Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-13
The Wooer.
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| NAoUlS VI OuT tuuEcu curing Lne WINTER,
and 1t occurred to me that she was the
girl had been looking for. She didn't
give me any encouragement; but you
know, faint heart ne'er won fair
lady" and concluded when the spring
came on to 20 down to the Briggs
country place and call on her. / sent
up my card, and she obliged me to
walt some time before she made her
appearance, but when she did she was
quite cordial. took courage at this,
because, you see, hadn't had an In
yitation. Besides, Miss Briggs father
Is a lawyer, and a well to do lawyer
standing high In his profession, while
am foreman In chlldren's waist fac
tory. Besides, Miss Briggs is highly
educated and intellectual, while don't
make any pretense at that sort OF
thing. know my business, and that's
all want to know. can take hold OF
a sewing machine and do more work
ON 1t In given time than any trio of
operators In my department
Well, we hadn't been chatting but a
few minutes when Miss Briggs looked
absorbed in something passing In her
mind Presently she said: mfr. Bea-
die, I'm In peck of trouble. Next
week we're to have the house full of
guests, and when we came down this
summer we found the rats had got
INTO our linen closet and made havoc
OF our sheets and pIllowcases. We
nave the material for new ones. but
the woman we expected to make them
up has disappointed us. l was trying
to do some of the work when Won
called, but there's something the mat
ter with our sewing machine. won
der II you could fix 1t for me-"
Il should smile" l said, pleased to
have an opportunity to be of service:
that's just in my line. There isn't
part or sewing machine that / don't
know all about / can put your ma
chine In order and then make her
hum"
She took me upstairs to a sewing
room. There was n machine at one
end of 1t. and the rest of the room was
taken up with white goods. 1t looked
10 me as Ii there were a thousand
yards. ] sat down at the machine and
started 1t up. 1t went very slick.
why the machines all right /
said.
rs it2 Well, you might try 1t ON one
OF these pillowcases."
She handed me the top one on a big
pile, and la few minutes ! had fin
lshed It, She moved the pile up where
could reach 1t and said
Il must run downstairs for q little
while. Mothers not well, and | have
to go into her room occasionally to see
that she doesn't want for anything"
She gave me an encouraging smile
and went out. looked around at the
piles Of cotton and linen all ready to
be sewed and remembered the princess
to whom the bad fairy gave impossible
tasks. had often boosted of my prac-
tical knowledge Of my business and
the amount of work can do In a given
time, but | had never calculated on
anything like this. thought | would
be good natured about 1t and let Miss
Briggs see by the time she came back
how many pillowcases could turn out.
She didn't come back. worked
about an hour when. getting tired,
concluded to make an excuse to stop.
| broke the needle. Going downstairs,
met Miss Briggs coming up. told
her why l had to stop. but she said
there was no need to give up for a lit
tie things like that. since there were
plenty of needles In the house. She
got me another put 1t In and went
to work again reluctantly.
Miss Briggs stayed with me a little
while, chatting pleasantly, and / was
getting satisfied with my work when
her mother called her, and she skipped
out again expected she'd be back
soon, but she didn't come. An hour
passed, and l began to think up an
other excuse for stopping work. This
time | concluded to break something
that couldn't be fixed. | took a stout |
brass rod out of window curtain and, |
Inserting II in the curved arm that |
holds the needle, broke 1t off. Then |
sat still awhile. I knew when Miss |
Briggs heard the machine stop she'd |
come up, and she did When she saw
the damage that had been done she |
looked grave for awhile. Then she |
smiled looked ruefully at the broken
arm,
Sorry" said. There's no way of |
repairing that damage. I'm afraid | |
can't help you any more this afternoon.
There must have been weak place in |
the arm, | don't like this kind of ma
chine anyway. We never use Il at the |
factory"
Don't disturb yourself In the least"
she replied amlably. But I'm afraid |
I'll have to ask you to excuse me, for |
mother Is worse and needs my atten-
ton every minute"
We walked out OF the room together
and downstairs. At the door she said:
"Goodby. Mr., Briggs. I'm ever so
much Obliged for your kind effort to |
help US out, and I've no doubt you'd |
have done lot more II the machine |