The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-03-19
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR,
THE MISSING DOLLAR.

"See the new girl, the one who took
Jennies placer"
81 saw her when she came in. Kind
of pretty"
81 guess it's the first time she ever
worked in Five-and-Ten Cent store"
said Cora Moore with little laugh.
"She acts as if she'd been invited to
lawn party somewhere"
Lawn party?" Bessie was one of
the slow-witted sort. She could not
always follow Cora's figures of speech.
Eyes, just look at her now"
Over the bobbing heads of the peo-
pie passing and repassing in the
crowded aisles, Bessie peered in the
| direction of the stationery counter.
She caught sight of girlish face
lighted by a singularly winning smile,
as she leaned toward a young woman
who was examining some tablets.
Maybe she knows her." Bessie said
by way of explaining the miracle.
mo, she doesn't. She looks that
way all the time. It's the smile that
won't come off,"
The two girls looked at each other
meaningly.
It'll come off here, I guess" said
Bessie, and Cora nodded. That's
what say. It's plain she never work
ed in a Five-and-Ten Cent Store be-
FORE"
But though they kept watchful eye
upon the new clerk, they were obliged
to acknowledge that her air of cheer
frliness did not wear off as soon as
they had expected.
1t was when the hot wave was at
it's height and the nerves of all the
force were strained almost to the
breaking point, that one afternoon
something very unpleasant happened.
A stout woman had been to the sta
tionery counter and bought box Of
writing paper. Her change came back
and Madge counted it out to her:
Ten and fifteen, twenty-five and
| twenty-five is fifty, and fifty is a dol
lar"
The woman took the change, drop
ped it into her bag and started away.
Then suddenly she whirled around.
81 gave you a two-dollar BILL" she
said.
Excuse me, you are mistaken.
When I took it said, You're giving
me a dollar Don't you remember"
81 tell you I had a two-dollar bill
in my pocketbook and it's gone. I'm
not going to be cheated. Give me
back my dollar"
ctr r.
ing in the direction of the stationery
counter. Many of them forgetting
that they were in the midst of max
ing purchase, pressed closer to the
center of interest.
}, whats the matter?" asked one
woman who stood in the aisle just in
front of Cora.
Her companion answered indiffer-
emily:
ooh, nothing much. A clerks been
, trying to cheat customer, that's all. y
The floor-walker had come up and
was inquiring into the case. Madge
5 repeated her story, that the customer
t had made ten-cent purchase and
| handed her bill "And 1 said to
f her, You're giving me dollar and
: she didn't correct me. She didn't say
Y anything till L gave her the change
The customer admitted this.
II didn't say anything because
e didn't pay any attention to what she
was saying. But I had a two-dollal
: bill in my purse and now it's gone.
: must have given it to her, for there's
Z e. - IS
The f1oor-walker went to the cash
I ier's desk and returned with the an
e nouncement that no two-dollar bill
had been turned in for some time
S And thereupon the stout woman be
2 came abusive.
: "Then that girls got it, she cried
q pointing her finger at Madge. "She
I saw chance to make a dollar. She:
: got my bill hidden somewhere. Ant
: I'm not going till l get what belong:
= to me-"
;. A pleasant-faced woman suggested
l that it might be we'll for her to lool
in her pocketbook and make sure tn.
: missing bill was not there. She seem
ed to/resent the suggestion, but tn,
. crowd so plainly disapproved her att
: tude that she opened her purse will
! a click.
: II can't see that it's anybody's bust
ness but my own, and / know wha
!. I'm talking about when I say there
;. no two-dollar bill here. But there was
: half an hour ago because"
: She stopped short and roar o
laughter went up, as she smoothet
!, out "a crumpled dollar BILL two-dol
= lar bill was revealed, folded insid,
= the other.
. She closed her purse and made ;
= hasty exit. And as the laughing GROVE
y thinned out and gave Bessie and Cor;
= view of the stationery country, the.
saw Madge's face very pale, but smil
o ing.
The following morning Cora said t,
q Bessie abruptly:
n 81 went up in the car with Madg'
J. last night"
7 did you find what it is keeps he
il smiling all the timer" asked Bessie
h more for the sake of saying something
i than because she expected an afirma
|. tive reply.
l. Yes
y You did" Bessie exclaimed witt
n interest. What is it,"
= ~ ~ - -