The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-10
THE EVENING STOR
Her First Christmas.
(By Alnelia Summers

81 wisht l was dead-honest, I dol"
sighed the girl in the rumpled china
silk waist ITO think we've got to
work nights for two whole weeks. I
bet go to the Empire store next year.
They close every night at 6. Christmas
or not Christmas
Emily Green. to whom these re-
marks were addressed. did not answer.
Obedience. at first irksome, then ha-
bitual. had been her lot ever since she
could remember. She had gone to the
half-orphan asylum at s. At she
was a full orphan
The orphanage had given her good
common-school education and at II
she had taken a position as inspector
with all the lack of confidence pecul-
lar to the institutionally reared girl.
The greatest marvel OF all was to have
real money to handle and for time
she sWayed between a desire to do
madly extravagant things and to hoard
her small salary like a miser. Finally,
she settled down to a quiet life at a
home for working girls, where she
still had some of the institutional at
mosphere to support her inexperienced
At the end of the second year she
was promoted to the floor. Here
among veilings and laces and boas and
neck ruffs she developed into very
fair saleSWOman. Her stock was al
ways in good order, and she was the
sort of girl who never incurred the
foorwalker's praise or displeasure, be-
cause she was neither very brilliant
nor unsatisfactory. Customers, how
her personal following that waited for
her no matter how busy she was.
In fact she had been quite satisfied
with the even tenor of her way-until
the Christmas trade began. Then
came a period of feverish unrest. She
caught the enthusiasm of her Christ
mas customers-ye realized that ii
was futile. Barring a few girls and
the matron at the home, she could give
presents to no one, and even with
these there was the barrenness of mere
acquaintance, instead of the warmth
of family ties. Somewhere over in
England were her mothers people, but
they had not cared to follow her sad
Her father, a violinist who
generally had found employment in
second-class theaters, had handed
down to her no family tree. And yet
Emily Green could smile on a custo-
mer when her fellow workers wished
they were dead, and she could face I'M
complainingly the ordeal of night
work because 1t was much better than
sitting in her hall bedroom and wish
ing she had some one to make gifts
for.
She sighed as she put the lid on the
veil box. The young girl who was
carrying away her purchase, a lovely
brown lace veil, had bought it for her
older sister.
Kate looks so pretty in brown
she had condded to the interested
salesgirl.
"Katie!'' Q for a Katie or a sally
or a sister of any name for her very
The store had only just opened its
doors, the shopping throng had not
yet arrived and only other clerks were
making purchases during the hour al
for hi NV f1,|af
I'D like to see something in a lace
boa," said a masculine voice, and EN-
lily swung around. The girl in the
rumpled waist was telling the wrapper
in the tiny booth overhead what she
thought of a firm that did not close
up till 10 o'clock.
"A lace boar" echoed Emily. I'm
afraid we have nothing OF that sort.
How would you like dotted net %
The young man uttered a sigh of
L don't know what you call it.
thought it was lace. It looks soft and
fluffy like
He had no hat. and plainly was an
Emily turned around the nickel-plated
rack with its swaying neck ruff1es.
ANY particular color?" she in
CURED.
It's for my mother. I suppose
ladies her age mostly wear black, but
I hate it-always looks like a funeral.
How do you think light blue or pink
would do %
What is her best dress or coat? ''
inquired Emily, with evident interest.
why. / m sure don't know. May
be I had better get white
For the first time in her life Emily
Green took the initiative.
II tell you what to do. Don't buy
It today, but tonight find out what her
coat is like, and then tomorrow wen
ind something that will match it"
"F'inel My names Henry Stanton
I'll be here at 8:15 tomorrow morning
Whom shall I ask for if you're not
my name is Emily Green-but I'll
be here"
"Ob. I thought you might be off do
ng some Christmas shopping, too"
Emily swung back the rufus with a
sigh. Every body but herself had Christ
mas shopping. to do
Her coats black broadcloth with
yelvet trimmings and some white braid
when I asked her, so I don't believe
she suspects said the guileless Henry
10 Emily the next morning Together
hey picked out q black and white net
0Oa that Emily assured him was in
excellent taste. And 1t was. The girl
1ad excellent judgment in dress. The
sale was quickly completed, but the
lext morning Henry came back He
lad such a list of Christmas presents. |
Would she help him finish his shop
1lng? His young brother wanted some
lid gloves, and his Cousin Helen, who |
vas an artist, would be pleased with a
ar for her brushes. Before they fin |
shed their shopping at the warning
slang Of the nine o'clock bell, Emily |
elt that she knew the entire Stanton |
amily and all its qualifications. More |
)ver, she knew that Henry was private /
Iecretary to the head of the firm, and |
n line for promotion.
Somehow she was not at all sur !
,rised when she left the store at 1920 |
hat night to find Henry waiting for |