The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-16

S0Ah C-ACbs oO " 6BCeAhs AJAAO NeAo oA1e~AA
and slenderly rounded, with reddish
hair and brown eyes, and an ingratiat-
ing little smile. And she was rather
new to Hathaway & Eaton's, where she
had been taken on in the glove section.
Coin to the Emerald Club tonight,
Miss Chaser" asked Miss Packer, big,
swarthy girl with regular garden
hedges of eyebrows. She knew very
we'll that the new girl wasn't going.
Sydney gave no hint of chagrin.
mo, I'm not going. Is it a dancing
club?"
Miss Packer raised an eyebrow at
this ignorance. ooh, hadn't you even
heard about it? Yes, it's dancin' club
"a real swell one, too. I'm gOfn' with
Mr.. McKay-he's in the Gents Fur
nishings,' you know"
That will be nice" Sydney's tone
was Nlitely Indifferent, bat she felt
8 the pang she was intended to feel. She
could not understand why they all
seemed so determined to shut her out
from their pleasures, and then to 1aunt
them before her lonely eyes.
y Miss Packer, however, felt vaguely
frustrated in her assumption Of social
superiority, Little cat!" she NUT
tered, tossing her head.
Occasionally in the shops there Is
to be seen a girl, brought there by
Heaven knows what exigencies, who in
appearance and refinement so overtops
her fellows that the difference is evil
dent at first glance. For quite obvi-
Gus reasons these girls are seldom
popular, and even the knowledge that
they are owed to ones superiority does
not invar. ably heal the wounds of hui
initiation and studied insult. Even
though she did consider the source
Sydney could not but vince at Miss
Packers snubs Besides she was only
a girl, and she was lonely.
The approach of a customer saved
her from the scratch of the little cat
remark, and she was surprised to feel
+ In the manner Of this customer an I'M
accustomed friendliness, a sympathy,
something understanding. She was
a young woman, beautiful and beauti-
fully dressed, and Sydney did not won
der at the interest she seemed to be
exciting among the other clerks. She
felt someway little happier when the
beautiful lady had turned away with
smile that seemed to have so much
more Ia 1t than mere amiability-it
was somehow comforting like the pres
sure of the hand that means BE of
vtgeods cheer" f
The floorman sauntered up. He was
Mr.. B. F. Writ, commonly called Ben
ME"
Some class, eh?" said he, with
glance after the figure of the beautiful
lady.
Sydney cordially agreed. "she was
lovely"
well, do you know who that is?
It's Mrs. Valentine Burke-she used to
work right here in this very store"
"she did"
That's what she did-when she was
Christabel Shannon. And she married
Burke, the millionaire, and seems to
be living happy ever after. Terrible
romantic, amt it?"
81 should say" smiled Sydney.
"How's this fair one to-day?' in
quired. Bennie softly, smiling his own
sweetest.
well, thank you" with no coquetry.
"Say, goin' to the Emerald tonight"
Sydney shook her head. mo"
Don't you want to go?" persisted
Mr.. Writ COR no bid?"
'I haven't been asked" she admitted.
f.,5" Come, go with me, then, he invited
her.
~ why, yes, I'd like to-" She spoke
with a slight hesitation, which Mr..
Writ did not notice.
All right. Fine doin's," said he,
quite elated. "I'll see you later"
The first stare that night showed the
curious Emeralds why Bennie's chest
was swelling with pride of conquest
Starved as she was for pleasure, Sgd
ney's cheeks began to glow as the
young men crowded around her for
dances, and the smile on her wistful
mouth became more irresistible.
The evening was half gone when two
strange young men appeared in the
doorway, having wandered up from the
street, probably allured by the strains
Of kiss me, my honey, kiss me-"
Their dinner jackets proclaimed them
gentlemen to the doorkeepeT, who after
a consultation with the president Of
the club, received their money and ad-
mitted them.
Their looks, their air of being on a
lark, their self-possession and their
clothes labelled them from a somewhat
higher sphere, and the girls to whom
they were introduced beamed upon
them. Both were presented to Sydney
Mr.. Meadows and Mr.. Tremper.
I'm sorry. but my card is full
she responded to their invitations to
dance. Mr.. Meadows moved on to the
next girl, but Mr.. Tremper remained
standing before her, looking rather
deep into her brown eyes with his
clear, steady gray ones.
I'm sorry, too" he was saying, when
suddenly, Extra, waltz" the floor
manager shouted.
Tremper smiled. This is my lucky
night, isn't it?"
Sydney felt her heart quicken. She
rose to put her hand on his arm, ignor
ing the sight of Mr.. Writ, skating
across the floor in her direction
She had never felt other men in
dancing any more than prancing auto
nations, but she was conscious OF
Tremper's arm about her waist They
spoke little and the music seemed Il
be CARRYING them on without persona
effort.