The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-16

eAA
the column OF figures under the head.
ing known as "Loss" are 90 uneyenly
balanced that the wrong side Of the
ledger says, then to the listening
stockholders there comes the painful
thought that at the next regular meet.
Ing II Is p%erilously possible that the
reading may come under the heads
of assets and liabilities.
There had been a meeting in the
Offices of the 7. a. Buck F~oatherioom
Petticoat company, New York. The
quarterly report had had a s~tartlingly
lopstded sound. After it was over
Mrs. Emma McChesney, secretary OF
the company. followed 4. A. Buck, It's
president, into the big. bright show.
room. T. a. Bucks hands were thrust
deep into his pockets.
He turned to face Emma McCbes,
ney.
Well" he said, bitterly, at hasn't
taken us long, has 1t? Father's been
dead a little over a year. In that
time we've Just about run this great
concern, the pride Of his life, into the
ground"
Mrs. Emma Mcchesnoy, calm, cool,
unrutied, s%crutinized the harassed
man before her for a long minute.
What rotten football material you
would have made, wouldn't your" she
observed.
"oh, l don't know" answered T. A.
Buck, through his teeth. a: can stand
as stiff a scrtmmage as the next one.
But this Isn't a game. You take things
too lightly. You're a woman. I don't
think you know what this means"
Maybe ! don't take myself serious.
". Ia have been dead ten years ago
II I had. But I do take my Job sert.
oasly. Don't forget that for a minute.
You talk the way a man always talks
when his pride is hurt"
Pride! 1t isn't that"
oh, yes, 1t is. i didn't sell T. A.
Bucks %featherloom p%etticoats on the
road for almost ten years without
learning a little something about men
and business. When your father died.
and learned that he had shown his
appreciation Of my work and loyalty
by making me secretary Of this great
company, l didn't think Of It al a
legacy-a stroke Of good fortune"
MOI"
NO. 70 me it was a sacred trust
something to be guarded, nursed, cher.
lshed. And now you say we've run
this concern into the ground. Do you
honestly think that?"
7. A. shrugged impotent shoulders.
Figures don't lie." He plunged into
another fathom OF gloom. Another
year like this and we're done for"
Emma McChesney came over and
put one firm hand on Il. A. Bucks
dropping shoulder. 1t was a strange
little act for a woman--thc sort OF
thing a mar does when he would heart.
en- another man.
Wake up!" she said. lightly. Wake
UP. and listen to the brides sing.
There isn't going to be another year
like this. Not IL the planning, and
scheming, and b~rain.racking that I've
been doing for tho last two or three
months mean anything"
7. A. Buck seated himself as n
who is weary. body and mind.
Got another new one?"
Emma McChesney regarded him a
moment thoughtfully. Then she
stepped to the tall show case, pushed
back the sliding glass door, and point.
cd to the rows of brllliant.hued petit.
coats that hung close.packed within.
Look at 'em!" she commanded, dis.
gust In her voice. Look at 'em!"
T. A. Buck raised heavy, lack.luster
eyes and looked. What he saw did
not seem to interest him. Emma Nc.
Chesney drew from the rack a skirt
OF kings blue satin messa1ine and
held It at arms length.
"And they call that thing a petit.
coat! Why, fifteen years ago the ma.
terial in this skirt wouldn't have made
even a fair.sized sleeve"
7. A. Buck regarded the petticoat
modify. Il don't see how they get
around In the darned things. i hon.
estly don't see how they wear ,em."
That's Just it. They don't wear
EN-. There you have the root Of the
whole trouble"
"oh, n%onsense!" disputed 1T. A.
They certainly wear something-some
sort Of an" F,
Il tell you they don't. Here. List.
en-. Three years ago our tatfeta skirts
ran from thirty.six to. thirtyeight
yards to the dozen. We paid from
ninety cents to one dollar and five
cents a yard. Now our skirts run from
twenty-five to t~wenty-eight yards to
the dozen. The silk costs us from fifty
to sixty cents a,yard. silk skirts used
to be q luxury. Now they're not even
. necessity"
well, what's the answer? I've
been %pondering some petticoat prob
lens myself. ! know we've got to sell
three skirts today to make the profit
that We used to make on one three
years ago"
7. A. rose as wearilysas he had sat
down. Even the most optimistic OF
watchers could have discerned no.
eleam NJ enthrsfaa,n m MI, t.,a