The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1914-12-18

oopyright b. grdaick q Stokes Company

Six months or BAD luck had dogget
the footsteps of Mrs. Emma McChes
ney, travelling saleswoman for the T
A. Buck Featherloom Petticoat com
pany, New York. 1t had started will
q six-weeks' Illness endured in the dis
comfort of a stuffy little hotel bed
room at Glen Rock, MINI. By August
she was back in New York, attending
to out-of-town buyers.
Those friendly middle western per
sons showed dismay at her pale, hol
low-eyed appearance. They spoke to
her of olive oil taken thrice day, OF
mountain air, of cold baths, and, above
all. of the advisability of leaving the
road and taking an inside position. AT
that Emma McChesney always showed
signs of unmistakable irritation.
In September her son, Jock McChes-
ney, just turned eighteen, went blithe-
ly off to college, disguised as mil
lionaires son in a blue Norfolk, silk
hose, fat-heeled shoes, correctly
mounted walrus bag, and next-week's
style in fall hats. AS the train glided
out of the great shed Emma McChes-
ney had waved her handkerchief, smil-
ing like fury and seeing nothing but
an indistinct blur as the observation
platform slipped around the curve.
In October it was plain that spring
skirts. instead of being full as pre-
dictC /. were as scant and plaitless as
ever. That spelled gloom for the pet
ticoat business. 1t was necessary to
sell three of the present absurd style
to make the profit that had come from
the sale of one skirt five years before.
The last week in November, tragedy
stalked upon the scene in the death at
Marienbad of old T. A. Buck, Mrs Nc
Chesney's stanch friend and beloved
employer.
They had understood each other.
those two, from the time that Emma
McChesney, divorced, penniless, refus-
ing support from the man she had
married eight years before, had found
work in the office of the T. A. Buck |
Featherloom Petticoat company.
Old Buck had watched her rise from |
stenographer to head stenographer,
from head stenographer to inside |
saleswoman, from that to minor road |
territory, and finally to the position of
travelling representative through the
coveted middle western territory.
Old T. A Buck, gruff, grim, direct,
far-seeing, kindly, shrewd-he had
known Emma McChesney for what she
was worth. Once, when she had been
to him clever business
scheme which might be turned into
good advertising material, old Buck
had slapped his knee with one broad,
thick palm and had said:
Emma McChesney, you ought to
have been a man. With that head on
a mans shoulders you could put us out
Of business"
81 could do it anyway" Mrs McChes-
ney had retorted.
Old Buck had regarded her a mo-
ment over his tortoise-shell trimmed
glasses. Then, 81 believe you could"
ne had said quietly and thoughtfully.
That brings her up to December. To
some few millions of people De-
,-e-m-b-e-r spells Christmas. But to &
Emma McChesney it spelled the dread {
ID spring trip. 1t spelled trains stalled t
n snowdrifts, baggage delayed, cold
lotel bedrooms, harassed, irritable
,uyers. G
1t was just six o'clock on the eve o
ling of December 9th when Mrs. EN- C
IA McChesney swung off the train at a
o.. five hours late. I
Columbus, Ohio, was Featherloom
own. Emma McChesney had a fond
ess for it, with its half rustic, half t.
air. Sometimes she "
kened it to a country girl in velvet "
own, and sometimes to city girl in Z
'hite muslin and blue sash. Singer h
French always had a Featherloom W
indow twice year. m
The hotel lobby wore strangely de- b;
erted look December is a slack h'
onth for actors and travelling men.
rs. McChesney registered automatic al
ly, received her mail, exchanged pc
'eetings with the affable clerk.
Send my trunks up to my sample a
om as soon as they get in. Three of W.
m-two sample-trunks and my per-
nal trunk. And / want to see por-
r about putting up some extra tables. gr
ou see, I'm two days late now. / ex-
ct two buyers tomorrow morning" yo
Send 'em right up. Mrs. McChes- ov
"" the clerk assured her. "Jon at int
nd to those tables. Too bad about ed
l Buck How's the skirt business?' th1
Skirts? There is no such thing" the
rrected Emma McChesney. gently.
business. you mean" my
Guess you're right, at that. By the tor
y, how's that handsome youngster
yours? He's not travelling with you mo
8 trip?"
There came wonderful glow into ney
INA McChesney's tired face. put
Jocks at college Coming home for Mic
, holidays We're going to have you
zy week in New York I'm wild to "
if those three months of college cite
re done anything to him. bless his is |
lrt! oh, kind sir, forgive moth one
, fond rawlings! Where'd that young T
r go with my bag?" hot