The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-03

Mr.. Brindiey Morrison popkin was
worried. Being floor manager of the
book department of the huge Broad
gauge store was an honor he long had
coveted, but here. after his first week
in that position, was Mr. Popkin, Won
dering if. after all, it was worth while.
Ever since he had entered the employ
of the great establishment as a cash
boy. he had set the head of this partic-
ular floor as the height of his ambition.
Every step that he took upward was
but one more toward his goal: he felt
that his cause was advanced; when he
stepped behind the cotton goods coun-
ter his upward leap was almost like a
flight TO the blue dome of Empyrean;
when he was given charge of the tin
ware and iron goods in the bargain
basement annex, he believed that it
was merely test of his ability to han
ole higher things And he had then
told Name in all the pride of his heart
that things were coming his way"
True. this last move took him off
Names floor. She was in hosiery and
lingerie: she was tall, naughty and
dignified, but he counted the promo
ton as worth more than temporary
absence from her vicinity, especially as
he knew that books We're in the next
aisle from hosiery. and that when he
off than ever. Also true. Tim Healey
was now its head, and Tins eyes fell
on Name with no uncertain CLEAN. But
even this could not stay the force OF
Popkin's ambitions. and to the bargain
basement annex he had gone, to take
the headship- of his first stock.
And a week ago he had come into his
reward. Healey had been attracted by
a digrified raise" from Bambergers
and had left books in the Broadgauge
10 hanlle a similar line for its chief
rival. Good work in tinware by Pop
kin had been observed; his ambitions
were known, and when Healey was
gone the position he coveted was his.
II was now Saturday night, the end
of his first week there
And he was worried? Yes vastly.
The red carnatiOn in the butt0nhole of
his Prince Albert"-fOr tradition says
that all floor managers shall wear
prince Alberts" with red carnations
attached-the red carnation withered in
the baleful glare Of his countenance.
and his accustomed suavity, the rub
bling together of the hands, the slight
bow and the smile, all parts OF his
store makeup, were purely mechanical
tonight: the eye carried no cordiality
and the voice was weary and far away.
For Healey. now of Bambergers, had
avowedly set out to put the Broad
gauge books out of business" and
Popkin had been warned twice during
the week that this was in a fair way
TO happen, according TO the views of
one Mr. Wflkerson. the store manager
The Broadgauge trade in the six best
sellers was showing a decided slump,
and there was even danger that the
Hamburger record would be taken az
authoritative for the city. rather than
that of the Broadgauge; and so dire a
calamity could mean only one thing for
Popkin-a new place. So il was. as he
had told himself, up TO" him to stem
the rush
Your department" Mr.. Wilkerson
had said. shows a decided falling off
Mr.. Healey seems to have a certain
personal following which you. having
been so long in tin, haven't acquired
You do not know iiter'chu like he
does. Nor lit'ry people. Your run on
The Enigma our best exclusive novel,
was a failure"
All of which was quite true. The
hint contained in the Wilkerson address
could not pass unheeded. and POpkin
was distinctly discouraged and worried
Hence amid the Saturday night throng,
he stood distraught stroking the end
of his taffy-hued mustache and smooth
ing ms coat front mecnanicaliy'
WAITS wrong?" cheerily inquired
Name. sticking her head around the
end of her counter into the ribbon de-
partment. which move enabled her to
hail Mr.. Popkin when she deemed it
expedient needful. She didn't do
this too often; Name was a sort of
belle in the Broadgauge. and she didn't
care TO go too far in encouraging at
tentiops that would deter in numbers.
however much they might make up in
strength. She possessed certain style
of rather bold beauty; she had good
figure. which showed we'll in the black
garb the store demanded. Her brown
pompadour was a bit straggly in the
rather close atmosphere of the place,
but she gave 1t a pat or two and re-
skewered II with d couple of zone hair
pins colored to look like she'll before
she spoke TO Mr.. Popkin.
Ill
Name was the ideal of Popkin-and
she knew it. She was also the adored
of Healey-and she knew that In her
heart of hearts she had made up her
mind. but to neither man had she |
more than tacit encour- |
agement.. For Name was wise in her |
own generation and she did not propose |
10 surrender her SIS q week till she |
could find something like an equivalent |