Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-12-05
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e TR(Gl1nEl y MND MLNAR La
By o. HENRY.


living that way. But why turn their
occupation into an adjective? Let us
be fair. We do not refer to the girls
who live on Fifth avenue as marriage
girls"
Lou and Nancy were chums. They
came to the big city to find work be-
cause there was not enough to eat at
their homes to go around. Nancy was
| nineteen, Lou was twenty. Both were
pretty. active country girls who had
no ambition to go on the stage.
The little cherub that sits up aloft
guided them to a cheap and respectable
boarding house. Both found positions
and became wage earners. They re-
mained chums 1t is Mt the end of six
months that l would beg you to step
forward and be introduced to them.
Meddlesome reader-my lady friends,
Miss Nancy and Miss Lou. While you
are shaking hands please take notice
cautiously-of their attire. Yes. eau
siously for they are as quick to resent
stare as Il lauy Ill Il DoX at the morse
show is.
Lou Is Il DiecewOrk ironcr in a hand
laundry She is clothed in a badly
fitting purple dress, and her hat plume
Is four inches too long, but her ermine
muff and scarf cost SO, and its fellow
beasts will be ticketed in the windows
at S1.9S before the season is over. Her
cheeks are pink and her light blue
eyes bright. Contentment radiates
from her.
Nancy you would call a shop girl-be-
cause you have the habit. There is no
type, but n perverse generation is al
ways seeking a type. SO this Is what
the type should be She has the high
RATED pompadour and the exaggerated
straight front. Her skirt is shoddy, but
has the correct flare. No furs protect
her against the bitter spring air, but
she wears her short broadcloth jacket
as iauntily as though it We're Persian
lamb. On her face and in her eyes, re-
mOrscleSs type seeker, is the typical
shop girl expression. 1t is a look Of
silent but contemptuouS revolt against
cheated womanhood. of sad prophecy
of the vengeance to come. When she
laughs her loudeSt the look is still
there. The same look can be seen in
the eyes of Russian peasants, and
those of us left will see it some day on
Gabriel's face when he comes to blow
us up. 1t is a look that should wther
and abash man, but he has been known
to smirk at it and offer flowers-with
string tied to them.
Now lift your hat and come away
while you receive LOUIS CHEEKY See
you again" and the Sardonic, sweet
smile of Nancy that seems somehow
to miss you and go futtering like a
white moth up over the housetops to
the stars.
The two waited on the corner for
Dan. Dan was LOUIS steady company.
Faithful? Well, he was on hand when
Mary would have had to hire dozen
subpoena servers to find her lamb.
"An't you cold, Nance?" said Lou
Say, what chump you are for work
ing in that old store for $S week.
made $3.50 last week. OF course iron
ing amt as swc, work as selling lace
behind counter, but it pays. None of
us ironers makes less than $40. And
don't know that it's any less respectful
work either"
You can have it," said Nancy, with
uplifted nose I'll take my eight Il
week and hall bedroom. | like to be
among nice things and swell people
And look what chance I've got! Why,
one of our glove girls married a Pitts
burg - Steelmaker or blacksmith or
something-t other day worth mil
lion dollars. I'll catch a swell myself
some time. | amt Dragging on my
looks or anything, but I'll take my
chances where there's big prizes Of
fered. What show would girl have
in a laundry"
"Why, that's where met Dam" said
Lou triumphantly. HE came in for
his Sunday shirt and collars and saw
me at the first board ironing. We all
try to get to work at the first board.
Ella MaginnS was sick that day, and
l bad her place. lie said he noticed
my arms first, how round and white
they was. had my sleeves rolled up.
Some nice fellows come into laundries.
You can tell 'em by their bringing their
clothes in suit cases and turning in the
door sharp and sudden"
"IIow can you wear waist like that,
Lou?" said Nancy, gazing down at the
offending article with sweet scOrn in
her heavy lidded eyes. "It shows fierce
taste"
This waiSt?" cried Lou, with wide
-
eyed Indignation. "Why, | paid SIG
for this waist. It's worth SO. a wo-
man left it to be laundered and never
called for 1t. The boss sold it to me.
It's got yards and yards of hand EN-
broidery on it, Better talk about that
ugly, plain thing you've got on
This ugly, plain thing" said Nancy
calmly. was copied from one that
Mrs Van Alstyne Fisher was wearing.
The girls say her bill in the store last
year was $4,000. l made mine my
self. 1t cost me $1.50. Ten feet away
you couldn't tell it from hers"
"Oh, WELL" said Lou good naturedly,
"if you want to starve and put on airs,
go ahead. But I'll take my job and
good wages, and after hours give me
something as fancy and attractive to
wear as l am able to buy"
But just then Dan came, serious
young man with ready made neck
tie, who had escaped the city's brand
of frivolity-an electrician earning $50
per week, who looked upon Lou with
the sad eyes of Romeo and thought her
embroidered waist a web in which any