Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-06


MSQISSM years young!' the slogan they ran
tE9@%AH each day at the bottom of their after
&SXHS2 noon page. Virginia Harcourt, Adver
Using Manager, sat in her grimy little office past
ing on the slogan for the thousandth time, with
hafhumorous twist of the lips; for, by one of lfes
little ironies May l also her twenty-ninth
birthday
The Grande Fete Annversaire would be great
success, just as Easter Replenishing had been
great success. All her Sales great success.
Hence she must be great success Her yellow en-
velop each Friday contained all of sxty-ive dollars
A vast sum it still seemed. Her first pay envelop
ten years before had contained six-hfty Yet
every woman will agree she wrote with the
swift gertrude of long training, "that Birthday
Anniversary is complete without man in it. Hence
feel it particularly appropriate to signaze this
second day of our Grdnde Fste Anniyersaire by the
greatest sale of mems silk Shirts and Pajamas
offered the fastidious of Philadelphia. Does
He usually choose his Shirts? How He will ap-
precate the exquisite textures and delicate colorngs
of these Haypont Specials you will bring him home
as gift today!'
Ordinarily, the Advertising Manager would have
swung back her swivel chair and regarded this gem
with proud satisfaction But today was her twenty
ninth birthday.
Her gray eyes still bore the expectan softness of
one who asks richly of life, look curiously at vari-
with the weary droop of the lips. There were
faint lilac smudges, too, below the eyes, and worse,
far worse,-it not imagination this time,-two
tiny vertical lines had appeared that morning at
the sides of the mouth. Of course up-and-down lines
to be expected at nearly thirty Very soon
the whole malignant army of deeper crsscross lines
would be coming to join them.
The Advertising Manager shivered. With pencil
grmy poised, she recalled the barren stretch of her
twenties,-years of narrow hall bedroom and hap
hazard wandering out to meals. 1t was not so bad
during the crowded. empty days of incessant drive
toward daily goal but what of the hours after the
page was out? Other people seemed to manage to
draw something from life beyond the office. Why
was it she never could?
With little mirthess laugh, she recalled the blue
evening cape she had purchased three years ago and
hung with eager anticipation in the wardrobe. 1t
still hanging there; somewhat grimy, but only from
contact with the wall Usually she was too tired
after whirwind day at the Office, even to change
her collar much less that of life outside the office
she knew none. But why was it?
@Oh, you scrawny, lemon-coored, impossible
fright" was her explanation. Haven't you
learned even yet that there no Other Things for
you? Why, even Henry
She attacked the Mems Shirt items with scorn-
full gesture; but the scorn all for herself.
CERTAINLY she had not cared for Henry But
when he had told her of the nasty hole he was
in all 3for want of measly twenty" how quickly she
the three yellowbacks in her Friday envelop, AM
Henry's hand. Poor Henry! How his pride must
you're such darned good fellow" said Henry G
desperately hard to feel pleased. But that tn
@Of course, you understand she had said faintl
in her hands, "that if you take this again it
And Henry had still taken it. Proof positive, sh
no other role than-a darned good fellow! And even
Her Office door swinging all day to admit strea
buyers and assistant buyers eager eyed and
Once. indeed, Jenks the ford shoe chief, had aske
because Mrs. jerks had told him he really must dc