The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-04-11
THE AMBER BEADS.
by ELpREDGE HOLT.

O He was travelling salesman for {
c toothpowder concern.
She was prescription clerk In cut
rate drug store. Besides that, she had
creamy. fair complexion and light
brown eyes, shaded, 1t is true. by Q
pair OF rimless. gold.bowed spectacles
But that was because the light in the
pharmacy of the cut-rate drug store
was not of the best and there we're
many prescriptions to fill.
He had met her at the school where
they make young men and here and
there young woman into druggists.
so they both had their diplomas and
would some time have little drug
store of their own, and they would
not have to keen clerk. because, no
matter what happened. Alice-that
was her name--could manage to tend
store for few hours day. You
know there is a regulation that says
that every drug store must have a
graduate pharmacist in constant at
tendance during the day and part OF
the night to put up prescriptions.
OF course one man cannot be at
the post all Of the time. Alice and
Paul--that was the toothpowder
agents name--had it all arranged that
they could save money from the first,
for since she was a registered pharma-
cist she could substitute in the store
for the few hours that Paul would need
to take off. Oh yes, they were very
matter of fact and businesslike about
1t and had talked over their plans for
the future quite frankly.
In the meantime Paul was vending
toothpowder, trying to save enough
money to buy his own little drug store
and by careful skimping, with what
savings Alice could add. it would take
two years before this purchase could
be made. A long time, you think!
Yes. but IL you had seen the steady,
soft light In Alice's bespectacled eyes
and the lovely blush that came into
her creamy, pale cheeks when those
eyes met Paul's, you wouldn't have
wondered that he was willing to wait
Moreover, to Alice and Paul, marriage
was, besides being a beautiful adven-
ture and the one and only romance. |
something of business undertaking |
as well.
And there was no reason whatever |
to be rash and hasty about it, Still, |
at times when Paul was ON the road
with his suitcase full of samples and |
work grew very heavy at the cut-rate
drug store AIice's brown eyes grew
moist and she had to take off the gold :
bowed spectacles and wipe away the
tears tears not of discomfort, but Just
Of loneliness and little impatience.
For Alice's mind was full of imagining
their wee home--it would probably be
4 little fat over the drug store to
begin with-and two nights week
she was taking cooking lessons at the
Y. W G.. A. so that she would be able
% concoct buildings as well as plas-
ers. And Paul sometimes snarled
title at the necessity that made him
wait so long, and when sales we're not
Is good as usual-that meant smaller
commissions for him--he would write
! letter of impotence to Alice.
One particularly lovely autumn day
Paul sauntered into the cut-rate drug
tore. He had Unexpectedly come to
own and he wanted to surprise Alice.
Alice dropped the test tube she was
olding when she heard his voice, and,
Tipping out of her all-enveloping linen 4
In he for nnfcida
i've had hurry call to New York,
Ilice." he told her. "and I've only
CIV minutes between trains. But
topped over to see you. And, say, !
lice. I've had specially good run of
lex. That new patent cap top on the
owder makes a big hit. And | am go
1g to be extravagant | want to get
GU something from the big city. | z
ant afford the engagement ring | !
nght to have got you, but tell me Z
hat piece of jewelry that doesn't cost :
, very much-say ten or fifteen dol Z
rs-you would most like. !
Alice clasped her hands before her Z
nd thought for a second :
"A string OF amber beads she said (
last. Il have always wanted them" :!
Paul's face showed his disappoint. :
ent Somehow he had always asso- 2
sted amber beads with the fact that !
me old woman he had known about
ore them around their necks to ward (
[ chills and fever. IL Alice had said 2
gold-link bracelet. with a heart. &
aped paddock and a key. he would z
I'VE been entirely satisfied with her 3
oice. But Alice stuck to her plea z
r amber beads II love the color of :
nber So" she said, and all my life Z
have dreamed of having them some :
ne" z
In ten days Paul returned one morn ..