The Delta independent., 1916-01-07

Miss Nellie's thirty-year-Old plump
ness. / had thought some time" he
mused to himself. But q man has
no time for such things nowadays. 1t
10 work. work. work."
That night when Miss Nellie passed
through the ONCE she paused briefly
1t Henri's desk and in the most mat
ter-of-fact way imaginable told Henri
+ that she had had a4chance to- 90 to
the hairdressing establishment OF
Mohsfeur Alfonso across the way at
An advance OF few dollars . week
in salary. She intended to accept the
offer. Henri was staggered. He
merely asked her to return in the
morning to see what he could do.
That night he made q careful study
of the books, and in the morning
when Nellie came he told her that he
would equal his rivals offer in order
to keep her in his employ. But the
next evening at closing time Miss Mel
lie again came to him and told him
that the rival had added a dollar to
his offer. 1t was purely a business
consideration. of course. She would
go wherever she could make the most
money. Henri spent another evening
studying his books, and the next morn.
ing he matched his rival
Then Miss Nellie came again to
Henri. He has done better still. she
said. He has offered me commits
sions for all the trade bring"
Henri was pale. But do you not
see. Miss Nellie,' he said. that all
you have have given you? The Gus
tomers-have you not got them in my
employ? That wave of yours-did I
not teach it to you?"
YES" Nellie admitted. But they
are my customers. They come because
l am here. They will follow me II
/ go to Alfonso. have given you
have given you all my life since
was twenty. I have given up having
a good time like other girls. l never
had young men like Blanche and
Sadie. l could have had them IL
had wanted to But somehow
/ just put all there was in me into
the business. And 1t is all business.
Now / shall do as well for myself az
can" Miss Nellie did not look at
Henri as she spoke. He was speech
less.
AS she passed out of the office that
night the little Frenchman's eyes fol-
lowed her with an entreating, help
less look.
She is very wonderful" he said
to himself. Il do not blame her.
Still must have her back. Without
her cannot carry on the business
h4 -;
another night over his books-plan-
ming. meditating. .pondering.
The next morning Henri arrived at
Miss Nellie's small apartment before
she was out for the day. She was
pulling on her gloves in the front hall
and he asked her permission to start
out with her. They sat on a park
bench near Henri's shop and talked SO
low that no one passing would have
heard them
Miss Nellie. have but one way OF
hoping" he began. Il thought 1t all
out last night. What is my business
without you? Nothing. l know now
this with a shrug of the shoulders
that life is nothing without your smile.
too. But we will talk business first
For those first years that you were
with me l perhaps had plans that /
did not tell you. But then it was
all business. We worked hard, and
little by little there were profits. You
know my ambition. to go back to that
beautiful south of France where /
was born. where one lives among the
grapevines and the blue skies. That
is why | saved so.
But l must keep you. need you,
Miss Nellie. Even If ] did not have
you in my shop. / shall not let AL
phonse have you" Henri shuddered
and closed his eyes for a second
That would be impossible. So / shall
ask what my rival did not ask you.
l will ask you to marry me. to be
Madame Henri. That is the bust.
ness part of it. After that / will tell
you, Miss Nellie. how much trouble
have been feeling that you no longer
cared for me-"
Nellie had interspersed Henri's
speech with the little remarks and
gestures that made him know that
she accepted his proposition. and they
both sat silently. happily. looking
down at the gravel path in front of
the park pench.
Henri. l didn't want to leave you"
Nellie explained. but l heard two of
the girls saying one night that /
didn't have anything to do but work.
1t sort of hurt my feelings. Henri.
Id always thought too much of you
to want to go around with anyone
else. So l got to thinking whether
It was fair for them to talk the way
they did. l wanted them to know l
want such n fool l had To show