The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1919-11-06
RING FOR FRANCES
BY MARGARET FEELEY.
Copyright 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicats.)

per Syndicats)
Frances & simply detested hel
| alarm clock. Every morning 1t brought
her back from dreams Of green fields
| and babbllng brooks to brick tenement
| houses and city noises. Furthermore
| 1t impressed on her that R < Co
| expected every clerk behind the cOun
ter at 8 80 sharp.
| Although the mirror said her face
was getting thinner, Frances blamed
1t on the new style Of hairdresslng. In
another ten days she would have heI
weeks vacation. while afternoons In
the park would soon put the color In
her cheeks again, she told herself.
| She wondered II David B., the
new manager, noticed. Frances smiled
afterwards. Just as II he could keep
track Of a half thousand salesgirls'
tired looks.
Surprising he did ask her to share
his umbrella to the elevated station the
last rainy evening-it merely showed
he was gentleman. Nevertheless, she
knew she was about the last girl to
leave the store.
"Guess you'll have to set your alarm
clock little earlier" was Mrs. H-'s
greetings as Frances came down late
to breakfast.
Scarcely ten minutes after her ar
rival at the store, David B APP
preached the counter. Miss K
he said, 1--WE are having special sale
on alarm clocks today. Miss M Is
out sick. Will you please take charger
Frances had no recollection Of reply
ing. She next remembered B. ex-
planning how to regulate the clock, and
try her utmost she could not keep the
flaming color from her cheeks.
All that morning she wound and re-
wound the alarm device for prospec-
tive customers until now 1t seemed
as II her head would burst with pain
from listening to the ringing.
For lunch she had an ice cream,
hardly nourishing to a tired clerk.
During the afternoon how her head
throbbed. Wsuld the public ever stop
buying alarm clocks? "Yesm," Frances
remembered saying, "this alarm rings
every 80 seconds, then stops, then
rings"-how warm everything seemed.
the store was getting dark. It's funny
the lights are out, didn't the alarm
sound far away and then-total
darkness. She thought she heard
David BIS voice, but oh, SO family.
Frances opened her eyes In room
she had often read about, room that
existed for her only in story books
cretonne curtains, little enameled
bed, cool white paper and nurse.
Surely, this was dream. The nurse
explained that R 4 Co. had re-
served room at the hospital for any
Of their clerks VINO might become Ill.
This was news indeed, for the firm
never had the reputation of being over
kind-hearted.
When she next awoke it was early
evening, while the corridor lights &C
centuated the growing darkness Of her
room. Suddenly, the smart trim fig
ure Of the nurse appeared In the door
way, followed by David B. Frances
was conscious that he was standing by
her bedside. Slowly she opened her
eyes, while the nurse switched on the
lights.
ut was nice Of you to come, Mr..
B." she began. II am very thank
full to the firm, ALSO" With nod
B. dismissed the nurse.
Miss H." he said In low modu-
lated voice, ''I'm awfully sorry put
you on that alarm clock counter, but
didn't know you weren't feeling
we'll"
Frances smiled family. ut was fool
ish OF me-" she began, but b in
terrupted.
please let W not talk about that
now" he said, but after little while
hope you'll be well enough to 60
down and stay with my mother. Our
home Is much too large for the two Of
us, besides-a rest would"
"Oh, but / couldn't, Mr.. B.;
you see, il"
Nov, know you are going to say
you don't know me, but you do, al
though you've long forgotten"
"Are you surey' Frances inquired,
her voice trembling.
Am sure?" B answered. "Tm
going to tell you something, then you
may decide for yourself"
"You remember John M in
Frances nodded.
HE was my uncle" B. contin-
ued, land one summer along about five
years ago / went down to visit him on
his farm. He was a pretty cranky sort
Of fellow, but good hearted. just the
same. There was family down the
road who used to supply him with
milk. A little dark-haired girl used
to deliver 1t every morning. One morn
ing she was late. He was terribly
cranky; he told her that she ought to
buy an alarm clock to wake her up.
In her haste and confusion she drop
ped the milk. l felt sorry, but ] |
Knew my uncle's disposition, SO 1 had
20 keep still. left the next day, but
found out her name. When came
back the next year she had left the
7illage.
II didn't suppose you'd remember