Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-18

en-, each Of 'em carrying her regular
heavy marching set Of ten-pound back
hair puffs behind the counter where the
handkerchiefs were displayed. They were
grouped at the near and far ends OF the
counter, with none Of 'em in the middle.
where applicants for goods usually do
their approaching.
II approached that way. anyhow. The
young women standing At the near and
far ends of the counter saw me all right.
Don't you worry about that. They saw
me. But just stood there.
II don't think Danny cares one bit Tor
her any more I heard one Of the young
women at the near end OF the counter
say to her group.
+" 'Doncha b'lieve it,. replied another OF
the young women in that group. Danny $
nutty over her. Perfec' bug. He'd 60 to
the north pole for her IL that wasn't such
an easy little joggle. Deed Danny would.
Me still standing there. you understand.
waiting for somebody to glide along and
stake me to q peek at some handker-
chiefs.
The skirt of her tailor suit says some
thin fierce, one of the young women at
the far end of the counter said to her
bunch-I couldn't help overhearing her.
And the worst Of it is she thinks she's a
hit in that SCOT. whereas she looks like a
bum, doncha think so?'
Well. / wouldn't call her 'zactly a
bum. replied one of the other young
women anchored at the far end Of the
counter. but she sure is a laugh any
way you look at it.
Me still there, you see, leaning on
the counter by this time. and just kind
o sticking around. hoping they'd let
me have peek at some handkerchiefs
after awhile
And that's what they did-after
awhile. One Of the young women from
the near-end bore down my way after
awhile. sticking the pins in her back
hair as she approached me. and yawn-
Ing generously as she came. and look
ing me over as If 1 had the boil weevil
and everything else in the insect line
incinerated to crisp
~ would like said. to see some
handkerchiefs.
The young woman felt Of her puffs.
darted me look Of deep disdain, and
said she:
"'H'much?'
Beg pardon?' said I.
'Hmuch?' she said again, this time
GROSSLY.
We'll, i didn't exactly feel like let
ting her get away with it. I knew what
she meant: knew that she intended to
inquire how much I wanted to pay for
handkerchiefs, but 1 wasn't going to
let her get by with the question barked
at me that way.
~ am afraid i said to her, that /
fail to exactly apprehend your-er-'
"'H'much y wanta pay for banker
chiefs?' she asked me, choking me of
just like that.
"'Oh, now I believe I understand l
said to her. Surely. Well. have been
paying a quarter for handkerchiefs. and
II you will be good enough To-
Here's some quarter ones she said.
almost literally throwing a couple of
boxes OF highly colored handkerchiefs
at me, and at the same time turning
and winking at one Of the other young
women, and taking not the least pains
in life to conceal that wink from me.
"'I can't remember having requested
YOU TO show me colored handkerchief
/ said to the young woman then. What
] want is the plain kind OF white linen
handkerchief, and
.'T didn't hear you say whether you
wanted 'em wife or colored.' the young
woman chopped at me. and then she
threw a couple Of boxes OF white hand
kerchiefs down in front Of 1t so that the
boxes raped me on the knuckles Of the
hand resting on the counter.
by this time, being crap. was Mt
tie peeved. Yep, ] sure was just q tr1ne
peeved. And so. my knuckles still smart
ing from the impact of the tossed handker-
chief boxes. said to the young woman: