The Lambertville record., 1918-03-28

Representing 7. A. Buck
4 Business Adventure of Emma McChesney

By EDNA FERBER
Author of ''Daton OEara " 'Buttered Side Down eli


* a. Stokes Company
quarters in the wall between eighteen
and nineteen, and the housekeeper
whose room is across the hall is af-
f1icted with a bronchial cough, nights.
I'm wise to the brand of welcome that
you fellows hand out to us women on
the road. This is new territory for me
my first trip West. Think 1t over.
Don't-er-say, sixty-five strike you as
being nearer my size?"
The clerk stared at Emma McChes-
stared back at the clerk.
Our aim," he began loftily, "is to
make our guests as comfortable as
possible on all occasions. But the last
lady drummer who"
That's all right" interrupted EN-
ma McChesney, but I'm not the kind
that steals the towels, and l don't car
ry an electric iron with me, either.
Also l don't get chummy with the
housekeeper and the diningroom girls
half an hour after l move in. Most
women drummers are living up to
their regulations, but some of us are
living 'em down. I'm for revision
downward You haven't got my num-
ber, that's all"
A slow CLEAN of unwilling admira-
ton illuminated the clerks chill eye.
He turned and extracted another key
with it's jangling metal tag, from one
OF the many pigeonholes behind him.
L, i
the desk and lowered his voice dis
creetly.s Say, grille, go into the cafe
and have a drink on me-"
Wrong again" answered Emma
McChesney. Never use it, Bad for
the complexion. Thanks just the
same. Nice little hotel you've got
here"
In the corridor leading to sixty-five
there was a great litter Of pals, and
mops, and broons, and damp rags,
and one heard the sigh Of vacuum
cleaner.
Spring house-cleaning," explained
the bellboy, lurdling a pail.
Emma McChesney picked her way
over little heap of dust cloths and
I a ladder or so
House-cleaning, she repeated
dreamily; spring house-cleaning." "
And there came a troubled, yearning
light into her eyes. 1t fingered there
after the boy had unlocked and thrown
open the door of sixty-fve, pocketed
his dime, and departed.
Sixty-five was-well, you know what
sixty-five generally is in a small mid
die western town. Iron bed-tan wall
paper-pine table-plne dresser-pine
chair-red carpet-stuffy smell-f1y
buzzing at window-sun beating in
from the west Emma McChesney
saw it all in one accustomed glance.
"Lordy, | hate to think what nine
teen must be" she told herself, and
unclasped her bag Out came the first
aid to the travelstained-a jar of cold
cream. 1t was followed by powder,
chamois, brush, comb, toothbrush.
Emma McChesney dug four fingers
into the cold cream jar, slapped the
stuff on her face, rubbed it in a bit,
wiped it off with dry towel, straight
ened her hat, busted the chamois over
her face, glanced at her watch and
hurriedly whisked downstairs.
After ALL" she mused, that thin
guy might not be out for music
house. Maybe his line is skirts, too.
You never can tell. Anyway, I'll beat
him to it"
Saturday afternoon and springtime
in a small town! Do you know it?
Main street-on the right side-all
a-bustle; farmers wagons drawn up
at the curbing; farmers wives in the
inevitably rusty black with dowdy hats
furbished up with red muslin rose
in honor of spring; grand opening at
the new five-and-ten-cent store, with
women streaming in and streaming
out again, each with a souvenir pink
carnation pinned to her coat; every
one carrying bundles and yellow pa
per bags that might contain bananas
or hats or grass seed; the thirty-two
automobiles that the town boasts all
dashing up and down the street, driven
by hatless youths in careful college
clothes; a crowd of at least eleven
waiting at Jensons drug store corner
for the next interurban car.
Emma McChesney found herself
strolling when she should have been
hustling in the direction of the Nov
city Cloak and Suit store. She was
aware of a vague, strangely restless
feeling in the region of her heart-or
was it her liver?-or her lungs?
Reluctantly she turned in at the en-
trance of the Novelty Cloak and Suit
store and asked for the buyer. (Here
we might introduce one of those side
splitting little business deal scenes.
But there can be paid no finer compli-
ment to Emma McChesney's salesman
ship than to state that she landed her
man on a busy Saturday afternoon
with store full of customers and the
head woman clerk dead against her
from the start)
AS she was leaving:
Generally it's the other way
around" smiled the boss, regarding
Emmas trim comeliness, "but seeing
you're lady, why, it'll be on me-"
He reached for his hat. Lets go and
have-ah-a little something"
Not any, thanks" Emma McChes-
ney replied, little YEARLY.
On her way back to the hotel she
frankly loitered. Just to look at hel