The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-06-04

By Emily Fl. Galloway

any Oh ner airs.
"Oh, heavens" murmured we'll
known ingenue, heres where US
poor working girls wait one good
hour"
This is the life," came from an.
other corner.
Then silence descended on the
waitingroom.
| At 2.45 the assistant manager
opened the door Every one turned
expectantly.
Sorry to keep you waiting, girls"
he said cheerfully. when Mr.. Rob-
ertson does get to seeing you it won't
take long" Then he went back and
shut the door.
The tall brunette seemed to feel
that she had been personally sighted.
She walked over to the Office boy.
eff you'll take my card in he won't
keep me waiting, know that" she
announced.
But the Office boy merely looked
bored
Cant do it," he yawned. "Have
ter wait till he's ready ter see the
bunch
And the brunette waited.
At quarter past three Miss Ray
nond came out. Her cheeks were
very bright and she brushed through
the crowd unseeing. The brunette,
who had played with her, did not
venture to speak.
At half past three the door opened
again. Again the room turned ex-
pectantly.
Miss Vinton,'' called the Office boy.
A dark haired beauty in Paris
gown went in and the door shut.
Elaine, crowded against the wall,
saw her go inland she saw the Paris
gown. Then she saw the hem of her
cid blue serge under the protecting
coat. Oh, it wasn't fair, it wasn't
just. Just because a girl had clothes
didn't mean she could act. Bitterly
she thought of the three long years
of stock. What did it matter that
she could act? This wasn't contest
in acting; it was contest in clothes.
Quarter of four" groaned some
will ho .Sx
get out of here"
Quarter of four?" Elaine gasped.
The coat-the family coat-that
Betty must have at four. What must
she do? What could she do? -Four
was the very latest, Betty had said,
and she must have it; she couldn't
POSSIBLY go out without it in her short
dancing dress. 1t meant her Job
too.
What she would look like, minus
the precious coat. Elaine didn't stop
to think. She mustn't think. There
was no question, Their must be no
question. She had promised to get
the coat back in time. She stepped
quickly over to the office boy.
sI'm Miss HOLSTER" she explained.
"Ill be back in ten minutes, in case
they want me.
Then she fled down the stairs. Sup
pose they should call her in this par
ticular ten minutes and she should not
be there. She would never be able to
explain. she probably would never get
a chance to explain OF course, it was
an awfully slim chance at best, she
realized that. And minus the coat, |.
was hardly worth while going back
for. Yet wild horses couldn't have
kept her away.
She reached the little room at last.
There sat Betty, waiting patiently
Elaine dashed in, struggling out of the
coat as she ran. Before Betty rea-
liked she was there she had gon,.
again. No time now for explanations
or argument.
Out into the rain again went Elaine,
and needless to say she ran mus, Of
the way back. For one thing, il was
warmer. The shabby blue dress was
possible as street costume; a trife
chilly, to be sure, but at least no one
stopped and looked at her. Think
heaven, she still had her hat.
Up the four flights she raced. Then
as unobtrusively as possible. she
slipped into the room.
She prayed that. no one would rec,
ognize her. If no one observed the
hat, she thought she might easily pass
as another girl. Happily all the at
tention was focused on Miss vinto.
who was just coming out.
After that the director began calling
names with great rapidity. Some OF
the girls would be sent back afte'
only five minutes in the sacred inner