Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-10-16

CHICKENS
A Business AdOenture of Emma McChesney

By EDNA FERBER
Aqlh., 4 ..Dspa oHrs. .Bull.,.s 81. Depn. .as.

shed and she smiled the mingled smell
of smoke and stockyards and found 1t
sweet in her nostrils. An unholy Joy
seized her. She entered the biggest
store and made for the millinery de-
partment, yielding to,an uncomfortable
desire to buy 3 hat. II was e pert,
trim, smart little hat. IL made her
thirty-six years seem less possible
than ever, and her seventeen-year-old
son an absurdity.
Il was four-thirty when she took
the elevator up to Mary Cuttings Of
fice on the tenth floor. She knew she
would find Mary Cutting there-Mary
Cutting, friend, counselor, adviser to.
every young girl in the great store
and to all Chicago's silly, helpless
chickens"
A dragon sat before Mary Cuttings
door and wrote names on slips. But
at sight of Emma McChesney she laid
down her pencil. WELL" smiled the
dragon, you're sight for sore eyes.
There's nobody in there with her. Just
walk in and surprise her"
At rosewood desk In a tiny cozy
office sat q pink-cheeked, white-haired
woman You associated her i'm your
mind with black velvet and real lace.
She did not look up as Emma McChes-
ney entered. Emma McChesney wait
ed for one small moment. Then:
Cut out the bank president stuff,
Mary Cutting. and make fuss over
me-" she commanded.
The pink-cheeked, white-haired
woman looked up. You saw that her
eyes were wonderfully young. She
made three marks on a piece of paper,
pushed call-hutton at her desk, rose,
and Rugged Emma McChesney thor
oughly and satisfactorily, then held
her OF a moment and demanded to
know where she had bought her hat.
got 1t ten minutes ago, in the mil
linery department downstairs. Had to.
II I'd have come into New York after
five months exile like this I'd prob
ably have bought a brocade and fur
edged evening wrap. to relieve this
feeling Of wild Joy. For ave months
I've spent my evenings in my hotel
room, or watching the Maude Byrnes
Stock company playing Lena Rivers.
with the ingenue coming out between
the acts In calico apron and a pink
sunbonnet and doing a thing they bill
as vaudeville. I'm dying to see q real
show-a smart one that hasn't run zoo
nights on Broadway-one with pretty
girls, and pink tights, and q lot OF
moonrises. and sunsets and things, and
prima donna In dress so stunning
that all the women In the audience are
busy copying It so they can describe
It 10 their home dressmaker next day
Poor, poor child" said Mary Cut
ting. Il don't seem to recall any such
show"
We'll. 1t win look that way TO me
anyway" said Emma McChesney. 1--WE
wired Jock to meet me tomorrow, ant
I'm going to give the child really siz
cling little vacation. But tonight you
and will have an old-girl frolic. Wei
4 have dinner together somewhere down
town. and then wen go to the theater
and after that I'm coming out to thal
blessed fiat OF yours and sleep between
real sheets. Well have some sand
witches and beer and other things GU
Of the ice-box, and then we'll have {
bathroom bee. Well let down oui
back hair, and slap cold cream around
and tell our hearts secrets and uss
UP all the hot water. Lordyl It will
J be luxury to have q bath in a tut
/ that doesn't make you feel as though
/ you wanted to scrub 1t out with lyC
/ and carbolic. Come on, Mary Cutting.
Mary Cuttings pink cheeks dimpleC
: like a girls.
r You'll never grow up. Emma Nc
Chesney-at least. hope you nevel
will. Sit there in the corner and be
: good child, and I'll be ready for you II
ten minutes
! Peace settled down on the tiny OF
r fee. Emma McChesney, there in he
corner, surveyed the little room will
entire approval. 1t breathed OF thing
!, restful. wholesome, comforting. Their,
. was bowl of sweet peas ON the desk
= there was an Indian sweet grass has
: ket filled with autumn leaves In tn
!. corner; there was an air OF orderlI
+ ness and good taste; and there wa
!, the pink-cheeked. whIts-haired vomal
+ at the desk.
i. "Therel" said Mary Cutting, at last
She removed her glasses. Bnappe,
+ them up ON q little spring-chain nea
: her shoulder, sat back. and smile,
E upon Emma McChesney.
8 Emma McChesney smiled back a
!. her. Theirs was not talking friend
t ship. 1t was q thing OF depth and M
!. derstanding. like the friendship be
/, tween two men.
0 They sat looking into each other
i. eyes. and down beyond, where the sou
d holds forth. And because what eac
l. saw there was beautiful and sightl
( they were seized with shyness sue
r as two men feel when they love eac
d other. and SO they awkwardly 81
deavored to cover up their shynes
+, with words.
T you could stand facial and g d,
n cent scalp massage, Emma observe
Mary Cutting In tone pregnant wit
d love and devotion. your hair looks
l. little dry. Those small-town manicure
r don't know how to give real trea
L ment." &S
"IIl have It tomorrow morning, b,
L fore the kid gets in at eleven. AS tn
, Lily Russell Of the travelling profesaio
5 I can't afford to let my beauty wan,