The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-21
The EVENING STORY
Getting Rid of Annie.
(By Maisie B. Whiting. )

|
the dusty window of the back Office
into the shop where a trim figure was
moving about tying bouquets of vio-
let's. Not but what Annie is a nice
enough girl. but find it most annoy
ing to have woman about the place.
Yesterday she dropped her handbag on
my new derby and nearly smashed the
crown"
THE day before she left three hair
pins and one safety pin on the wash
stand" added Mr.. Joel Smith.
/ Her hat takes up all the room on
one side of the office, and 1 get jab-
/ bed every time move in that direc-
ton
"And she always leaves the end of
her parasol sticking out so that I
stumble over it,
And she's forever dropping her
handkerchief for some one to pick up.
I amt been on my knees SO often since
I was a young man." declared Simeon.
| Nor IT, agreed Joel.
| Beyond, in the store, Annie con-
| tinued to arrange her flowers and to
was slight, good-looking girl, with
wavy light hair and wide open blue
eyes. For her part, she considered
the Smith Brothers florist shop very
pleasant place, and her employers the
dearest pair of old bachelors ever
found outside of a story book.
There's just one thing certain,
said Mr. Simeon Smith, while I'm
gone on my vacation you must get rid
of Annie
"1Eow. Simeon. that isn't playing the
game fair" protested Joel.
yes, tbs I've thought it all out.
/ You're younger'n me, Joey. I'm will
! ing to accomm odate any time about
the shop. and it's only fair you take
few of these jobs off my shoulders. I'm
sure we've both been Inconvenience
long enough by this-er- misplaced
young woman
I suppose you are right. Simeon,
but it's a kind of a ticklish job. I
reckon you wouldn't mind if I thought
up some good excuse for getting rid of
her.
| Joel"
"I might tell her she isn't always on
time in the mornings
'Twont do. Tried it myself not
long ago, and she said she'd be more
prompt in the future, and she was for
a week.
I'VE might cut down her wages and
then she would leave of her own ac-
cord"
mo good I did that very thing a
month ago, and she said she'd try to
do better\work, so 1 had to raise her
again the next month"
It'll tell her she isn't accurate
enough. She frequently makes mis-
takes IN cnange-
81 tell you what will happen then.
She'll nearly cry and say she never
was much good at figures. / say, Joel, |
you'd be brute to discharge a poor
girl because once in a while she made
a mistake of a few pennies"
DO you think that in any way she |
hurts the trade?"
mot exactly, but I've suspected that
one or two young men are buying |
boutonnieres lately that can't afford |
l. So l~-7
habits. The Smith Brothers never |
wanted to make their money out of /
other peoples fOolishness- I dunno's |
you can tell her that. But you're |
smart, Joey .youll find way. Good
luck to youi' and the elder member I
of the firm was off to enjoy his vaca-
ton. to the delight of his bachelor /
heart.
Four weeks later. when Mr.. Simeon
Smith returned to the city, he went
directly to the quarters he had shared I
for years with his brother. 1t had
always seemed to him that Joel
monopolized more than his share of
the room, but things seemed so
strangely tidy that he concluded his
brother must at last have realized how
selfish it was to have his possessions
scattered about.
Leaving his travelling bag. Simeon
fastened to the shop. After all, there
was no place more to his liking than
looking forward to getting into the
harness again. The swinging sign
nodded a welcome, and the flowers
in the window never seemed more
fresh and blooming Within the shop
trade was evidently good but some
how, as he stepped within the door,
the place seemed empty. Things had
in some way changed. He peered fur
lively in all the corners; of a surety,
Annie was not there.
Hello, Simeon" called Joel, paus-
ing in his work; black again, are you?
Suppose you've had a splendid vaca-
ton. You are looking fine"
80 are you, JOEL" returned his ,
brother. Work must agree with you.
I bet you've gained ten pounds.
Turned over a new leaf, too, haven't
you?s Where did you stow away all
your duds uD to the room ?"
I've moved
moved! For mercy's sake. where
top
"oh, not very far. Only just around
the corner and up the street way"
wei, I declare! I guess I ought 5
to have stayed at home to look after I
you. see you have got rid of
Annie
Eyes, that is-yes''
After I left you I got thinking that
matter over, and concluded, perhaps, I :
We were a little too hasty. I intended
% drop you line about it, but I didn't
really think you'd have the spunk to :
10 it, anyway. I'd like to know how
7ou managed it, il you don't mind tell t
ng."
ssWell. no. I don't know as I mind
.elling- The truth of the matter is, d
Simeon, IL married her. v
Bless my soul! Lord love you. yous t