The Era-leader., 1919-11-13
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RING FOR FRANCESE
Bv MARGARET l. FEELEY.

/
her back from dreams OF green he'us
and babbling brooks to brick tenement
houses and city noises. Furthermore
It impressed on her that R q 20.
expected every clerk behind the couh-
ter at s: 80 sharp.
Although the mirror said her lace
was getting thinner, Frances blamed
It on the new style of hairdressing. In
another ten days she would have her
weeks vacation, while afternoons III
the park wovld soon put the color ID
her cheeks again, she told herseF. N
She wondered If David B, the
new manager, noticed. Frances smiled
afterwards. Just as If he could Keep
track of a half thousand salesglris
tired looks.
supposing he did ask her to share
his umbrella to the elevated station the
last rainy eyening-it merely showed
he was a gentleman. Nevertheless she
knew she was about the last girl 10
leave the store.
"Guess you'll have to set your alarm
clock a 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 ap'
| preached the counter. "Miss K,
he said, 1--WE are having special sale
on alarm clocks today. Miss NJ 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. ana
try her utmost she could not keep the
| flaming cofor from her cheeks.
| All that morning she wound and re-
wound the alarm device for prospec'
tive customers until now 1t seemed
rs 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. Would the public ever stop
buying alarm clocks? "Yes'm," Frances
remembered saying, "this alarm rings
avery 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, a room that
existed for her only in story books
, cretonne curtains, little enameled
!, bed, cool white paper and nurse
. Surely, this was a dream. The nurse
explained that R & Co. had re-
served room at the hospital for any
Of their clerks twAo might become i'll
This was news indeed, for the firm
: never had the reputation Of being ovel
: kind-hearted.
III When she next aw0ke 1t was early
evening, while the corridor lights &C
centuated the growing darkness OF hel
Q room. Suddenly, the smart trim fig
I. ure Of the nurse appeared in the door
!. way, followed by David B. Frances
= was conscious that he was standing b!
}. her bedside. Slowly she opened hel
e eyes, while the nurse switched on th'
70 lights. /.
& ut was nice Of you to come, MI
IS B" she began. IT am very thank
q full to the firm, also" With moi
n B. dismissed the nurse.
=. "aiiss H." he said in low modu
4 lated voice, 'I'u awfully sorry pu
you on that alarm clock counter, bu
10 didn't know you weren't feelin
n WELL"
d. Frances smiled family. 1T was foo
le ish of me-" she began, but B II
ct corrupted.
es "please let us not talk about tina
at now,"' he said, 'but after little Will
In hope you'll be we'll enough to
ir down and stay with my mother. Gu
es home is much too large for the two
Il. us. besides-a rest would"
I'd "Oh, but couldn't, Mr.. B.
n. You see, IL"
n. "Now, know you are going to 50
ed you don't know me, but you do,
no though you've long forgotten"
al "Are you sureT Frances inquire
tn her voice trembling.
IAN sure?" B answered. IT
le, going to tell you something, then "
or may decide for yourself"
re "You remember John NJ
60 Northwood?"
in Frances nodded.
IT. HE was my uncle" B cont
sh ued, "and one summer along about a
he years ago I went down to visit him [
ke his farm. He was pretty cranky 50
to Of fellow, but good hearted, just t
di. same. There was family down &
ole road who used to supply him wi
ip- milk. A little dark-haired girl us
lid to deliver 1t every morning. One MOI
'ck ing she was late. He was territ
in cranky; he told her that she ought
Of buy an alarm clock to wake her |
lIv In hor haste and confusion she drf