Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-26
Around the CITY

| A woman who is her own boss was busy
| in her office. Sentiment and business had
| combined to give to the little place a
| BOffins Bower contrast in which the para
phernalia of work had for its background
bits of old mahogany, pictures, books,
handed-down china and other survivals of
| a home that was lending its dignity to
| the trade that is.
| The woman stood at counter figuring
| at her ledger. Her silent partner a NAL
| tese cat, shared the window sill with a
potted plant and the half open door
| glimpsed a patch of sunny pavement and
a tree in which the sap looked ready to
| run.
| The woman had splendid red hair and
race III which soft womaniness and
| business alertness were as much at vari-
! ance as her surroundings, and as she
/ figured away at her work small black
! silk old lady appeared in the doorway
May l come in and rest a bit?'
The voice was SO cfidishly confident of
admission that with the words it's owner
entered and smiled socially at the woman
who was her own boss.
4 m so tired, my dear. I'm on a visit
! TO friends up town but l thought I'd take
a little look around in this section.
| BY the time she was through with her
!
to ask the boss woman intimate cues
| tons concerning her work. The questions
were answered probably because the
Womanl1ness in the boss's face was her
cause the business alertness haa it's sense
of humor.
And you work this way all the time
just to make a living? Why, my dear,
you deserve much better-much better
Why don't you live on checks?''
| 'On-checks?
Yes. dear On checks From your
friends. you know
| OH understand
| The boss woman f1ared up in keeping
with the red of her hair. but who could
possibly resent a sprightly little black
silk old lady, who looked like frontis-
piece from Godey's magazine that had
been kept for decades and then got lost
in the street.?
| Yes, dear, you are doing your friends
a great injustice in dcpriving them Of
the pleasure of helping you. We must
all account for our money. you know
and you will be held responsible for not
giving them the privilege of sending you
monthly checks-EoW do oiiige me,
| dear"
| 1T was rather an astonishing view to
denly departed affluenec to seif-mainte-
nance had been singuIarly free OF help,
but humor is humor.
That's fine idea if yol can get il to
work Suppose you start me on my ca
reer by sending me check as soon as
you get home?''
/ Up went the little old lady's hands with
her black silk bag dangling on one arm
Why, my dear. live OH checks my
self"
ont the woman who WAS her own boss
took time TO say to herself
| To help a little helpless thing 50
beautifully as to make her believe She is
doing kindness; instead of receiving il .
| ! wonder If She Intentionally sent to
/ me to revive my Faith in human nature,
/ wonder wonder who sent her-?'
Then she went back 30 her figuring.
! He looked as if lie had come direct
! from Squash Center to "a gents furnish
ing store and had himself QUILTED into
/ the member from -.
! And as he Went up the House office
! steps with 4 man who was his opposite
! in polish, dress and district" he aid
with f.anfness that was the one fine
natural thing about him:
| Il hope wen get the eXtry session. I'd
! like to nang on Unit, the winter breaks
! on account Of the furnace. heat. Nothing
! but wood stoves out my way.
| 1t wasn't what one might conscien-
| tiously call q good reason To-. wanting to
delay the proposed reciprocity agree
ment still.
IL ali The reasons in Congress were
mishtu't b" the wcrst.
i The counter was hillpwy with pink
crepe with more bolts Of pinI. piled t.
one side. Tie clerk was holding up a
drap2Ty Ct soft rose sha led satin.
on two stools hsfcr. tn" counter sat
7 two women: one look n@ on. the ether
j holding a scrap of pink which she laid
against each piece of goods as tn" clerk
/ embodied ii.
They are all lovely. but il is aoSo-
luieiN nccessa to match my sample.
DO YOU think You can have II on the
SHELF"
The clerk took down two paper-wrap-
ped bolts and held up simmer % pink
messaline.
"Oh. that's the exact shade. but you
see its got to be crepe-have you paler
! tint: something on the order of shrimp
| The clerk hauled down something on
the order of shrimp.
! NO. This first piec, matches the SIN
pie best of any
! "Thes are from the same piece--dcn I
you think -
The clerk was decided. but diplomatic.
as behooves one who has known woman
better than woman knows herself.
Yes. il seems the same, still I'd better
look around iiist.
And as the two wcmen Went off the
salesman sail 10 the iooker-on:
| Il knew she didn't pay any dollar a
yard for that dress. I'm going to tell her
saw the very same stuff fo- - cents
I'm too sharp to be fooled by any such
brag Carrie Blank tries to get away
with"
And that's all third woman could over
hear.
It wasn't worth writing about of
course, only.
Well it did seem surprising that -
sha p a woman s';culd hare missed tile
Si.n rchi before her eyes:
jill sl.U silks reduced 10 - cents"