Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-03-11
fiction
RFDFEMlNG HER SEX.
BY VENA KENNEDY WILSON.

va
Eyes; l am sure"
"Then this receipt for 500 was Civ
en- you for a five dollar dcposit:"
Eyes; it must have been. | was here
Thursday and paid 81 on Il rug, and
when l got home I found the receipt
was for $500"
"Well just take a chair. and | will
look it up"
The head of the department went
through Il pile of papers before him.
A family amused contemptuons glance
in his eye told the undcrclcrk that he
had branded hcr story another lie"
In Il few minutes he turned to her
and said co%urteouSly. but coldly:
"Strange; our slip says 50. Now, l
will give YOU a duplicate receipt. |
will keep the receipt You gave me for
the $50. 1t is of no value to YOU
looking her i'm the eye.
"No: oh, no. OF course not. Thank
you. I-l-kncw had paid the So"
After she had left he took his way,
with Il smile. to the upholSterin- de
partmcnt. When he returned the smile
was almost Il Sncer.
'VNcll," said the undcrclcrk. With Il
laugh.
Same old thing" he said wearily.
The receipt was given for goods
bought by her Thursday. She has lost
or mislaid her receipt for the 50 and.
Judging us by herself. was afraid we
would deny receiving ii. SO hatched up
that lie. by heavens, ! believe u wo-
man would lie her seal away To save
IL dollar"
The other man chucilIed.
You think it is funny. Well, |
don't"
IN hour later he turned 4, his clerk
again:
give more women, five more lies-a
good record for an hour.
Y woman stood beside him, and a;
his eyes scanned her quicNly he smiled
Unfortunately.
she was not sIlabbily geuteel, hut
shabbily Grotesque. The skinny cape,
the Ihreadhare waist, the betiowerci
bonnet and i'll hanging skirt We're of
all colorS and materials. They We're
alike only in cleanliness.
She raised her sharp brown eyes,
hesitated and smiled a little tremu-
lousy. showing gums entirely devoid
Of teeth. Then, strengthening herself
up, she said slowly:
I've come to see if you'd take a rug
back"
What is the matter with the rug"
"Nothin', only | don't want it"
How long have you had it? A cou-
pie of days, l suppose ironically.
"No; I've had it purity heal two
month"
But you have not used it, of
course?"
"Well, it's been on the floor all the
time. but [ only set there when have
company, an 1 don't have company
very %often,' this a little apologetical-
ly. Its a purity rug, an I like it, but
L want to send it back"
why did you buy it if you didn't
want it" he asked bluntly.
Il do want it, but-but I've got to
have some money, an I can't get it
unless 1 can send the rug back"
"How much was itY"
eleven dollars IN forty cents" she
answered dejectedly.
Are you sure there is nothing wrong
with the rug? he asked in an insin-
uating voice. IF it is crooked or off
color or not as represented l may be
able to do something for you"
mo" emphatically, but sorrowfully;
there amt nothin' wrong with the
rug. It's purity an all right, but it
amt hurt any, an / must have the
money, an'-an' l thought you might
take it back"
Give me your name and address,"
he said, "and 1 will call tomorrow and
look at it. l will tell you then what l
ran do" His eyes held a smile that
was not amusement or contempt, but a
combination Of incredulity and joy
that made the underclerk wonder.
The next afternoon he climbed five
the room with the rug.
Its Haunting colors. the glaring chro-
mos, the table with the installment
plan album, the few wooden chairs
and the old cane rocker, even the one
little scarlet geranium, were noted in
a single glance. But he looked at the
old woman's face long and steadily. 1t
was such a battered old face, as
though time, sorrow and privatlon had
fought out their desperate battle there
and left each time traces to tell the
tale.
Its a purity rug" was what she
said.
"You don't want to give up the rug.
Why do you do 500"
She clutched n%ervously at her apron
and shrank within herself before the
man who seemed to fill the room with
his dominant, forceful personality. He
was so strong, young, well groomed,
that she felt suddenly old, weak and
helpless before him.
excuse me-" he said kindly. II had
no thoughts Of prying into your bust
ness. l only want to help YOU out of
this If l can"
81 know, l know" she said quickly,