Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-12-24

L
his empty basket down the street he
figured the gain and was content, and
that same instant. he caught the first
glimpse of his destiny.
She was standing behind the plate
glass of department store. A robe
of azure gauze, price marked $3.50,
swathed her slender form and polo
hat of yiolets sat we'll forward above
her golden Marcel" Her cheeks
mantled with the blush Of maidenhood
were luscious as ripe pomegranates
and her round eyes, which in color
matched the SS.95, grew lashes as long
rs painters brush.
Wing saw and was conquered. Trail
ing his basket he approached the win
dow, admiration expanding his fea-
lures into a grin. Fixed as the pago-
das Of Nankin he stood before this
daughter of the gods and drank his fill
of her loveliness.
Late that evening he returned to his
laundry. Next afternoon he feigned
sickness and hurried off to State
street. where his idol awaited him.
A week of such devotion and Wing
summed up his cash on hand-eight,
nine, ten dollars and 40 cents. He
| dressed himself in Sunday clothes,
rolled his pigtail into tight knot and
set out for the department store,
where she was enslayed.
"Hc = muchee you want your Nell
can gal?" he asked the foorwalker,
most politely. Strange to say 1t took
some minutes to convince the ad-
dressed that an insult was not i'm
piled. Questions followed at length.
Did Wing wish the figure alone, or IN
costume, as exhibited. To be sure he
! wished her clothes and all. Alas, when
the price was named, including dress,
hat and girl. In toto, Wings counte-
nance fell He shook his head and de-
parted with the visage Of stole.
Behind the ironing board came more
calculations and Wing began to work
overtime.
Months passed. The adored one
changed her diaphanous voile for a
smart green tauor-made and the
violet polo for a velvet toque. Later
in the season she wore a fur cape
around her shapely shoulders.
The new year had been ushered in
before Wing again appeared in the
role of suitor. The savings Of six
months were with him. new inven-
tory was made, the price haG increased
with the season. Wing deliberated.
He was "velly solly," but the "Melican
gal" would have to do without her lux
urious cape.
The money being paid, the new
master undaunted by jeers Of the pop.
ulace and occasional apple cores.
shouldered his blonde beauty and bore
her home.
Once within the laundry precincts,
Wing placed the beauty on wash tub
and arranged her gown ir correct
folds. It took him a full half hour be-
fore he was satisfied with the result.
| Then he lighted some joss sticks and
placed them 80 that she should be en-
veloped in the perfumed smoke. He
next offered her plate Of rice and
| sooy, but the tilted nose refused to
sniff Its appetizing aroma.
Alas, that the fates should be so
cruel to lovers. A sharp ring at the
telephone interrupted this amorous
soliloquy. To Wings reluctant re-
sponse an irate customer demanded
his washing and threatened the law.
Wing shouldered heavy basket and
stole out into the night.
An hour passed. The Melican gal
still crowns the wash tub with stat
uesque grace. Then a visiting rat
spreads the tale that the beauty is be-
coming animate. True it certainly is
that the smiling rosy mouth has begun
to pout. An ugly wrinkle, too, has
appeared above the smooth brow and
as the moments pass the tapering fin
gers stretch and grow weirdly long.
"Pling,"" the rats scamper as one
azure orb sc1ashes on the floor. Tears
Of wax run down the once tilted nose
and rain the tailor-made. A second
eye follows. The handS melt away and
disclose their props Of wood. Brow.
cheeks and nose have become one
shapeless mass-then the laundry door
opens and in slips Wing.
Emotion is not according to the code
Of Confucius, 80 our celestial lover
neither wept nor tore his hair. He
looked-and closed the damper Of the
stove. Then again, this time without
the lingering glance. he locked the
laundry door behind him and stole out
into the night.
Ncopyright. by Daily Story Pub. CO,