air of finality
that showed the futility of objections.
A note of complaint sounded in her
voice. She never went anywhere, while
everybody at the hotel seemed to live
for pleasure. Anstruther might have
reminded her that last year they had
gone everywhere together, but that
now he was denying himself every