The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-11-06
Had Sized Her Up JoouIarly.

her that her eyes were big and lus
trous. and her complexion clear anG
pink. When she smiled there was Q
charm that frightened her whole face
1t came as birthright from a mother
who had been born near Killarney
But Tess only saw the red hair and
freckles, and hated them with all hel
heart.
The next year 1t was much worse
The boys and girls In, the factory
formed a social club, and gave little
dances and picnics, and Tess was left
out with old Julia, the scrubwoman
and Lizzie, the little hunchback sortei
Of labels. She tried to think she didn't
care, but when Tom Blake came tC
work ON the freight elevator, she knew
she did. She'd have given everything
she owned to make Tom look at hel
as he looked at some of the other
girls, and especially at Telka.
Telka was one Of the experienced
hands on the bridal cake boxes. She
pasted on the satin striped paper and
the delicate, frostlike lace Innings, and
always sang as she worked. She was
from northern Hungary, with the mys
terry of the Magyars In her curious, at
tractive eyes and slow smile. Once
when one Of the boys had tried to kiss
her, she had slapped him, and when he
hurled a choice bit of good old Bow.
ery~"call down" at her return Telka
had promptly seized her scissors and
chased him downstairs into a corner
until he begged her pardon.
The second week. as Tess was going
down on the freight elevator at noon
time, Tom took bunch of flowers from
a pasteboard shoe box at his feet and
gave them to Telka. They were moi
city flowers, Tess could see that. There
was a Whit of rose geranium and
sweet alyssum, with heliotrope and
mignonette.
eve live up in FOrdham," Tom said
Mother picked that bunch for me
this morning from her garden. Like
it?"
Telka smiled. her face behind the
flowers. Surely she liked them. Tess
watched them both with little heart.
ache of curiosity. What was this love
that bloomed overnight like a flower
itself and brought the luster to the
eyes and the color to the cheeks OF
girls like Telka2 When the Hungarian
girl got off at the sixth floor, Tom turn.
ed and saw his other passenger, her
arms full Of boxes as usual.
"Hello, KID" he said happily. "Can
light a match on your hair2"
"Sinarty," retorted Tess, hotly, and
Tom looked at her twice. Dimples and
red curly hair swere not such bad
combination after all. Telka was
drowsy and INDECENT In her ways un-
less reused to anger. but here was a
girl with a bit Of old Ireland In her
makeup like dash of pepper. The
next day he brought some roses for
Tess, but she was busy in the packing
room, and he gave them to Telka at
the last moment. Then. when the days
grew warm, the social club arranged
for Sunday outing up the Hudson.
Tess heard the girls talking about It
and planning. 1t seemed as If she
could feel the weight of her own heart
In her loneliness. If only there was
someone who wanted her most of all,
someone whom she wanted, too. Tom
called to her as she went up the stairs
Saturday morning, but she did not no
tice him. All at once she felt a great
bitterness against the whole cruel
pressure, the daily grind that ate up
youth and happiness, the pftiful little
81 that was due her that night, old
Levinsky's face at the time clock when
she rang up. Miss Ghlitsky, the fore
woman giving out the work of the
day-what was 1t all worth In the big
count up of life7
That morning at breakfast her moth
er had been telling of her home in the
old country, of the beautiful lakes OF
Killarney and Of the lifting glory OF
the hills around them. 1t seemed like
another world to Tess from this nar.
row street filed with crowded italian
children. and endless rows Of factories
and shops below Bleecker street.
She was thinking ofsthis, hating her
work, her companions. Telka's sleek
dark head, the sound of the machinery
everything In the place.