The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-23
JUST A GIRL
FIRED.
CHAPTER Al.
Blu JANE PHELPS

CHAPTER At.
had heard that when drowning.
persons life went swiftly before them
cheeks in my eupped hands. my life
seemed to unron before me-nappy,
carefree childhood, my delightful
school days. my gloriously happy days
with father and mother and my
Friends the year after my graduation.
my debut, my birthday party. fathers
death; then came the parting with
mother, the three weeks with Mrs
heart breaking search for work, and
now-this.
/ heard the manager come in, but
did not remove my hands, or look up.
felt as if never could look up
again.
1T is fortunate. Miss Stewart. that
the bag was not found upon YOU
fortunate for you a cold, monotonous
voice said.
"Oh. Mr.. watkins, I did not take
it; never even saw the bag!'f ex-
claimed, rising in my distress.
THE bag had been missing some
minutes. The counter had been
searched. Suddenly it is found directly
] in front OF you. The conclusion is
obvious. So also is your manner of
dressing, of which Miss Marvin COM
planned to me. The bag was not really
4 found in your possession so we shall
not arrest you. But here is your pay
for the time you have been with US. I
should advise you to change your
ways. Evryone may not be so lenient
as have been"
/ "Lenient!" I almost screamed the
word at him as I stumbled from the
office and, after getting my hat, from
the building. Not one word of SYM
pathy, not a chance to try to make him
see my side of the affair. "Oh, what
| ever shall l dol" I moaned as l walked
rapidly away from the store.
When reached the bare little room
I called ''home," l flung myself upon
the bed and sobbed for hours Other
things had been hard-this was hard
est of all. And all those girls, the
customers who had hung around after
purchases were made to see the out
come of the search, all these thought
me a thief-called me so in their
minds
1 wondered how many homes would
be RECALLED with the story of the dis
| honest girl who pretended to sell shirt
| waists SO she could steal, as 1 heard
| one woman say Indignantly after Mr..
Watkins had ordered me to go to his
! office. I would be held up as an ex-
ample of a girl who stole to buy good
clothes
tore frantieally at my dress. I
became hysterical in my desire to de-
stroy it, I prayed to die. l did all
the wild, foolish things a girl SO IN n
happy and all alone in city that had
already made it almost impossible for
her To- earn a living. would do. Then,
exhausted, I lay quiescent, deadened.
What difference did anything make ?
NO one cared. 1 was just q little bin
of flotsam and jetsam on life's tide
That was washed out to sea and
:, drowned would not make a ripple
upon the life of anyone.
Then the thought of mother, my
promise to make a home for her, came
to me. and steadied me.
4 I can't give up, I can't!" nutter-
ed over and over. Then I folded my
hands as I had when a little child,
and knelt beside my bed and prayed
that I might be kept good, really good
as dad had said he wanted me to be
Then I asked God to help me, because
no one else would.
I bathed my face. And feeling faint as
| 1 walked around the room, recalled
that I had eaten nothing all day save
a roll and cup of tea in the morning
1 had SO little money! must not gel
sick. So with a feeling of nausea al
the thought of food, I went to a deli
catessen and bought a bottle of milk
and drank it.
/ fell asleep the moment touched
the bed. My intense emotion, the Civ
ing way to hysterical detection, had
left me exhausted.
In the morning I could not rise
felt as if a leaden weight were uper
; me. holding me down. I decided te
remain in bed, and to try and think
what I should do.
"Ain't you goin' to work, Mis-:
Zena?" Mrs. Lynch asked. She had
climbed all those long stairs when the
maid told her I was not up.
mo, I do net feel able to get up
Then: 'I'll just lie here and rest to.
day. I'll be all right tomorrow"
'I hopes so, you look mighty
peaked, tho" and she left me, only to
return with plate of toast and some
tea. The kindly act brought the tears
again. Not everyone was unkind
(Torn orrow-A new friendly