Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-29

spring, life bright and thrilling, bril-.
"oh, your future life, my love- will be
/ far from dull and blinking I"
And this mood lasted for two weeks.
Then as her hand grew more expert, and
she scanned the papers for information
OF employment bureaus. there came some
ugly hours when much pounding was
the streets, meeting the town with angry
eyes that struggled for self-con fidence
And twice, although she had dressed
herself with keen and vigilant eye to
her own attractiveness and had gone to
the bureau she had selected, with sink
ing heart she turned back from the
door. But the second time, after leav-
| ing, with a scowl she faced about, went
back and marched into the Office. And
a little later when she emerged, her face
| She still could not believe It! For the
woman In charge, after one sharp look
and q number Of questions, had re-
| marked,
why. yes, I think we can place you.
| I've one position waiting right now"
There had been more questioning, but
this had seemed rather perfunctory. The
| woman had not appeared to care very
much that Ethel had only one reference
from the old minister back at home I;
and the brief exhibition Of her skill
which Ethel gave upon a machine. with
her nngers excited, cold and tense, mad
lasted but a minute or. two when the
woman had said, Yes, that viii do"
Ethel scowled as she tried to re-
| flaw. What was it?
"oh. yes; she Warned me about men,"
And here Ethel gave a sharp little laugh,
with a lump Of excitment in her
sef on hst ,snk she can hsnde my
assurance recollections-and there had
been not few--of youths at home who
had tried to get fresh" and had soon
been, shown where they got off
She was walking very rapidly to-
was on her way downtown.
+. yes my dear, I'm sorry to say that
II isn't your skill, It Is your face that
has has got you this chance. All right, Face,
tnank you very much. II .you'll just
keep steady, eyes easy and cool, Jaw
frm but not too ugly."s -
And when few minutes later she
was shown into the private Office OF her
future employer she almost laughed in
AIS, a,s Ia. round face.so absurd In that
appear ' H''
Hes forty and he loves mis- meals I"
,,ie ana she answered his questions 50
niithely with such an anxious friend
the, desk was plainly attracted and
easily caught. In fact. in his heavy
lidded eyes and about his thick lps came
look which repelled her a little II
shouldn't wonder II even you might get
herself disgustedly. But I guess can
attend to that! 20
Yes. sir, sl5 a week" she was saw
ing meanwhile in Arm brisk tone Of
| voice' or course. I know it's Just a
.r,ai: ;. out I'll do my best, promise
Veil" said Mr.. Greesheiner you
De mere tomorrow at 8 und veil see " Ie
sighed We II see, my friend" He
turned PACK to his desk with an abrupt
and businesslike little gesture Of dis.
And this businessllke air he retained
on tie morrow. AS he explained her
work to her. the tone Of his voice was
crisp and dry Ladies' cloaks were
Sns,n S%re,esneimers line" and though hi.
II rapidly. He was eager, hungry. al.
most fierce IN the way he snapped of
MS letters at times: again he was a
genial soul. boasting to her Of his sue,
oreS.rhS oess and .f giving forth shrewd homel,
as child In some Galician village But
never In those weeks Of work did sh,
eaten a suggestion OF freshness" Ht
was her boss. and at times her friend
Sbs 81 wdst Iathsrly fashion-that was ali
wardness was punctual. labored tc
please him. And he was not slow tc
praise. Wv" ~
You're a smart young soil," he said
"it Ie ,,,,,s man once , Keep on-its great
ana despite the monotonous bleal
erea eeeah or her life in that room. Ethe,
grew steadily happier there. For shs
Mas gaining confidence fast, she wa,
LYING up to her Ideals. Soon she would
ou ready TO leave this funny little mar
and get place of a different kindN
as secretary. for instance, to some clever
Sonsn novelist or noted suffrage lead
Sne had already put down her nanre nj
which sS etmbployment tba 1,aI, bureaus in each OF
look upon her with a favorable eve ~
100 bad poor Joe disllked II go Wher
sne informed him OF what she had done
"e hao appeared quite taken back
want an right. Ethel. 60 ahead. I don't
enort to ,smile--"I don't quite see
well, go ahead"
Plainly 1t had been a surnr,s. u,
was waS,,S 50 utter utterly different from what Amy
.eat had set him thinking, hurt him,
,Se SSne wants TO get away" he had
thought Ethel had caught his fe.iina
ana mad pitied him for It. But mingled
n mi.n this pity had been a vague resent
The minute you show you've mazda
up your mind to be little independent,
they treat 1t like slap In the face, Ali
rlgnt. Mr.. Male Provlder. your tender
Ieeilngs will have to be hurt. There's
n1othlng the matter. I mean to stay here,
II SUCK by you just as long as you need
me. Only I propose to be free T.
Their relations had grown n little
strained. He had stayed at the office
more often at night Very well, let him
sulk In his masculine way only one
remark OF his had annoyed her Like
the woman in the employment bureau
ne had warned Ethel against men.
When It comes to looks" he had
ended, you're one In a thousand. And
"oh. Joe. for goodness sake. hush up %
she had cried. bright spot of color
little mouth had set viclousy. You'll
be telling me next that I got my POSI-
ton simply on my pretty face No
brains behind It. OF course, no mind %
And she had tapped one foot on the
floor In a way which made him look al
her In curious manner, startled and
| admiring
"oh, no. won't" he had told her
meekly: you've got the making Of more
real mind than any girl I've ever seen. -
Thank you" she had snapped at
him. but she had liked him neverthe-
less. So long as one had TO live with
a man, even as his sister-in-law, II was
we'll to have him in his place.
So her annoyance had died down, and
had only risen little again when one
day Joe came to her office There was
some excuse. Of course, but his real rea-
son obviously was to have look at her
employer and at the same time show
the man that she had a male protector.
Boob But Joe had smiled at
Greesheimer and had withdrawn quite
reassured, leaving her and her Job In
peace
AS Ethel's business life went on. her
self-confdence grew apace. And now
that she had proved TO herself that she