The Green Forest tribune., 1915-01-01
HELP FROM 4 FRIEND
By JANE HALL.
ssssssssseesesessssssesoee .


 T VOW and declare" exclaimed the little stenographer, belligerently, I'll never let friend do anything for me again."
 What" cried the bookkeeper. Surely my many invaluable services are not to be refused henceforth!"
 These people who have no regard for the rights of others ought to be just good and squelched!" declared the little stenograhper, ignoring his words. They make me weary! They think your time isn't to be considered, but their time is invaluable!" She glow cred out the window.
 Mercy" exclaimed the bookkeeper Then, shaking his head with deep con- cern, he arose and stood in front of her, intercepting her view. Don't look like that" he pleaded. Some one passing will see you That would ruin the reputation of the office. They'll think we're mean to you here"
 The little stenographer sighed. The bookkeeper's remarks were in vain if he expected to provoke retort.
 Whats the matter, anyway" he in- quired.
 Why, I wanted to get coat" re- lated the little stenographer, bitterly. T invited a friend to luncheon with me, so she'd come and help me choose the coat. Now I wish I hadn't"
 Go on; I am strong and can bear it" said the bookkeeper.
 "I took her to a good restaurant and was just as nice to her as 1 could be. l thought from the way she talked that she'd be the best sort of person to help me choose the coat. We start ed out all right, and were soon seated in chairs, with saleswoman to show us coats.
 She brought one or two and l tried them on, but they were quite impossi- ble. I couldn't take them. Then the woman brought one that looked like Queen Victoria's gardening frock-I saw a picture of it once-and 1 gasped with horror when she even suggested that l try 1t on. Why, I wouldn't be seen in it! My friend said t was charming and that l should try 1t on, anyway. I could see plainly that it was anything but becoming to me. The collar dropped over the shoulder, and while it was artistically sloppy it didn't possess the style that makes 1t possible to wear those things.
 Well, between them they made me fyu ho+ 1,: ,i, ply insisted that I should keep it! Try as would, couldn't get it off! First the saleswoman would tell me how wonderfully lovely l looked in it, and what joy 1t was to see the coat on some one who fitted into it. Then my friend would take up the strain and then they'd declaim in chorus, until in sheer desperation I said that I'd keep it.
 If it was so beautiful and I was simply made for it I felt that perhaps for once 1 had a chance to stun the natives. I reasoned that perhaps the trouble with me heretofore had been that I had never before been thrust into coat that was created for my style of beauty. I thought that per heps I should now be popular and much sought after
 That doesn't sound so sad" re- marked the bookkeeper
 Huh! But wait till tell you!" re- torted the little stenographer. There we had only an hour at noon, and luncheon took a good part of it. l suppose we wasted ten minutes on my coat; then my friend said she guessed since we were looking at coats she'd try on few. We'll, she tried them on and tried them on. until we had reg ular wholesale house spread out around us. Then I expostulated, for It was getting time for me to be here in the office. But she looked at me as If to say that she'd helped me pick out coat, and now l was a queer sort If I'd run away and leave her!
 Finally the saleswoman brought out coat that made me jump It was just the very thing I'd been looking for. My friend sprung up in front of me.
 That's the coat I want she said, smoothly and smilingly, just as though she was not depriving me of my rights and she tried it on. Of course, she kept it-knowing I was just aching for 1t. That was just like heri
 But what makes me mad is that bought her good luncheon so that I could have the pleasure of getting her to force an old dressing sack of coat on me! And to think that the hour I'd been planning to use in selecting coat was spent wholly in digging out my ideal garment for her to wear all summer! It makes me furious!'
 Well, don't see that can do any, thing about il" said the bookkeeper.