The Delta independent., 1916-01-07
NELLIE MANAGES
BY JANE OSBORN.

Copyright. 1915 by the Mcclure Nevspa-
per Syndicate.)
II was closing time at Henri's hair
dressing establishment and Blanche
and Sadie, the youngest and most
piQuant Of those who welded curling
irons and -hairbrusheS for. Monsieur
Henri. were getting ready to leave for
the day. Blanche was pulling on
her gloves. while Sadie was putting
the last dab of powder on her small
nose. ET
Henri would be furious IL he saw
how we are leaving things" Blanche
laughed. looking around at the blue
and gray interior of the hairdressing
booth. Maybe we ought to stop to
straighten things up. Only did want
to get home by halfpast six. I'm go
ing out tonight"
Som L. confided Sadie, turning
her back on the irons and combs left
out OF place and following Blanche
out of the booth to the hall. Never
mind. Miss Nellie will FIX up for u.s."
She doesn't care when she gets
home" Sadie consoled herself and
It would be different. When a girls
got q fellow it's different. Then she
has to quit on time"
Miss Nellie-whose matronly build
at thirty made her seem to Blanche
and Sadie somewhere in the middle
age class. and, OF course. much too
old for beaux-too old, in fact, to OBJ
1ect to staying In the shop to clear
up after they had gone home-hap-
pened to overhear this last remark.
Miss Nellie was q blonde. and ex-
tremely capable. She had been in
Henri's employ for over ten years.
ever since she had come to him.
timid. inexperienced and slender. as
an underpaid apprentice. to learn the
trade. E1acting customers never for
got her. To the fastidious among
Henri's clientele she was famed for
the best wave in town" II you
were dressing for an informal din
ner at home or a reception where you
would not remove your hat. you were
content to have Blanche or Sadie or
one OF the others attend you. II you
were going to be married. about to
make your debut, were dressing for
the ambassadors ball. or expected to
make a conquest. you insisted on hav-
ing Miss Nellie. And usually you
had to telephone ahead of time to
get her, so full was her date book. In
return for her superior service Miss
Nellie received . few more dollars q
week than Sadie or Blanche and
what counted to Miss Nellie for con-
siderably more-she was known by
Monsieur Henri not as simple Nellie.
but as Miss Nellie, and customers.
realizing her Importance, never left
out the respectful prefix.
when . girls got fellow it's DIFF
ferent." she repeated rather regret
fully. as she went into the booth to
restore order out Of chaos, to replace
iron. and brushes and pomades and
tonics.
About that time Monsieur Henri was
balancing his books In the front Of
noe. He was q Van Dyke-bearded.
slender Frenchman of about thirty
i've. with a dignity and grave gra-
ciousness in his manner which Gus
toners also remembered. Except for
the cloying odor OF pomades and re-
storers. he might have passed as
secretary at the French embassy.
The telephone rang and monsieur
dropped his pen, with weary shrug
OF the shoulder.
Good evening. madame" In spite
OF q dozen years in America he had
never lost the crispness of his original
accent. Yes. madame He listened
for a few moments. VIII no one do
but Miss Nellie? Yes. madame
She is promised for half-past
six in your hotel. madame E.
Yes. madame. l will see that she
comes to you at little after seven.
Thank you. madame"
II was always that way. Custom
srs would have Miss Nellie or no one.
Henri would have gone himself in
order to spare her. He knew that
in spite OF her cheerful smile and.
in spite OF the goodly proportion of
the arms and hands that welded the
irons she must sometimes be very
tired.
She is wonderful" Henri muir
INJURED to himself. and went back to
his ledger.
In q few minutes Miss Nellie came
into the ONCE. the setting to rights
in the booth having been accom-
plished.
Henri began with an apologetic
smile: There is yet another date
for tonight. Mrs. vandevere's apart
ment In the same hotel as soon as
you can finish with the first customer.
am sorry that 1t should always be
you. Mees Nellie. But customers will
have no one else
Ueually Miee Nellie would have re-