The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-09-09
The Evening Story
WRONG CHANGE.

Copyright. 1918. by W. Werner.)
Norah wrapped the four small stew
pans. and held her hand out for the
money. On the other side Of the
counter a shabby. wrinkled old wom-
an fumbled uncertainty In a worn
black cashmere bag-the old-fash-
Toned kind-so seldom seen in a city
street. Norah waited l~istlessly, hard.
ly. conscious Of the time. Her pretty
though it was only noon. Her brown
eyes We're red-rimmed. Usually keen
after sales-for the girls were gauged
by the number Of checks they wrote
today h didn't care whether she
ever made another one or o
Two hours before a big, overdressed
woman. with hard. dark eyes and a
great deal Of cheap jewelry dangling
ON neck and wrists, had bought sew
eral small kitchen articles from the
l0-cent counter. Norah glanced at
the bill handed her and gave her the
change. The woman accepted it care
lesslE, tucked 1t in her purse and turn.
&c away. Then she whirled about
and pulled. the change ut II gave
You a f%ive-dollar BILL" she said, "and
you've only given me- the change from
a two!"
why. o gave me a two." Norah
pAotcSleu, m sure.
Are you?" she sneered. wen, I'm
more sure. beings all the bill 1 had
was that one five. And l can prove
my husband gave it to me this morn.
lns: Where's the manager?"
nj manager. a thin, harassed, ner-
Nous man Che had just received a re-
Prlinahd from h head manager, who
a made 1t especially nasty because
ne himself had been called down by
the proprietor ten minutes before),
ordered Norah to give the lady change
1or nye and the amount would be
charged to her. 1T was your place
he said Grossly, Ito repeat the amour,
before putting. It in the money draw
er. You know our rule. Clerks are
responsible for mistakes"
Norah o.beyed. She could do moth
ing else except quit. And even then
II would be deducted from her pay
que. But she was numbed by the
oiow: 1t mean that she must take
1850 out Of her own pocket. And
nat meant the vacation which she
month must be given up. Six dollar.
allows a scanty margin for saving
when one is all alone in the world. but
IN the last year Norah had manages
to dress In the nea black the store
required and save 50. A girl was al.
loWed to take a week off, but she wa
not paid during that week. Norah had
learned Of a farmhouse in Michigan
wnere fairly good board could be had
Tor IS. The fare there and back was
1880. Now With q grave face
she opened the cas- register and gave
Inc woman the change.
Later, when the assistant cashier
passed the pay envelopes. she opened
ners n made the amount good. An
winter and through the rainy, gloomy
spring she had looked forward to that
June week in the country. It was
nearthreaking to give it up.
I'm awful slow" said the shabby
old woman apologetically. II thought
had another dime. Those are aw-
1ul nice pans for 10 cents. Up home
they'd charge us three times that"
Norah scarcely listened. Her head
ached. Mechanically she took the
bill, put 1t in the cash drawer and
Counted out the change
"Didn,t,I give you $2?" the old lad i;
asked tiimidfv. II didn't know / had
a u: You Just gave ME 90 cents"
What's that" asked the manager
sharply. He happened to be passinE.
There was suspicion in his eyes. No.
rah hastily gave the OLD lady a dollar.