Smyrna times., 1909-06-02

a sure thing in case of the failure of
the other
She applied at a certain street and
number. So did about hundred girls.
fifty old women and a number of
boys. The main in the office called
her my dear and gave her thou
sand envelopes to take home that he
might see what sort of a hand she
wrote He also eXacted a deposit of
so cents for their return. He also
took her for a young widow and re-
marked on his gladness to see her
striving to make an honest living in
stead of attending champagne suppers
at sporty restaurants.
1t took the ambitious young wife the
best part of two days to address the
thousand envelopes, and when she
carried them back the man smiled at
her in brOtherly way and handed
over 20 cents and said:
MY dear. you have only to keep on /
and you will wear diamonds"
But the striving wife didn't keep on.
She was so discouraged and indignant |
that she left the place without de-
manding her deposit Something else
must be found. She saw the simple |
life galOping down on her and shirt !
less. collarless and sockless men pass
ing gents furnishing stores with looks
| of contempt
That something else was an ad. A
! bright young woman could make from
SO to Sc a day by calling at such a
street and number. Nobody would
dare advertise such a thing unless it
were true. and young Mrs. Lee called.
Lady canvassers were wanted to sell
a newly invented corset. 1t was a
corset that would give any woman in
the world willOwy form. 1t would
add to her height. straighten the stoop
in her shoulders. and she would seem to
float in the air as she walked. No
canvasser had made less than So
day. and some were ashamed of them
selves for making only Sc
The caller allowed herself to be
talked into the canvassing business
and took the rest of that day to study
up on points and then made a plunge.
Not ut home" met her at the door of
the first four houses she called at and
mot Mt home" and "she wouldn't see
you if she were'' at the next four.
At the ninth house she was admit
ted, and the lady offered her job as
parlor maid At the tenth the lady
of the house was in bed with head
ache. but her husband wasn't. He
asked the canvasser to sit down for
heart to heart talk and give him her
confidence. and when she refused he
said that if she had to live on turnips
: and sleep in barrels all the rest of
: her days it was her own fault. That
ended the corset business. "
: When the sample was handed in the
, man in the Office threw it down and
r muttered something that sounded like
} a swear wOrd-twO or three swear
? words connected by dashes.
: There was one more trial for the
striving young wife. She advertised
. to give piano lessons at the homes of
= pupils. She received postal cards to
t call here and there. and she called, to
: be snubbed by servants. winked at by
] young men and to be told by the lady
a of the house that her terms were al
least one-half too high.
/ In two cases she was offered castof
s dresses in exchange for instructions
and called "a stuck up thing wher
;. she refused. Mrs. Lee. went home will
5. tears in her eyes to find her husband
9 there. two hours ahead of his usua
). time. The simple life had come! Tht
d shirtless, sockess era had dawned a
last. and the furnishing store haC
b smashed and there was no money t
open the delicatessen!
Il The poor bride leaned against he
s. husbands shoulder and sobbed.
is There. there! What is it. pet?" b
IS cooed.
IS ''Oh. Arthur. IL was trying so hare
20 to get money to meet this calamity
,e and-and l haven't got a cent?
le Calamity? What calamity do 20
ar mean?"
st "Why, the smash! Miss Headly sal
IL it would come and that we must Ope
Id a delicatessen store and sell sausage
v and saladsY'
Up 'Sausages and salads be hangedY' h
| shouted. "Old maids be hanged! Con
s. to smash be hanged! Why, swee
be heart. business is so good that
bought a piano today and have com
as home to see it delivered. Here
Id comes now"
fe And men are going to keep right Q
IS. wearing shirts and things?"
he Lord. yes. The dollar shirt at 4
lg. cents is as firmly fixed as the rock {
at Gibraltar
ry "But Miss Headly-why-why
nd "Why did she talk that way? o.
es. just because she had taken a contra
ed to stuff and sew a thousand dolls f,
Int market and wanted an excuse if "
!. found it out"
rs.
,rrr