Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-11-30
The Crime of Christmas
A Story of a Little Shop Girl and Her Struggle with
Late Christmas Buyers That Might Very
Easily Have Been Spared. =

/ her cheeks, but 1t was not the color
of the crisp night air. Her black
eyes sparkled, but there was a look
| of boldness in them that grated on
the sensitive nature of Tessle. Yet
there was no denying that Maize was
pretty. Even her cheap fur coat and
rakish hat did not wholly spoil it.
Hello, Tess. They told me that
you were at this counter. I thought
I'd stop AMI see you. ] came in to
| get some Christmas cards. / always
send little cards to the fellers who
are so good to me on holidays. 1t
jollies 'em along. and I'm careful not
to send 'em anywhere it'll cause
trouble"
She laughed, the laugh OF a girl OF
through Tessie. Still, the coat was
fur and the hat was rakish.
Yes, I got lots Of fellers, nice fell
%lers," added Maize. I'VE go to dances
and balls and suppers, and, oh, I'm
havin' a grand time. l got a swell
date tonight"
Maize was talking at Tessie but
not to her. Tessie noticed it and fol-
lowed her rowing eye.
over by the picture postcards was
a well-dressed young fellow with a
face that showed a knowledge Of the
world somewhat beyond his years.
Tired as she was Tessie saw that the
young fellow had caught Mazie's eye.
A q%uerulous customer interrupted.
She wanted to see some garlands and
- h..N nN1artA -N,1~ =.
watching Maize. had not heard her.
In ar unlucky instant the floor
walker called out, Here, nc gossip
ing, now. Wait on this lady"
, The harshness of the foorwalker
brought a flush to Tessie's pale
cheeks as she mechanically
showed how to fold and un
fold the long garlands. Again
and again she had to reach up to the
shelves with her leaden arms for
other kinds to satisfy the querulous
customer. Nothing seemed exactly to
suit. While the %querulous customer
other. Still the %querulous customer
took her exasperating time to decide
On a h~fteen-cent purchase.
$50 long, Tess" rasped Maize. do
you know what I'd do to him?" She
nodded at the back OF the fioorwalker.
81 know a Teller who could frisk him
good and plenty for that, If he done
it to me. Say, I wouldn't go through
another Of these Christmas rushes at
Eve dollars per-not IL It was the last
act"
NJ ziG 01fOhna - tho tzz..-l II 81
paltry sum and Tessie returned to her
work of meeting this last paroxysm
Of Christmas shopping. The queru-
lous customer was gone and half a
dozen crowded into her place, grab
bling, unreasonable, lnsistent.
In the renewed rush Tessie caught
sight Of Maize at the postcard coun-
ter. The young fellow had edged UP
closer. They were laughing at some
thing. 1t took no woman's intuition
to guess what sort Of card they were
laughing at.
"See here, Tessie, IL you go to sleeI
over the goods I'll have you fired"
Again it was the foorwalker, not a
bad fellow, but mindful of the stor,
and its customers. Tessie bit her lii
and said nothing. Her feet fel
heavier than ever. Her head swan
The customers were more i~nsisten
as the clock hands advanced. Wa
there no antitoxin for the poisonet
Christmas Eve?
At last the hour OF closing came
Tessie had been invited to a Christ
mas dinner given by some philan
thropic people to working girls. Th,
store he'd given a Christmas bonu
of 80. and during the time when, sh
should have been eating her suppe
she had run off to purchase a SIS
met waist to wear to the fiesta
dinner. But somehow the thought o
that dinner now did not gladdei
Tessie. She was too worn out.
Tessie dragged herself rather thai
walked out on the side street from
the employees entrance. Al tho ear
a young mar was standing. He Lift