Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1908-11-27
cASTTFED
TRRfNED LAHD
~ " ~S@~ ~ y
BY o. HENRY.


~ the other We often bea
shop girls" spoken of. N,
such persons exist There are girl,
who work in shops. They make theil
living that way. But why turn theil
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 al
their homes TO go around. Nancy was
nineteen. Lou was twenty. Both were
pretty. active country girls who had
no ambition 10 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-
manned chums. 1t is at the end of six
months that 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
tousiy, for they are as quick TO resent
stare as lady in box at the horse
show is.
Lou is a piecework ironer 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 $25. and its fellow
beasts will be ticketed in the windows
at $I.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 a 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 fare No furs protect
her against the bitter spring air. but
she wears her short broadcloth jacket
as jauntily as though it were Persian
lamb. On her face and in her eyes, re-
mOrseless 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 wither
and abash man, but he has been known
to smirk at it and offer fowers-with /
a string tied to them.
Now lift Your hat and come away
while you receive LOUIS CHEEKY See I
you again and the sardonic. sweet /
smile of Nancy that seems somehow
to miss you and go futteFing 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 a dozen
subpoena servers to find her lamb.
"Ain't you cold. Nance?' said Lou.
Say, what a chump you are for work
Ing in that old store for IS a week. l
made $3.50 last week. OF course iron
ng amt as swell work as selling lace
behind a counter, but it pays. None of
is ironers makes less than SO. And
lon't know that it's any less respectful
work either
you can have it." said Nancy. with
lplifted nose. "I'll take my eight 4
week and hall bedroom. | like to lie
lmong nice things and swell people
And look what chance I've got! Why,
me of our glove girls married Pitts
,urg = SHOEMAKER or blacksmith or
omething-the other day worth a mil |
ion dollars. I'll catch a swell myself
ONE time. | amt Dragging on my
ooks or anything. but I'll take my
hances where there's big prizes Of
cred. What show would a girl have
D a laundry?'
"Why, that's where met DAN" said
.ou triumphantly. HE came in for
is Sunday shirt and collars and saw
lie at the first board ironing. We all
~ to get to work at the first board
lila Maginnis was sick that day, and
had her place. He said he noticed
Nv arms first, how round and white
ley was. | had my sleeves rolled up.
ONE nice fellows come into laundries.
GU can tell 'em by their bringing their
othes in suit cases and turning in the
Dor sharp and sudden"
How can you wear a waist like that,
ou?' said Nancy, gazing down at the
Tending article with sweet scorn in
er heavy lidded eyes. ut shows fierce
ste"
This waist?" cried Lou, with wide
ed indignation. why. | paid SIS
r this waist It's worth S25. A wo-
an left it to be Numbered and never
lied for it. The boss sold it to me.
s got yards and yards Of hand en-
oidery on it. Better talk about that
lily, plain thing you've got on Dc
''This ugly, plain thing said Nancy br
lmiy. was copied from one that oil
RS. Van Alstyne Fisher was wearing. m
le girls say her bill in the store last
ar was $4,000. | made mine my w
IT, 1t cost me $3.50 Ten feet away ST
:, conId,,'t toll if from hers" fo