Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-21
THE BITTERNESS OF SWEETS
BY urrcurc

-, uue Mollie Fnneran had lust
EAn ~, her Job. 1t was not much Of a
" vs. .bo was even less Of a success
u not for lack OF ambition on the
' ,b.r father and mother rhey ahi
rn = &C little time on her education as
,, VS." officer had permitted They
re nompered her, they Lad not
i n.,s.nsd her With Injuries and r'en
''aA' :, fact, they had almost trained
NO, N, ideal point Of getting along
hH 10 ~ w. et ALI But the best they
m no1ll..S for her I'm the way OF em-
ruId set -, was this job as cash girl. She
flcyr,ne1' week, and didn't get it. Her
.'rsnts got 1t. a.. ,..,.,. bor,,o ,,,o on.
s, sh. Tror1 this she received a modest
uft .orfare-one way-and for lunch.
bR w. latter part of the week, as II usu-
E Ue tou her father and mother had
tV ~ balance Mt the liquor store, and
'gsn. ~. emitted the midday meal. But
sNd silver could afford a luncheon 1t
'nsr r,snslly taken at the ice-cream soda
W. ..i, where moss Of sErupy aniline
D,edret of adultcratod ice cream
" roth Of imitation carbonic bribed
hu late and left her insid2s In n state
,.snsen that proved splendid ant'dotc
4 appetite. -,...s,, 90. a ,,sb
- n she had had food ottener, or had
rh - nlaced ironically iu n parish
stnvare bounded on one side by dell
...n department and on the other by
@psa counter. she might have had
V.'o souI TO give to her business. The
n.n.s,s ~ of youth are long, long thoughts.
lS silver thought how long 1t was be-
,sssn meals ,.,.
va "a fascinatc her that she became
rsr agure of meditation, deaf to the
~ tappings Of pencils on showcases
~ me reiterated walls of Messenger!
,t,,sn'iah! Messuniurrr.'
a. weeks the saleswomcn sCuldcd her.
,.t ,be aisle managers yankcd her by
4. sar out of her dreams. Then the
J,,s season arrived and they asked for
=, rsssnation-offered her her portfolio.
us,Ianguage was not so graceful as Ro-
..ilrgs "Banished! what's banishcd.
n, set free?" But its spirit was the
arm TONED down, am II" she sneered.
well It's bum Joint anyway and used
m TOO much of me time"
me accepted the pay envelope with
nsIaln and promised to give It to the
poor
M made a good exit. but once out
de she felt as crushed as If the build
M had fallen over on her.
he wondered what her family would
a now without her 50 and how she would
| t., IN r., Ip oil
n, feared beating. many bcatings. and
resolved not to 90 home at all
Even as she planned revolt her feet.
ne A team of old horses, turned aside
n bakery window where she always
Aused as before Il roadside altar. If
trly she had some money of her very
own! II only she could squander even
dine on doughnuts! She felt that she
ould do desperate deeds for cream
wh What wouldn't she do for money
enough to evoke that musical cry,
Brown the wheats draw onc,"
A young reporter hurrying down the
yy street paused to gaze at her He
lad written verses in college and he still
loetiEed everything. TO the great wear
nd tear OF blue pencils at the copy desk.
81 now he saw a prophetic wistfuness in
Siyers attitude and in her overgrown
eyes the darkling of a love-dawn.
As he made off on his errand he
tapped short again, for he noted that
be girl was observed by an elderly man
Ih0se swart and villainous mlen was
Irgck across with blaC.. mustache and
luled In a pertidlous fur overcoat. This
Hiisnt scoundrel halted and stared at
DE girl with approval.
But the swart knave moved on with
ua' paking and the reporter went his
way TOO, looking back and wondering
What dreams of love they were that
must be thrilling the shabby little, thin
hIue, quaint little creature poised in
hveHs before the bakers window. And
% he passed out of Slivers life. But
'he swart man came back