Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-25
THE EVENING STORY.
HIS BOOKKEEPER.
Copyright, 1918, by W. werner.)

Old Martin-folks called him old, al
ulough he was far from Sixty-scowled
over the long counter heaped with tomato
cans. pickle jars. mosquito netting
ed loaves of bread and stale cake. Jenny
he conceded, was a good-enough book
keeper. but for woman going on thirty
nine she was too flighty. And it wasn't
as II she looked young, either. For all
her yellow hair-and he'd q strong suspi-
cion that she touched it up-she had a
series of wrinkles near each gray eve
that absolutely denied youth. OF course,
in the dimness of the rear of the store,
with the iron netting of her booth as a
screen and her hair combed fiuffily and
with a coat of powder she looked toler-
ably fetching. Martin didn't actually
blame that baking powder drummer for
stopping to talk and laugh. Like as not.
the blamed fool thought she was girl
drummers were that stupid.
But he did blame Jenny. He wasn't
going to have his store brought into dis
repute by her fightiness First thing
he knew, folks would be saying that he.
a deacon in the Baptist church, was en-
couraging her; first thing he knew
Say, Mr.. Martin inquired Jenny,
tripping up-(that trip was another
thing that annoyed her employer Why
in Sam Hill didn't she buy fiat-heeled
shoes. like a woman of her age ought TO
wear, stead of them Eighty military
stilts?)-"do you care if l take a day of
tomorrow? There's picnic
NO" said Mr.. Martin, sourly; L don't
care How could he say he did after
she had worked five nights last week in
voicing the new summer stock? All the
same. il was mighty mean OF her taking
advantage OF overwork to ask for a day
off when she knew that he wanted to
clean out the basement and so would like
10 have her attend to the customers.
Henry. the one clerk couldn't handle an
excess.
And, anyway. what did she banker for
picnics for? At thirty-nine a woman
ought to be past such fightiness. Listen
10 her telling the drummer-fat old man.
wife instead of hanging over her. talking
WORCESTERSHIRE, I'll be there, Mr. Bren-
nan. And I'll show you what a real
chocolate cake tastes like. I'll wager
It's mean of you TO tell me-"
Say, Miss Jenny" called her en-
ployer, testify, will you wrap UP some
beans for Mrs. COOPER
Jenny came forward cheerfully. Two
pounds. Mrs Cooper? My, what a pretty
hat you've got. Would you get mad if l
copied it? Not exactly, of course
La, no. laughed Mrs. Cooper. NO,
don't want any chilli sauce. Oh. well,
II YOU say it's awful good
Mr. Martin frowned. That was the
worst of it, Jenny was so ALFRED
cheerful and she had such a knack of
increasing trade that you couldn't walk
UP TO her and say, boldly: Jenny,
you're too old to be so foolish" You
just couldn't do it, that was all there
was to it. Some one ought to tell her.
though. Some one ought TO say, kind
~ and friendly. of course: Jenny
Pierce. YOU are thirty-nine years old, and
it's perfectly disgraceful for you to wear
low-necked shirt waists and fiossy bows
on your pumps and three bracelets-even
IL your arms are round-and curl your
hair down over your ears" Mr.. Martin
wished that he had enough gumption TO
say il. And. as a friend. he really ought
10 refuse to let her off to go To that pic
mic picnic aroused all the fiightineSs
in Jemmy's disposition. lie had seen