The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-04-05
A JAR OF PICKLES.

disregard of her gray velvet suit that
| knew, whatever it was, it was seri-
Gus.
Don't ever mention pickles to me
again." she protested accusingly and
hurled off her furs.
LAS a. topic of conversation" flared
up, Il can think of several things more
interesting than"
"Oh, l know" broke in Estella,
YEARLY. 1--WE had such perfectly
awful day-you can't imagine! And it
isn't finished yet. Whatever Bob will
think of me-
You were mentioning pickles."
suggested, hopefully.
| 81 started from home at ten o'clock
| this morning with the pickles." Estel-
| la explained after thinking a moment.
You see, it was an informal sort of
gathering this afternoon over on the
north side and every one had to take
something. The girls know about my
mothers special BRAN. of cucumber
pickles and so they allotted the pickles
to me. 1t was a big jar, nicely wrap
ped in light-brown paper. | took the
train for the city and it was so crowd
ed that | had to stand up.
The little Prescott girl, who lives
next to as, stood by me. She jerked
my sleeve five minutes after we left
the station and horrifedly pointed to
the skirt of the woman next me. My
dear, her skirt-her lovely, newly tail
ored, tan broadcloth skirt-was spat-
tered from waist to hem with some
thing that kept on scattering as
stared. AS | bent over to look more
closely there WAS a liquid, gulping
sound and something spurted over my
hands-incased in new 81 gloves, by
the way. 1t was the pickle vinegar,
and it was all over my skirt, too, for
I'd been carefully holding it upside
down.
Il turned on the little Prescott girl
fercely. Don't you dare say a word!
| commanded Then l spent the rest
of the time hoping that woman
wouldn't discover what had done and
Stay me on the spot.
when the train stopped l simply
bolted head first to get off and away
from that ruined SIS gown. Then
hurried across to State street-you can
fancy me-haughty and beautiful
young person, fashionably attired In
gray chiffon velvet, with swirls of lace
and real sable furs, holding in both
extended arms as far in front of me as
could dripping, soggy package that
leaked which ever way | turned 1t.
Il had scheduled conference at a
millner's and luncheon engagement
with Bob's married sister before the
meeting and | simply had to get rid OF
those pickles somehow. So | made for
a sympathetic young person behind the
silver counter in the first dry goods
store | came to and asked her If she
wouldn't keep my package till called
for it. She eyed it doubtfully, but my
chiffon velvet impressed her, SO she
said it was against the rules, but she'd
ask the floorwalker. | repeated my re-
quest to him, adding that it was pick
les in the package. He said he was
desolated with regret, but they couldn't
keep my package for met was
against the rules.
because it is pickles?' | inquired,
Indignantly. L might just as easily
as not have told you it was something
else He seemed dreadfully sorry and
directed me to the checkroom, where
| got rid of it.
Il was so disturbed that picked out
hat which | Immediately hated. |
hadn't time to get fresh gloves and
Bob's sister is so critical, and it's such
delicate situation when you aren't
really engaged to a man, but are just
about to be, and want to impress his
lunch, for was too nervous to do my
self justice and, besides,' it took all my
ingenuity to keep my spattered skirt
hidden and act as though my gloves
were all right.
when | went to get that jar they
per- But | took it meekly and flea,
holding it bolt upright in my lap all
the way to the meeting. And when |
got there it seems that | was late and
another girl had brought some sweet
pickles and they didn't want mine,
anyhow. And | was to meet Bob for
dinner and then we were going on to
the theater and"
Then why on earth are you here?"
| demanded. You can't cut a dinner
and a theater engagement with a man
Oh any spirit without getting into
troable, and | know Bob
"Oh, but" Estella begged, almost in
tears, Il hadn't time to go back home
and this skirt thought perhaps
you're not much larger than l am
yours just matches"
Never in my life," l said to the
sober little Norway pine in the brass
jardiniere, have | seen anything like
the refreshing nerve of the younger
generation. Am | to infer, Estella
Reynolds, that you are asking me to
let you wear the skirt to my pet frock,
so you can ruin that, too, besides max
ing an impression on young man who
already is imbecile over you?"
But | shan't carry pickles in It,"
Estella entreated "and mine is impos-
Sale | know it's awful of me-"
When Estella puts on that look SOL
id granite melts.
So let her wear the skirt and she
rushed away to finish up her strenu-
Gus day, her troubles forgotten.