The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-01-22
THE OLD GUITAR.
By EMMA CHURCHMAN HEWITT.


ness establishment, and a group OF
merry girls were standing by win
dow, chattering, as such girls will, OF
everything and nothing, Even cas-
ual glance would reveal the fact that
the force of this Office was socially far
above the ordinary run or such places.
In fact, many of these young girls bore
in their faces such evidences of refine
ment that it was hard to understand
just how they found themselves there.
To the manager, however, warm
hearted, sympathetic woman, was
known the private history of nearly
every girl in the establishment.
From disliking her as an innovation,
and fearing her rule as curtailing OF
privileges which they had wrested
from the firm, under tine very slack
management which had preceded her
advent, they had grown to respect and
love her 10 spite of the 1ntlexible Will
to which they were obliged to bow.
They had gradually recognized the fact
that adherence to duty alone was the
standard by which they were gauged.
4 When this fact was thoroughly under
stood, it soon became a recognized fact
that the clerk who disliked the mana
ger was one who would shirk her le-
gitimate work whenever she could.
1t was no wonder then to see her
enc of this group mentioned IN the
beginning.
Have you ever been to st. Johns at
Easter, Miss Triffet?' inquired Mile
Wendall, drawing her head in from
abe window where she had been watch
ing a runaway, and turning suddenly
upon her
A new excitement turned the heads
of all the girls, and Mile Wendall
aid not see the quick, nervous clasp
@f the hands, or hear the breath sharp
1y drawn in, as one in mortal pain
might do. All she was conscious OF
was the quiet reply
Eyes, Miss Wendall--once-many
years ago"
why, Miss Triffet, how big and
black your eyes are!" exclaimed Net
aie Julian, suddenly, a warmhearted,
impulsive hoyden, who, as she de-
elared, "adored the ground Miss Trif-
fet walked on"
Nonsense, Nettie, you make me
blush! You must see very droll things
with those new glasses of yours. The
Idea of my pale blue eyes looking big
and black!'"
''Look, girls! See if am not right"
exclaimed Nettie, taking Miss Triffet
by the shoulders and trying to turn
her around.
But Miss Triffet laughingly declared
she was not on exhibition, and break
ing away from her captor, went to her
desk and struck the gong for the close
of the noon hour.
For few moments she sat as one
in dream, then, with smothered ex-
elamation she rose.
mo! No! cannot, must not think
now | cannot afford IT." she said to
herself, as she threw herself into the
work of the afternoon with feverish
laaergy How the hours dragged! 1t
iBeemed as If time never passed SO
SLOWLY But at last five o'clock tolled
SLOWLY out from the great clock across
the street, the gong struck twice and
1 the work of the day was over.
The same feverish energy that had
characterized her work Of the after
noon, was thrown into her walk as
ahe wendell her way home. People who
NOTED this energetic woman striding
gp the street looking neither to the
right nor to the left, evidently see
ing nothing. quietly turned aside and
8Bt her have the right of way. Arriv-
Ing at large old fashioned house on
The edge of the city, she opened the
door with her latch-key and assembled
three flights of stairs to the place she
called ''home"-"Old Maids Hall'-
ms she laughingly termed it.
AS she entered her rooms her two
nlack cats raised their heads and
greeted her with a gratified purr, at
imnce dropping back into their comfort
abiy positions behind the Lady Frank
Mn,' which did duty for an open CRATE
fan this cosy set of apartments, which
consisted of two large rooms upon the
laird floor, overlooking large yard
fall of great trees.
: So absorbed was she in her own
thoughts that she omitted her custom
AIRY ceremony Of STOPPING to pat them
sn the head and give them a word of
Endearment. Throwing herself in her
CHAIR, she. had just given herself up
10 reflection when she felt herself
xsntly pulled by the skirt.
"why, poor old Jetty." she ex-