The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-11
catriona would buy her sick Rosa a loll. All her life Rosa had wanted a ioll. Now, at least, she could have

Catriona would buy her sick Rosa a doll. All her life Rosa had wanted a doll. Now, at least, she could have one
 money, CatriOna kept 1t close at hand, in a little worn black leather purse, in
 shabby bag hanging from her arm, and not out of sight for an instant. Her purchases were to be made in
 the three-quarters of an hour allowed
 for supper. The time Catriona |con-
 stunned in eating her five cent meal
 was never long, so that, even allow ing for prolonged purchasing, her ab- sence of an hour was strange.
 "D-- your soul. where in hell have you been all this time, Catie?''
 the manager screamed at her. angrily.
 without glancing at her, when she
 came back at last.
 Catriona looked more anxious and
 white than ever before. Her face l was stained with weeping. 1T lost my purse,'' she said in a dazed, un- steady voice. "It was gone when I opened my bag in the lunch room. There was sudden breathless
 change in the air of the department.
 You could have heard pin drop.
 Better go down TO the basement and wash your face,'' said the man.
 ager, awkwardly, with unbelievable S0ullSuCSS.
 Well" she continued suddenly, the | minute Catriona was out of ear-shot, ''Tm not so poor but I can help to
 make that up.,' She took a dollar bill i from her pocketbook. Everyone con tributed something, though several
 girls went without their supper for
 this purpose, and one girl walked home four miles after midnight. AL together they could give nearly ten | dollars.
 The manager sidled awkwardly to- | ward Catroina, when she came back
 she mutter sheepishly, pushing the money into the little girls hand. Catriona, pale and dazed, looked up at her-looked at the money. with a shy excitement and happiness dawn | ing in her eyes. Then she cried again
 with excitement and joy, and every | one laughed, and sent her of again to wash her face.
 That night everything was different l in the department. There had been a real miracle of transfiguration. The whole air of intercourse was changed.
 All the girls were gentle and dignified with each other. Catriona's eyes sparkled with pleasure. Her careworn air was gone She was a child again. | She had never had any physical love- | Illness before; but on that night hun dreds of passing shoppers looked with | attention at LH0 ueIISAL dAO UGduly of her face.
 On the next day everything went on as before The girls snapped at each other and jostled each other. The beautiful manager swore. One girl came, looking so ill that Miss Johnson was terrified.
 Cant you stop, Kitty? You look
 so sick. For heavens sake, go home
 and rest.'
 | NI can't afford to go home.' Cross and snappish as the girls were, they managed to spare Kitty, and to stand in front of her to conceal her | idleness from the floor walker, and | give her a few minutes occasional rest sitting down. She went through the first hours of the morning as best she might, though clearly unGer pres sure of sharp suffering. But at about | 10 the floor walker, for whom it must | be said that he was responsible for the sales and general presentability of 1 the department, saw her sitting down.
 Why aren't you busy?' he called. "tGet up."
 | At midnight on Christmas eve, as | the still crowd of girls walked wanly out of the great store into the bril- ] liant New York street, some one said, l How are you, Kitty?"