Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-05-22


and babbling brooks to brick tenemen
houses and city noises. Furthermore
1t impressed on her that R. & Co
expected every clerk behind the coun
ter at s 80 sharp.
Although the mirror said her face
was getting thinner, Frances blamed
II on the new style of hairdressing. In
another ten days she would have her
weeks vacation, while afternoons in
the park would soon put the color In
her cheeks again, she told herself.
She wondered If David b. the
new manager, noticed. Frances smiled
afterwards. Just as If he could keep
track of a half thousand salesglrls'
tired looks.
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
i to breakfast
\ Scarcely ten minutes after her ar
rival at the store, David B ap-
preached the counter. Miss K"
he said, 1--WE are having special sale
on alarm clocks today. Miss Ms
out sick. VIII you please take charge"
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 If her head would burst with pain
from listening TO the ringing.
! For lunch she had an ice cream,
hardly nourlshing to tired clerk.
During the afternoon how her head
throbbed. Would the public ever stop
buying alarm clocks? "Yes'm," 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
SOullQ lar away anu
darkness. She thought she heard
David BIS voice, but oh, so family. |
Frances opened her eyes in a room
she had often read about, room that |
existed for her only in story books
cretonne curtains, a little enameled |
bed, cool white paper and a nurse.
Surely, this was a dream. The nurse
served a room at the hospital for any
of their>clerks WHO might become i'll.
This was news indeed, for the firm
never had the reputation of being over
kind-hearted.
When she next awoke 1t was early
evening while the corridor lights ac-
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 81 am very thank
u 10 tne Hrln, also. WIN HOu Y
~ dismissed the nurse
Miss H." he said in a low modu-
Ated voice. I'm awfully sorry I put
Du on that alarm clock counter, but
didn't know you weren't feeling T
YELL"
Frances smiled family. at was fool
sh OF me- she began, but B in v
srrupted.
"Please let us not talk about that
ow." he said.<''but after little while
hope you'll be well enough to go b,
own and stay with my mother. oaF SC
ONE is much too large for the two of G
s, besides-a rest would"
"Oh, but | couldn't, Mr.. B;
you see, IL" :.
"Now, know you are going TO say :,
III don't know me, but yog do, nj =
ough you've long forgotten" a.
care you sure?" Frances inquired,
" voice trembling.
IAN sure?" b answered "Tm be
ling to tell you something, then you he
ay decide for Yourself" te
"You remember John NJ in =
Frances nodded.
"He was my uncle.' B. contin-
d, 'and one summer along about five
ars ago went down to visit him on
} farm. He was a pretty cranky sort
q fellow. but good hearted, just the
me. There was family down the
I'd who used to supply him with
Tx. A little dark-halred girl used
deliver It every morning. One mora
!, she was late. He was terribly
lnky he told her that she ought to
Y an alarm clock to wake her up
her haste and confusion she drop
the milk | felt sorry, but |
ew my uncle's disposition, so had
keep still. left the next day, bat
ound out her name. When came
* the next year she had left the ftf
age.