Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-02-26
81 Wen Her cons,Away Alone Eighty

same for my kid. That sounds slushy,
but it's straight"
II don't seem to know how to thank
you," began Ted, little husky as to
voice.
"Call around tomorrow morning" in
terrupted 10 Haley, briskly, "and Min
ME Wenzel will show you the ropes.
You and her can work together for
couple of months. After then she's
leaving to make her underwear, and
that. / should think she'd have bale
of it by this time. Been embroidering
them shimmy things and lunch cloths
back of the desk when she thought !
Ted came down next morning at
eight o'clock with his nerve between
his teeth and the chip still balanced
lightly on his shoulder. Five minutes
later Minnie Wenzel knocked it OF.
When 10 Haley introduced the two
iocularly, knowing that they had origi-
nally met in the First Reader room,
Miss Wenzel acknowledged the intro
duction icily by lifting her left eye
brow slightly and drawing down the
corners OF her mouth. Her air OF haul
teur was a triumph, considering that
she was handicapped by black sateen
sleevelets.
wonder how one could best de-
scribe Miss Wenzel? There is one Of
her in every small town. Let me
think business of hand on brow.
Well, she always paid eight dollars
for her corsets when most girls in
similar position got theirs for So cents
in the basement Nature had been
kind to her. The hair that had been
a muddy brown in Minnie's schoolgirl
days it had touched with a magic red
gold wand. Birdie Callahan always
said that Minnie was working only to
wear out her old clothes.
After the introduction Miss Wenzel
followed 10 Haley into the lobby. She
took no pains to lower her voice.
"Well / must say, Mr.. Haley, you've
got q fine nerve! If my gentleman
friend was to hear of my working with
an ex-con I wouldn't be surprised if
he'd break off the engagement. I
should think you'd have some respect
for the feelings of a lady with name
to keep up, and engaged to a swell fell
low like Mr.. Schwartz"
SAY, listen. M girl" replied 10 Ha-
ley. "The law don't cover all the
tricks. But if stufing an order was
criminal offense I'll bet your swell
travelling man would be doing a life
term"
Ted worked that day with his teeth
set SO that his jaws ached next morn
ing. Minnie Wenzel spoke to him only
when necessary and then in terms of
dollars and cents. When dinner time
came she Invested herself of the black
sateen sleeveless, wriggled from the
shoulders down a la Patricia O'Brien,
produced a channels skin, and disap-
peared in the direction Of the wash
room. Ted waited until the dining
room was almost deserted. Then he
went in to dinner alone. Someone in
white wearing an absurd little pocket
handkerchief OF an apron led him to
a seat in a far corner of the big room.
Ted did not lift his eyes higher than
the snowy square of the apron. The
Apron drew out chair, showed it I'M
der Ted's knees in the way Aprons
have, and thrust printed menu at
him.
"Roast beef, medium said Fed.
without looking up.
"Bless your heart. yuh amt changed
4 bit. | remember how yuh used to
Jaw when it was too well done, said
the Apron, fondiy.
Ted's heart came up with jerk.
$50 yuh viii cut yer old friends, is
it Z" grinned Birdie Callahan. If this
wasn't q public dining-room maybe
yuh'd shake hands with a poor but
proud workin' girruL Yer as good