The Connecticut labor press., 1919-04-05


 ink spots, and her shoes were takir g on a shabby nap. It was not encouraging.
 At Daphne's left elbow was a large. fat girl whose pen rolled off large, fat letters. She talked all the time about nothing of importance, laughed and fidgeted and asked questions that would have been impertinent If they had come from anything but a large, fat head. sS Her name was Maria Pribik. She
 was a Bohemian of the second genera ton; but she was dyed in the wool with New Yorkishness. She was an fncessant optimist and kept remind
 ing everybody to "cheer up, goils, the
 woisst might be ,wofsser yet"
 l Daphne's luck did not last long. The
 receivers found that the percentage of l inquiries following upon. the adyertis- ing and cfrcuIarizing campaigns was
 hardly paying the postage. People
 were either too poor to buy books or too busy with the molten history pour
 ing from the caldrons of Europe. Yes terdays paper was ancient history l enough. ,,.s. G3~ s-
 The receivers closed down the business abruptly on a Saturday and | instructed. the manager to announce to his flock that there would be no
 more work at present. Daphne's heart stopped. Here, she was again, learn Ling again the dreadful significance of "out of a job''-what the theatrical
 people called "at liberty" ; | Miss Pribik looked at Daphne and lanoted her gloom. Say, kid. listen here. Whyn't ehoo come with mel I can land you a job at the Lar de Lucks. Guy name of Gofst Is the boss and hen always gimme a job or. any lady friend. He's kind of rough, but what's the diifa His money buys just as much as anybody's. We better beat it over there ahead this bunch"
 Daphne murmured her hasty thanks and they left at once. Miss Pribik led
 the way to a huge building full of Pants Makers "Nightshirt Makers" |" 'FWaist Makers and publishers of cal endars. favors and subscription books.
 She asked for Mr. Gerst, saw him.
 beckoned him over. and hailed him
 with bravado:
 Well, Mist Goist, here I am. back to the mines. This Is me friend Kip. I want you should give her a joba
 me, too"
 Daphne faced MT. Gerst's inspection
 without visible finching. though she was uneasy within. Gerst was large, famboyant brute with eyes that seemed less to receive light than to send forth vision He had an in- quisitive and stripping gaze. But Daphne must endure it. After ran
 sacking Daphne with his eyes. he grunted: 'eYou look pretty good to me. kiddo. You can begin Monday. Thanks" said Daphne, humbly.
 "Tm comin', too,r said Miss Pribik. @An right" said Gerst. Its time you did. Wen take some of that beef off you." And he playfully pinched her arm.
 Adroitly eyading his pincers. Miss Pribik led the way out, and Daphne trailed her oustide. ts Daphne loathed and feared the man already He stood like a glowering menace in the path ahead of her. sel
 Monday morning at eight Daphne reported for work with the LArt de Luxe Publishing society. pronounced
 by it's own people twho ought to know) Lar de Lucks.'' =
 This firm was engaged in the pe- culiarly Anglo-Saxon business of graz ing the censorship as closely as pos sible. It printed everything that it dared to print under the whimsically Puritanic eye of the law Toward the authorities 1t turned the white side, of banner of culture claiming to put ih the hands of the people the noblest works of foreign genius and defying any but an impure mind to find impurity in it's classic wares. The other side of the banner was purple and informed the customers by every prurient innuendo that the books were. published in their entirety without ex- purgation. Vice has its hypocritical cant no less than religion. g,
 One day, toward the end of her first week, she was startled to find before her card bearing the legend Duane, Thomas" His address was given, and the facts that he had bought the three quarter morocco Balzac. the half leather Fielding and Smollett, and the levant Court Memoirs. He had not yet taken the bait for the De Maupas- sant.
 Daphne spondered his card and his taste. She was shaken from her pen- sive mood by the sudden commotion of all the women. All eyes had seen the minute and the hour hands in con- junction at XII. Names were left off in the middle: pens fell from poised hands. + E.
 Daphne found herself alone She. was glad of the quiet and the solitude. while it lasted-which was not long, for Gerst came back unexpectedly early, sa %sa ~s7@ f.'a / His eye met Daphne's. He started toward her, and then, seeing that she glanced away. went on to his desk. He stood there manifestly irresolute moment. He glanced at Daphne again, at the fire escapes, at the empty room. Then he went to the first of the tables and with labored careIessness inspect ed the work of the absentee. He drift. ed along the aisle toward Daphne, throwing her now and then an inter ro0afivo smile that filled her with a