The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-21
EVENING STORY
Baby Love.
BY X. T. JOHNSON.


sor business altogether was because or
Gertrude. Gertrude Robbins was
pretty little trained nurse who ran the
baby milk station near the city col
lege where Gregory lectured. And
Gertrude told him the night that he
proposed and she accepted, that one
of the things she especially liked
about him was that he was a professor
and would have all day Saturday holi-
days and long vacations. And when
Gertrude Robbins Tilted him, there
was no more excuse for Gregory's be-
ing a professor, so he resigned at the
end of the next vacation and the day
the vacation began set about to start
in his career as a business man. Greg
ory wasn't at all sure why he had been
Tilted.
He rehearsed the incidents of the
day of the calamity to himself many.
many times. and still he could find no
fault in his conduct. He had gone to
the Immediately white-tiled baby
milk station between lectures one
morning on some trumped-up pretext,
and when Gertrude got thru showing
two Italian mothers how to give their
babies baths. showing another how to
modify milk, and weighing several
squallinS infants, she had time to see
him. Meantime, he waited in an ante
room paopled by babies--fat babies
and thin babies. babies overweight and
babies underweight. 1t was enough to
try any mans patience Still he had
waited and tried his best to lool: as if
he enjoyed the situation. He talked
10 her a little while there at the sta
ton land found her moody when he
called in the evening to take her home.
Inc nexe morning came the note tell
Ing him that she had discovered he
was not the man to make her happy
and that she realized her tempera ment
was too different from his to permit
hef to Become his wife. So Gregory
TOOK his medicine. And having cast
ABOUT IN his mind to determine which
one OF his successful business friends
ne would most like to emulate he
went 10 see his college mate who had
succeeded MS father as owner and
manager of SHELLS Drygoods store.
Dung Smell had an income about
ten times as great as Gregorv's as a
college professor. and seemed to lose
no social prestige because over the
counters of the store which he owned
were sold bargain hosiery, dishpans
Dlrd seed and undignified trumperv.
having read inspirational articles in
popular Weeklies pointing out the
necessity on the part of the man who
aims at business success of beginning
al the bottom rung, Gregory asked
Smell for a job in the store. He would
not wait Tor an opening in the execu-
1--WE o11lceS-and as matter Of fact
he would have had small uualifica-
tions Tor such job-but he would
take anything that happened to be
available, and thereby learn the sys-
tenn upon which was built up the great
mercantile enterprise.
Sorry, Gregg" said Mr.. Smell .hut
the only job just now is that left va
cant by old Hopkins But I'll take Won
at your word. Hopkins checked the
babies out in front-wore a uniform
with prass buttons. Don't mind doing
that, do you? He was an old codrer
IN
age Gets his pension now from nv
employees benefit association"
Well, what would L have to do p"
faltered Gregory.
Well" quoth Smell, our store
makes great point of catering to the
young mothers-run a big line of in
rants wear, toys, baby carriages etc.
Old Hopkins used to stand out there
and when the mothers came along
with baby carriages he would keep
them safe until the mothers came
back. Sometimes he would have as
many as fifteen all lined along the
curbstones. Didn't have to put tags
on them, or anything. He'd keep them
separate just the same as the darky
at the club can keep the hats without
checks. He was a great drawing card
The babies liked him and he'd take
time to talk to the mothers and COM
pl1ment them on the kids. I'd hesi-
tate to>say how much business he
brought into the store every year, As
a matter of fact I've got my ewes open
looking for an old fellow something
like Hopkins to take his place but
temporarily until L get him, you'll do
Another job inside will open by that
time, and in the meantime you can be
earning your salt and sizing up the
kind of people that come into the
store You showed your good sense,
Gregg, in leaving that teaching bust
ness. Within year, if you stick here,
I'll show you how to earn twice as
much as you earned at the college,
and the wedding bells will be ringfng
for you and that little trained nurse
in no time"
Gregory stared hard at the legs of
SHELLS desk, but he did not correct
him. He was not particularly anxious
to pose as Tilted man. 1t was humil-
iating enough to have to enroll as a
baby checker.
DO I have to wear the brass but
| tons?" he asked. ut seems a little
conspicuous"
Smell assured him that he did. and
that the sooner he got rid of all no.
tions of false pride, the surer he would
| be of making a success.
/ IT'S a big city" said Smell, land
altho my store is a money maxim g
proposition, it's not high class. 1t
| isn't likely that any of the girls you
know shop here, or in this imme date
neighborhood. So put on stiff upper
ftp, practice baby talk, and you'll be
all right
Gregory did manage to learn some
| important things during the three
weeks that he served as baby checker.
But they were not details in the art
| of pacifying babies He studied the
| women as they came and went. over
/ heard their comments, and noted care
! fully just what window displays the
various people who passed took time
| trih 11t TO
| to his later success as partner of Smell
| & Co.'S. But there was more than one
| fond young mother who felt relieved
when an older, graver, mellower en-
plove donned the brass buttoned coat
! that went with the baby checking job.
/ Gregory got into a most serious diff
| ficulty one day when he gave an abb
! sent minded nurse the wrong baby and