The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-27
Eoening Story
100 Per Cent Efficient.
BY CRAWFORD LUTTRELL

iiyoung clerk whose white fingers were
never idle. What are you making.
| thingumagigs for pretty girls to wear
to parties?''
She took a last stitch in the rosette
of blue ribbon that she was fashioning
SO deity. Something nicer than that"
she smiled. Bows for baby bonnets."
She tackled the ribbon in place on
sheer little garment made of fine lace
and batiste. 81 wish that the man
agement would put this in the vim
dow. 1 could sell fifty pairs of these
bows in a week if they would. Be-
sides that, it would help the infant
department sell bonnets, too"
sure it would" agreed Austin, re-
garding the lacy bit of headgear. TN
put it in myself"
Marian looked around cautiously.
make Rigsby mad! He'll be awfully
cross about everything you do if you
| try to tell ham anything about the win
i dow displays"
well, we want to sell ribbons, don't
we?"
Eyes; but I'd hate to see you get
! into trouble here You've only been
| in the store for a few weeks. I've
been here for five years, and know
that Rigsby stands in with the boss,
and that if he gets mad at anybody
the boss backs him in anything he
wants to do"
"rd like to see him try to pick on
you. Just once! That would be
about enough"
A faint color crept into the girls
pale cheeks. She shook the threads
| from her black sateen apron before
| she answered him. "You know when
you first came here I was so hurt be-
/ cause they made you buyer for my
department when you were new here,
and had been here for SO long ana
| had worked SO hard that just could
| MT like you a bit. But know better
now. and I want to tell you that APP
preciate all the kind things you have
| done for me more than l can say. IL
was nice of you to take me to the
hotel yesterday to see the drummer's
samples and to let me select my spring
stock. I certainly did get pretty
| things I hope there won't be any
strikes to tie up production or deliv-
ery''
"You are really interested in your
| job, aren't your"
| Eyes, | am, she declared Vlgor-
ously ''why shouldn't I be?'
Most girls aren't. Business with
them is Just a means to an end. They
want to get married"
so do I. All girls do" said Marian
promptly and then blushed to the roots
/ of her smooth brown hair. But that
| natural ambition doesn't prevent me
from trying to make a success of my
position here. When I keep house
I'll feel the same way about that. III
do the best I can, and if fate wills that
] stand behind this counter the rest of
my life I'll be 100 per cent efficient.
And I'll be contented even If am not
particularly happy" She was hold
| ing the little cap on her hand, 1luffing
out the soft, pretty bows that would
some day cover tiny pink ears. She
smiled a little, then she looked at the
young man eagerly II wisl; that we
could put this on a figure in the win
dow! It would double my sales to-
/ morrow
| He reached over the counter for the
filmy bit of lace and ribbon. "Give
it to mel" he said. I'll manage it if
you will go to lunch with me today"
"I'll go Dutch treat" she compro-
missed. 1 know where there is new tea
room that Is operated by a woman
from Virginia. You can get splendid
lunch tfera for 35 cents.''
"Righto." he said slangily. 'Now,
I'm going to put this bonnet in the
window if it costs me my job. It will
run your sales up high enough to ring
the bell and shake down a plum in the
way of an increase in your pay en-
velope Saturday night
| Il wish that You were a true
prophet" she sighed as shs turned to
greet a customer with her usual smile
of welcome.
AT 1 O'Clock he was waiting for her
Just outside the big front door. You're
a nifty looking girl" he commented,
admiringly. There's some class to you.
[ don't see how you manage on $40
Il week, paying board to your sister and
| keeping yourself as stylish as you look
Why, if you had real money. girl-say.
| you could look like a million dollars
| on $50 a week. Where's that tea
| room? ?"
Just around the corner. 1t has the
cleanest little tables and there are al
ways few fresh flowers on each one
every day. When I work up to s35 a
| week 1 am going to try to get some
girls to go in with me and rent a
little apartment. I think that it would
be wonderful to have a real home
and on Sundays. Maybe I'll ask you
to tea some Sunday when Rigsby
recommends me for a raise; that is to
say, if it happens before you are too
old to walk
Can you cook 90 asked Austin won
deringly. Bet you can't do it as well
as you can tie ribbon bows,"
Bet can" laughed Marian as they
went into the tearoom.
He asked her to do the ordering for
both of them, and marveled at her
business-like manner She quickly Sc
ilected few nourishing dishes at
will be 35 cents for each of u.s. she
i told him smilingly.
This is my set up today. You'll
make a poor man a good wife" he
said. looking at her so steadily that
her eyes dropped before the unmistak-
able message in his. He thought of
her blue eyes smiling at him over the
filmy lace bonnet with its fluffy blue
bows of soft ribbon. There was a lit
tie contraction in his throat a terrific
pounding in his young heart. He leaned
over. and, careless of the throng In the
dimly lighted room, laid his hand owe.
hers Say. do you think we could
manage, together on fifty a week
Do your"
"Oh.' cried Marian with a quick
in-taking breath II could work, too.
We would make seventy together"
He caught her hand Close at that