Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1921-09-13
LISETTE
By MURIEL BLAIR

Say, LlSette, I'm SICK OF THIS JoD.
What's the user You toll and slave
all day and wear yourself to pieces
for your fifteen bones a week, and
when Sunday comes you're so used up
all you can do is to Sleep"
Eyes, som l." answered Lisette
Blanchard disconsolately.
There was lull in business at How
ards Emporium; it was two in the
afternoon, and the morning rush was
over. while the afternoon shoppers
had not yet put In their appearance.
Miss Spurgeon surveyed the little
French Canadian girl who had Joined
the sales force some three months
previously. All the girls liked her;
they recognized, too. that she was
'the right Sort" as they phrased 1t.
Nobody ever took liberties with little
Lisette.
"Say. Lisette," continued Miss
Spurgeon confidently, II got dandy
fellow. Works in a wholesale hard
ware store and gets twenty-eight
steady the year round. He's asked
me to hitch up with him every Sum
day night this past year. and ! don't
know but what / WILL"
"Yes7" queried Miss Lisette.
"Eure, that's what say" went on
Miss Spurgeon. Hes the kind Of
fellow any girl would be proud Of,
not like these cheap pikers that comes
In to scrape acquaintance and take
you out to dinner somewhere"
Miss Spurgeon!" cried the floor
walker severely, and Miss Spurgeon
hurried away. leaving Lisette Blanch-
ard to her meditations.
II the lOquacious salesgirl could have
known the thoughts that she had set
coursing through the Others mind she
would have been genuinely Mortified.
Lisette Blanchard had come south
from her home In Canada eley-
en- months before. leaving her par
ents, her friends and her lover be-
hind. In vain Andre had asked her
to stay.
But she craved life and excitement;
the stories which she had heard OF
the metropolis of America had fas-
cinated her; the deadly monotony Of
life In st. Joachim had become impos-
sibie to her. On the morning of their
parting they had strolled In the woods
together, and Andre, STOPPING, had
picked stem of wintergreen, with
its clustering berries, ind handed 1t
to her. She smelled the faint, acrld
odor Of the leaves even then.
When the wintergreen bears fruit
again, and thou art not here, then l
shall know that thou wilt never re-
turn" said Andre.
That was eleven months before.
Lisette had spent nearly whole year
away. She had had time to become
disenehanted, to realize what life In q
large city meant to girl living alone.
And then the stranger had come in
to her life.
She had first seen him upon the
street as she left the store one eve
ming, and had flushed under his stare
On the next morning she found him
waiting outside the store. He followed
her In, made a purchase, addressed
few conventional remarks to her.
He came again and again. He always
treated her with respect, and, though
her fear of him was instructive, grad
ually he scraped an acquaintance with
her. He was well-to-do, and, though
she did not love him, she felt that here,
at least, was the chance of salvation
from her laborious lot.
Then, on the preceding Sunday, he
had told her something which filed
her with humiliation and shame. He
was married, he said. His wife and
he had been separated for years, but
he could not divorce her. What did
that matter, as long as they loved
each other? He would not press her
for her decision, but would wait for
her outside the store on Wednesday
night. Then she could give him his
answer.
Lisette had torn herself away and
fed from him. All that night she
wept, lying sleepless In her bed In the
little hall room of her boarding house.
On Wednesday he met her outside
the store that night. and she greeted
him icily. She did not order him away,
but walked beside him, thinking, think
ing hard. She turned toward him pres
emily, her eyes brimming with tears.
God forgive me. / am too weak to
say what should say" she said.
sHave pity on me and leave me. Help
me against myself"
He drew her into the shelter of q
doorway and pleaded with her. She
felt the last atom of her strength leav-
Ing her.
"Wintergreen Sweet wintergreen n
cried voice beside her.
She started violently. A peddler's
cart had stopped before the curb, la
den with flowers and greenery. And
In the hand that he thrust out toward
her she saw the plant that suddenly
awakened such poignant memories, Ia
den with its clustering berries. And
! suddenly the past year was blotted
from her mind. In st. Joachim woods
the wintergreen was bearing fruit
again. And Andre was waiting, as be
had sworn to wait.
~Goodby." she said, looking at him
steadily. Il am going home. / shau
never see you again." And something
In her voice told him that her resolve
was memorable.
/ Cutching q spray Of winterresc
against her heart Llsette slipped Inn
d crowds.