The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-12-06


usual note Of irritation in Helen's
voice. ''You see how it mars the
paper? Now I want you to leave this
at least an inch from the wall"
Maggie whisked the dust cloth about
the legs of chair in resentful sill
ence.
"And another thing, Maggie, didn't
I tell you to put all the bureau scarfs
and these doilies in the wash last
week.
THAT was a big wash. ma'am. with
them curtains and that bedspread-
Mrs O'Grady couldn't do no more in
one day."
She's not expected to. It was dis
tinctlyA understood when you came
her 1t what Mrs. O'Grady couldn't
one day, you were to do the
Now, Maggie, hereafter I want
put these scarfs in every other
whether the washing is big or
Here the bell rang and. grumbling
under her breath, Maggie went to
answer it.
She came back with box from the
cleaners and a bill for $40. Helen
glanced at the bill as she went in to
get her pocketbook.
Waist .S1.5O
pairs gloves. ,ZU
why L thought they charged only
five cents for cleaning short gloves"
Helen protested, when she went to
the door to pay the boy.
II don't know, maam. it's on your
bill"
But I've never paid more than five
cents except for long gloves"
The boy only twirled his cap indif-
ferently. The amount was SO small
that it would be foolish to call up the
office, so Helen handed him SITS
a dollar bill, fifty cents and quarter.
Il amt got no change" starting to
put the money in his pocket. plainly
implying that he expected her to say,
Keep the nickel" At any other time
Helen might have said it. but she
had no intention of saying it now.
Surely you've got five cents"
NO, ma'am. 1 amt got nothing"
''Then give me back that quarter"
Helen's hesitancy to ask a favor of
Maggie just now was overcome by her
determination not to let that boy take
advantage of her. for she knew he
would not have been sent out with G.
o. D. packages without a cent OF
change. Maggie she called. "can
you change a quarter ~
But Maggie had only dollar bill
ana Il1CeGu cents. 1HoE6 was d SlSdfll
of satisfaction in the boys eyes which
increased Helen's determination not to
give him the nickel She rang for the
elevator boy, but he. too. had no
change for a quarter.
So, after all, Helen had no chico |
but let the boy keep the nickel. Her
cheeks burnt angrily as she closed the |
door. The incident had not served to |
lessen her irritation.
Everything had gone wrong that |
day. She had gotten up with a dull |
headache. The night had been warm |!
and sultry, she had not slept well and |
when morning came her back ached:
her head ached and she felt more tired /
than when she had gone to bed.
All day everything had seemed to |
contrive to irritate her. And now as |
she opened the box from the cleaners |
she felt certain that something would |
be wrong.
The waist was a dark blue chiffon.
they had pressed it badL, and the lace |
collar was torn where one of the coll
lar bones had been showed through. |
The gloves were stiff. and two Of the |
buttons were gone.
Why had she not examined them bel
fore she paid the boy? Helen tossed
the box, waist and all. on the bed with
a strong desire to cry. Why must
everything go wrong today?
Then the phone rang, and she hur-
ried to answer it. Somehow tele- /
phone ring always meant for Helen a
little thrill of anticipation. Just the
sound of the bell seemed full of pleas
ant possibilities.
Number, please?" shriIled central.
why, you just rang.' indignant
ly.
Excuse it, please
Helen changed up the received with
an angry exclamation. Twice that
she had ben called by mis- ]
take.
.'Oh. get out of the way, Pussy !
Purrmey,'' as the kitten, playing with
a piece Of crumpfed paper, almost
tripped her up.
The added irritations had increased |,
her headache, and with a wretched
sense of discomfort Helen now sat
down by her sewing basket to mend
the waist. OF course, the scissors
We're not there, and she had to get up
to look for them. Then Pussy Purr--
new knocked off her thimble and
Helen slapped her sharply.
She mended the lace collar, and
tried to straighten up the hooks that
had. been carelessly ironed down. The
scissors slipped and she sucked her
hurt finger with angry tears. Then
she sewed on the gloves and started
to try one on. But they seemed to
have shrunk. The stiffened kid split
suddenly across the palm.
Boiling with indignation, Helen
went over to the phone and deter
rang up Mrs. Thurston.
Didn't you say the Peerless Clean
ing company did such beautiful work I
for you? Well. they've simply ruined
some gloves for me-a brand new
pair that'd never been cleaned be- I.
fore. And they tore a waist--and