The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-02-28
Knee-Deep in Knockers
4 Business Adventure of Emma McChesncy

Bu Edna FERBER
Autho, of 'Daun OT4ar1 'Buttered Side Down etc

it's time to try the impossible. The
possibilities haven't worked. MY
land! l could write hook on the
decline and fall of the petticoat, be-
ginning with the billowy white mus
lin variety, and working up to the
present slinky messaline affair When
+ | think of those dear days of the
acknowledgements. when the hired girl
used to complain and threaten to
leave because every woman in the
family had at least three ruff1ed, en-
broidery-flounced white muslin petit
coats on the line on Mondays"
The lines about T. A. Bucks mouth
relaxed into a grim smile.
Remember that feature you got
them to run in the Sunday Sphere?
: The one headed Are Skirts Growing
! Fuller, and Where?"
do l remember it," walled Emma
McChesney. And can l ever forget
the money we put into that fringed
model we called the Carmencita! We
made it up so it could retail for a
dollar ninety-five, and / could have
sworn that the women would MAIN
each other to get to it. But it didn't
go. They won't even wear fringe
around their ankles"
L. AS grim smile stretched into a
reminiscent grin. But nothing in our
whole hopeless campaign could touch
your Municipal Purity league agita
ton for the abolition of the form
hugging skirt. You talked public NOR.
ais until you had A. Comstock and
Lucy Page CASTOR looking like Pari
sian apaches."
A little laugh rippled up to Emma
McChesney's lips only to die away to
sigh. She shook her head in sorrow.
full remembrance.
Yes. But what good did 1t do?
/ The newspe ners ana magazines did
take it uD, but what happened? The
| dressmakers and tailors, who are
charging more than ever for their
work, and pa ting in half as much ma
terlal, Got together and knocked my
! plans into cooked hat"
They were both laughing now, like
q couple Of children. And, oh. say!'
/ gasped IsaAfaa. remember Moe Sc
Zig of tho fine-Form Skirt company
trying to get the doctors to state thai
Mobile skirts were making womer
knock-kDeed! Oh, mercy"
But their laugh ended in q little
rueful Silence. 1t was no laughing
matter, this situation T. A. Buck
shrugged his shoulders, and began g
restless pacing up and down. yep
| There You are. Meanwhile"
meanwhile, women are still wear
ing EN- tight, and going petticoat
less"
Suddenly T. A. stopped short in his
pacing ard fastened his surprised and
I Interested gaze On the skirt of the
trim ard correct little business frock
that sat so well upon Emma McChes
ney's pretty figure.
"Why, look at that" he exclaimed
and pointed with one eager finger.
Mercy" screamed Emma McChes
ney. "What is it? Quick! A mouse?'
T, A. Buck shook his head, impa
tiently. Mouse! Lord, no! Plaits!'
''Plaits!"
She looked down, bewildered.
Yes. In your skirt. Three plaits
at the front left, and three in the
back. That's new, isn't it? If outer
skirts are being made fuller, then it
follows"
1T ought to follow" interrupted EN-
M m IA
lags way behind. These plaits are
stitched down. See? That's the
tiendishness of it. And the petticoat
underneath there is one-must be
just as smooth, and unwrinkled, and
scant as ever. Don't let EN- fool you"
Buck spread his palms with little
gesture of utter futility.
I'm through. Out with your
scheme We're ready for it. It's our
last card, whatever it is"
There was visible on Emma McChes.
ney's face that little tightening of the
muscles, that narrowing of the eyelids
which betokens intense earnestness
mot now. Just because it's our
last card l want to be sure that I'm
playing it we'll. I'll be ready for you
tomorrow morning in my office. Come
| prepared for the jolt of your young
life"
For the first time since the begin.
ming of the conversation glow of new
courage and hope lighted up T. A.
Bucks good-looking features. His
fine eyes rested admiringly upon EN-.
ma McChesney standing there by the
great show case. She seemed to RAJ
date energy, alertness, confidence.
When you begin to talk like that,
he said, 81 always feel as though
could take hold in way to make
those famous Jobs that Hercules
tackled look like little Willie's chores
after school"
"Fine!" beamed Emma McChesney
Just store that up, will you? And
! don't let it filter out at your finger
tips when l begin to talk tomorrow II
The little scarlet leather clock on
Emma McChesney's desk pointed to
! 1929 a. m when there entered her
office an Immediately CARRIED, mirac.
ulously shaven, healthily rosy young,
ish-middle-aged man who looked ten
years younger than the harassed
frowning T. A. Buck with whom she
had almost quarreled the evening be-