Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-06-06
WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
FROM SCENES IN THE PLAY

| he Judge nodded NlSeiA. nat >
what | thought"
She sighed again. There was a long
silence. full of troubled thoughts
! Did he talk as if he intended to
SELF" the judge asked finally.
She worked at her papers neryously
a moment before she framed the words
of her reply I'm afraid that's what
he's thinking of. Judge After a 81
lent moment she Strengthened out
more papers. and then looked up again.
We must DO all we can to influence
him against il"
The judge nodded, then rose, and
after a worried turn about the great.
bare room, approached her and stood
facing her with eyes intently on her
face. You have influence with him,
Josie"
She could not meet his eyes, yet was
not certain why. She hoped that what
he said was true yet scarcely dared TO
think it DO you think 500" she asked
somewhat weakly.
The Judge answered in a hearty
voice. full of real confidence. 81 know
it. You made great impression on
him. He likes you. Josie"
This was entirely unexpected. 1t
confused her. even in the office where
she had so trained herself to business
that nothing ordinarily could affect
her She felt that she could rightly
show rejoicing at the news, for it
BODIED we'll for Jonesville, but, at the
same time. she was inwardly aware
that it was not because it BODIED well
for Jonesville that she really was
pleased by it.
"Oh. nonsense, judge"
But he was very much in earnest. It
was plain enough that he attached no
significance other than commercial to
this liking of which he spoke. 1t was
fortunate fact. and that was all
He thinks you know your business"
he declared.
Somehow she was intensely disap-
pointed. For this she criticised her
self. What could be better than to
have the owner of the enterprise of
which she virtually was manager think
she knew her business? This was GER
tainly good reason for congratulation.
She must not be silly. Confidence in
her ability at business might even help
to influence him toward refusing to
sell out. If she could but impress him
with the fact that she was able might
it not be possible that his confidence
in large future profits would weigh
powerfully?
To her surprise she heard chuckle
from the judge and when she looked
at him discovered definite amusement
on his face.
And after you had gone last night
he just raved about your eyes," the old
man happily informed her.
MY eyes!" She felt the blood
mounting to her cheeks and tried to
hide them with an industry which kept
her bent above her papers. If he had
raved about her eyes then the impress
sion she had made on him was not en-
tirely commercial,
That's what he did, He said you
had the bluest eyes he'd ever scent"
Now the judge laughed heartily.
She flushed with sudden wrath.
why, judge, my eyes are gray"
The judge himself was nov sur
prised He had believed them brown.
Are they?" He arose, went to her,
and, through his thick-lensed specta-
cles, peered at her face. why, so
they are!" He walked away, non
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| that"
Il think"
Perhaps he's color blind" the judge
said hopefully. Il guess have been"
Maybe that is it."
They were interrupted by Sam Hig-
gins. The foreman, it appeared; wished
to talk to Josie Sam had a way of al
most shutting both his eyes and throw
ing back his head when he announced
things of this kind.
Yes" said Josie with the indiffer-
ence of the business woman who has
long been of authority, I'll see him in
| just few minutes"
Sam whirled slowly, went to the door
and loudly delivered her message. as
if his voice must reach to the factory's
farthest end.
This focused the judges attention
upon something he had been consider
J ing. He leaned above the desk and
spoke to Josie confidentially. 81
thought of something on the way over,
Josie. Nobody but us knows that the
young fellow is in town. He registered
at the Grand, you know, under the
name of Jackson. Maybe the people
in the plant are getting nervous"
Yes, they are" she granted. There
have been so many rumors of the sale
I'm worried"
We'll, then. don't you think it might
be a good thing to spread the news
around among the men little?"
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