Arizona republican., 1911-11-13

That night when she left the store
| since she was not 10 meet Elmer, she
| could have taken her car at the first
corner, instead, she walked on 10 the
| next. There was an automobile at the
curb, a tall Sfigure stood beside it.
| Jerry's heart leaped. though she dared
not look-she walked slowly past
blissfully conscious of the eyes that
| followed. He was there again, Not
purposely, of course, she told herself;
it would be too absurd to think that.
1t was an accident, sweet chance
Guilty. half frightened, tremulous, she
hurried home.
Began then a season of dreams in
which she moved almost trance-like
through the mOnotony of everyday
life. Every night she passed the fatal
corner-sometimes he was there, some
times he was not. A girl in a depart
ment store cannot be wholly unso-
phisticated and Jerry soon recognized
her ailment. At last she loved; and
knew that it was for the first time
her boy and girl friendship with FL
mer she now understood as that and
nothing more.
Elmer; she smiled little to herself
as she Strengthened stock on the ia
bles. To think she had mistaken the
warm milk OF her affection for Elmer
for the heady wine of love,
One day, passing a bookstore win
dow. she saw new novel displayed
'Infatuation." The word struck her
like a blow. Infatuation, thing that
haunts and harries and possesses one
utterly. Some vague analogy shamed
her. or what demon was she pos
sessed to make her bestow all the
sweet fire of her, unasked, upon a man
whose eyes had merely met hers? And
that man, one whose path ii was I'M
likely she would ever cross. The dim
happiness of vague dreams and wagner
hopes began TO fade. No longer did
she feel the exhilaration of a delicious
secret, for she was beginning to ask
herself how all this was to end. How
could it end but sadly-loving, I'M
sought, one she might never meet?
Probably she had only imagined that
answering interest in him, that thrill
ing something in his eyes. Whatever
ii should be, love is not always sweet,
and poor Jerry was learning some Of
its bitterness. Love to her was adora-
ton and pain, an ache and yearning.
Here's glad tidings, girls" cried
Miss DietZ, one dull morning at the
store. I'VE got to take stock, Sun
day"
"Oh, pickles." cried the others, in a
protesting chorus.
Amt it wicked TO work on Sun
day." asked Edna. prim little stock
girl who had only been in the store a
few weeks.
You bet it is" they laughed.
Edna appeared disturbed by this
affirmation. Well, but God knows it
amt our fault-we hare to-
God knows we need the money!"
observed Susie Kelton. whose own re-
ligious training had been sadly lack
ing.
The laughter raised by this sally
was quickly suppressed at the ap-
proach of fioorman
Darn il ALL" muttered Miss Dietz.
Il was goin' to the country. Sunday.
wish they'd let us know a little
ahead, don't you. Jerry?"
''Oh, | don't care" Jerry replied in
differently.
oh, youi" retorted Miss Dietz.
You're always standin' up for the con-
tented stunt. Seems 10 me you're a
little mooney yourself iately-not get
tin the wishin' habit, too. are you?
Wishin' for things you amt likely TO
get?"
Maybe / am" said Jerry, with a
queer little smile
Amt it awful?" cried Miss Dietz.
earnestly, lifting her pompadour off
her forehead with a tragic gesture.
Seems like everybody's wishin' for
what they haven't got II they're
single they want to get married and if
they're married they want a divorce.
II they're poor they wish they was
rich, and II they're rich they've prob
ably got a stomach-ache and amt sat
isfied. There's Jenny Peters I'D just
willingly die ten years sooner if she
could cram them big feet of hers into
a number five, cause her feet's just the
same size as Billy Taylor's, her steady.
Daisy there's hearts pretty near
broke because she amt going to have
that new pink dress for the Emerald
Club dance, and Lena's ready to ex-
pire for some of them dinky little Bill
lie Burke curls, and she has TO give
all her money to her mother, who
takes in washin'."
That's the way it goes" Jerry
sighed, putting a fifty dollar waist
back into its box. What's your spe-
cial, Alice?"
''Oh. me-" Miss Dietz sighed, too, as
she slammed a big box up on the
shelf. Honest to Gawd, sometimes
on bargain days, | think If | didn't
have that soft corn between my toes
I'd be as happy as May Irwin
Jerry laughed, and Miss Dietz
echoed it little, then came closer and
lowered her voice to a confidential
undertone.
Say. Jerry, amt you little white
around the gills lately? | don't want
to butt in, but-say, is it so that you
and Elmer Pierce are at the outs?"
Her good-natured little eyes shone
with the intense curiosity of the nat.
urally frank toward the supposedly
abysmal secrets of the more reserved
Jerry confirmed the rumor. "Yes.
Alice, it's So"
We'll, what do you know about
that? He was askin' me last night tc
on with him IN tho Emerald next