Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-01


pr syndicatel
frances r. simply detested her
alarm clock. Every morning It brought
her back from dreams Of green fields
and babbllng brooks to brick tenement
houses and city noises. Furthermore.
it impressed co her that q Co.
expected every clerk behind the coun-
ter at s 80 aharp.
Although the mirror said her face
was getting thinner Frances blamed
It on the new style Of hairdresaing. -
another ten days she would have her
weeks vacation, while afternoons IL
the park would soon put the color IN
her cheeks agains she told herself.
she wondered II David B. the
new manager, noticed. Frances smiled
afterwards. Just az II he could keep
track Of q half thousand saleagirls'
tired looks.
SuppOslng he did ask her 10 share
his umbrella to the elevated station the
last rainy evening II merely showed
he was gentleman. Nevertheless, she
knew she was about the last girl 20
leave the store.
s.Guess you'll have to set your alarm
clock q little earlier" was Mrs, Ha
greetings as Frances came down late
to breakfast.
Scarcely ten minutes after her ar
rival at the store, David B ap-
preached the counter Miss K. Z
he said. we are having special sale
On alarm clocks today. Miss NJ -
ont sick. VIII you please take charger
Frances had no recollection Of reply
ing. she next remembered B. *
planning how to regulate the clock. and
Try her utmost she could not keep the
flaming color from her cheeks.
All chat morning she wound and re-
wound the alarm device for prospec-
live customers until now Il seemed
as il her head would burst with pain
from listening to the ringing
For lunch she had an Ice cream,
hardly nourishing to d tired clerk.
During the afternoon how her head
throbbed. Would the public ever stop
buying alarm clocksf "Yes'm.s Frances
remembered saying, this alarm rings
every 80 seconds, then stops, then
Yings how warm everything seemed.
the store was getting dark. It's funny
the lights are ont, didn't the alarm
gound far away and then total
darkness. She thought she heard
David b b voice. but oh. SO family.
Frances opened her eyes In q room
sHe had often read about, room that
existed for her Only ID story books
cretonne curtains. q little enameled
bed. cool white paper and nurse.
Surely, this was = dream. The nurse
explained that H. & Co. had re-
served room st the hospital for any
os their clerks who might become Ell.
This was news indeed, Tor the firm
never had the reputation Of being over
kind-hearted.
when she next awoke II was early
evening. while the corridor lights az
centuated the growing darkness of her
room. Suddenly, the smart trim d.
ure or the nurse appeared IN the door
way. followed by David B Frances
was conscious fnat he was standing BY
her bedside. Slowly she opened hsr
eyes. while the nurse switched On the
lights.
.'Tt was nice be you to come, Mr..
she began. q am very thank
ful 10 the Arm, also With nod
b dismissed the nurse.
.Miss X, !" be said ii i low modu-
lated voice, 4Tm awfuIly sorry ! put
you on that alarm clock counter, bat
/ didn't know you weren't feeling
well.
Frances smiled family. TT was fools
ian Of me- she began, but B. In
terrupted
please let as not talk about that
now. he said, ssbut after little while
i hope yonIl be well enough to SO
down and stay with my mother. Our
home Is much too large for the two Of
us. besides rest would"
@Oh. but eouldn't, Mr. B ;;
you see. II"
Now. I know yOu are going 20 say
you don't know me. but ron do, al
though you've long forgotten
ssAre you sures Frances inquired,
her voice trembling.
cam sure7'' b answered. I'm
going to ten you something. then you
may decide for yourself.
You remember John NJ b
NorthwOods r.
Frances nodded
tHe was my uncle B. contin-
ued. sand one summer aIong about nve
years ago went down TO visit him On
his farm. BE was pretty cranky sort
| of i fellow. but good hearted. inst the
same. There wAs family down the
road who used to supply him with
milk. A little dark-haired girl used
to deliver Ii every morning.. One mora
ing she vas late Ha was terribly
cranky he told her that she ought 60
buy an alarm clock 10 wake her mp.
Ri her haste and confusion she drop
ned the milk. I felt sorry, but 4
knew nv uncle's disposition. 30 I had
ID keep stiii. | left the next day, but
i found ont her name. When came
( as..sw g., S.esF& spssMR esHa NM<9 Rezff the