Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-04
CHAPTER XIV.
More About Marion

Nv loiio"lhS NltSl lOOll was
warm and bright, perfect for up-river
excursions, and, as was their usual
habit, Max and Marion were spending
the day together
Released from the eternal hustle of
Oxford street, the girl looked forward
with eager anticipation to each Satur-
day afternoon and Sunday-the week
ly period Of rest and recreation To
the assistant in shops where the civ
ing-in' system pertains, Sunday is the
one bright interval In an otherwise
dull. dreary and monotonous life, the
day when he or she gets away from
the WEAKNESS of being business-like,
the smell of the goods" and the keen
eye Of the buyer or shop-walker, and
when one is ones own master for
few brief hours.
TO those not apprenticed in their
youth to shop life and who, being
born in higher status, have been
compelled to enter business as
means of livelihood, the long hours
are terribly irksome, especially in win
ter. when artificial light is used near
ly the whole day. The work is soul
killing In its monotony and the pay
very meagre, therefore customers
need hardly be surprised when tired
assistant does not take the trouble to
exert herself unduly to satisfy her re-
quirements.
In summer, Marion loved the river
The air was fresh and beautiful, after
the vitiated atmosphere of the costume
department at Cunningham's Usual
ly Max brought his little motor boat
from Biffen's, at Hammersmith bridge,
where he kept it, up to Kew and there
they would embark in the morning
and run up to Hampton court, Staines.
or even Windsor, getting their lunch
con or tea at one or other of the
old riverside inns, and spending a.
lazy afternoon up some quiet, leafy
backwater, where, though so near the
metropolis, the kingfshers SKINNED
the surface Of the stream and the wa
ter lilies lay upon their broad, green
leaves.
Those lazy hours spent together
We're always delightful, Therefore, to
the devoted pair, wet Sunday was
indeed calamity. On the afternoon
in question they had met at Kew
Bridge at four o'clock, and as she sat
upon the crimson cushions in the
stern. they were ascending the broad
Thames the motor running as evenly
as clock, and leaving a small wash
in their wake. Marion could not
meet her lover before, because she
had spent the morning with a poor
girl who had been a fellow assistant
at Cunningham and was now in
Guys hospital. The girl was friendless
and in dangerous condition, there
fore Marion had given up her morning
and taken her some grapes.
! Ihere We're not many people on the
river. for pleasure seekers usually pre-
FER the reaches above Richmond. The
craft they passed was mostly sailing
boats, belonging to the club at CHS
wick, and the inevitable launch Of the
Thames Conservancy.
In a we'll cut gown of plain white
cotton. with lace and muslin at the
! throat, straw hat of mushroom
shape, with a band of pale blue vel
vet. and white sunshade over her
shoulder. she looked delightfully."- fresh
and cool. He was in a navy serge
suit and peaked cap. and in his
mouth pipe.
Seated sideways in the boat, with
'AAS tiiAobbiliSo dI HIS IS6I, ne
thought he never had seen her look
ing so chic and indescribably charm
ing. Those stiff black dresses,
which custom forced her to wear in
business, did not suit her soft beauty.
But in her river dress she looked de-
lightfully dainty, and he tried to con-
jure up vision Of what figure she
would present in we'll cut evening
gown. The latter, however she did
not possess. The shop assistant has
but little need Of decollete, and, in
deed, its very possession arouses com.
ment among the palmer. more prud-
ish, and more elderly section of the
girls in the "house."
More than once Max had wanted to
take her to the stalls of a theatre in
an evening gown, but she had always
declared that she preferred wearing G.
light blouse. AS man generally is
he was blunderer, and she could not
well explain how, by the purchase of
evening clothes, she would at once
debase herself in the eyes of her fel
low assistants. AS was we'll known
her salary at Cunningham certainly
did not allow Of such luxuries as the
atre gowns, and from the very first
she had always declined to accept
Max's we'll meant presents.
Tho only present Of his that shs
had kept was the pretty ring now up
on her slim, white hand, a ring Sc
with sapphires and diamonds and in
scribed within From Max to Marion,
with the date
AS she leaned back enjoying tn;
fresh air, after the dust and stiflins
heat Of London, she was relating how
pleased the poor invalid had been a
her visit, and he was listening to he
description of her friends desperat,
condition. A difficult operation ha;
turned out badly, and the surgeons
held out very little hope. Not sou
had been to see the poor girl all tn,
week, the nurse had said, for she ha,
no relatives, and all her friends wer,
In business and unable to get out, ey
cept on Sunday.
~ very much fear she won't live t.
see next Sunday" Marion was saying
4 with sigh, cloud passing over he
bright face. ''It is SO very sad. She