The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-03-15
Collector e
Cupid u
By ESTHER HARNDIN
Copyright, 1906, by P. C. Eastment

Peggy Hall sat among her shattered
household idols and wept.
The particular idol which she had
elected to moisten with bitter tears was
q small desk of mission wood, around
which had conferred her happy house
hold interests. How she had kept her
accounts, calculating with infinite
pains her steadily reduced living ex-
penses! And she had written to the
little town in New England letters
which fairly briInmed with the content
ment she had found in her life in the
bustling city which would have terri
fed most girls from her native village.
For she had been content-nay, more,
she had been happy. She had done
her best, too, to make things move
smoothly, but now
No, she would not say that she hated
Kit and Lucy, but she did think they
were playing 4 very small part. Then
she dried her eyes, pulled out her bank
book and a sheet of blank paper and
began to figure. At the end of five
minutes down went her head again,
and this time a sheet of paper sprin-
kled all over with relentless figures re-
ceiyed the flood of tears.
Perhaps at this time Kit and Lucy,
who worked in the suit department of
Keith & Blanks store, felt bit un-
happy too 1t was rainy, depressing
day, and customers We're few. The
floorwalker went downstairs to con-
suit with the head of the advertising
department, so Kit and Lucy stood
shoulder to shoulder in the big square
window overlooking the rain swept
street.
Il never dreamed she'd take it so
hard" remarked Kit, with slight asper-
ity in her voice.
"Why, she just acted as if we We're
cheating or doing something dishon-
est" assented Lucy in aggrieved ac-
cents. Pm sure we haven't hurt the
furniture, and the company has had
more than rent on it. They'll polish it
up and sell it for new"
81 don't think it was the furniture
exactly" said Kit. Peggy is just
crazy about keeping house, but for my
part l don't think girls in business have
any right to do housework. l got so l
just hated to think of going home and
waiting on myself"
Mrs. Hopkins says we can have our
old room back at the same figure. She
knew we'd get sick Of light hOusekeep-
ing. She says the head bookkeeper at
axrSe, hnr hn OF
and he plays the piano splendidly.
Maybe we can get up some Friday
night dances"
"Well, anyhow, I'm glad we're giving
up the apartment. Peggy makes love
ly salad dressing and fudge, but can't
make bed decently, SO housekeeping
was a mistake SO far as I am con-
cerned'
Talking in this strain, each imagined
that she was convincing herself, if not
her companion, that they had treated
Peggy in perfectly fair way and
We're altogether justified in their posi-
ton. Down in their hearts they did
not feel quite comfortable, and neither
could forget the pathetic figure they
had left in their small living room.
Peggy, Kit and Lucy had met at a
monday lunch room in the days when
Peggy was working in fashion syn
dictate office for $40 a week. A kim
dred spirit of inconsistencies had
brought them together, and when Peg
gy had pushed her way to the point
where she could afford a tiny studio
Of her own and command regular or
ders she had fed the offices of the fash
ion syndicate and had asked the girls
to start up a small establishment with
her. They had selected an apartment
with a northern exposure for Pegsy's
work. furnished it on the installment
plan, and for time all Went well.
Peggy, being most domestic in her
instincts, picked up the burden of
household management, and in time
the other two girls not only depended
upon her for managing the little estab
lishment, but failed to do their share of
the work. In her first enthusiasm
Peggy bore this meekly, but very soon
she found that the homework inter-
fered with her work at the easel. She
ran behind on her orders, and then,
automatically and kindly, she took up
the question with her housemates. Kit
and Lucy promptly announced that
they were disappointed in the house
keeping scheme, and they would be
only too glad to return to boarding,
where working girls belonged. If she
wanted to pay the rest on the furni-
ture and keep the fiat open for herself,
they would not begrudge what they
had spent.
And that was just what Peggy found
she could not do-meet the rent and
furniture payments. She sat up, wiped
her eyes and figured some more. The
girls We're leaving Saturday, the rent
was paid for two weeks longer, and
the collection day for the furniture
company was ten days distant. She
would enjoy it while she might. Per-
haps within the fortnight She shook
her head. 1t was no use to depend
upon girl chums.
She felt somehow that the furniture
company would get the best of the
bargain, and yet she would be break
ing her word for the first time In her
brief business history, and this hurt.
Henry Brightwell, with clipping
from the want ad. columns of morn
ing paper, stepped into the collection
office of the Jones & Grab Furniture
company.
81 don't know what your job is he
said easily as the chief collector mo-
toned him to n chair and looked him
over shrewdly, but I'm sober. indus
trlous and strong, and 1 want work.
any kind to get start"
You look as if you might do" re-
piled the collector dryly. But looks
don't count much in this business. It's
your ability to get the money or the
goods. We sell furniture on the in
stallment plan. A lot of people forget
the last few installments. That's where
our profits come in. You get the last
payments or the furniture. We don't
care which. Want to try it?'
YES" replied Brlghtwell promptly.
"Wheu do you want me to beginT