Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-16
TODAY'S EVENING STORY
SURPRISES
COPYRIGHT BY w. WERNER

AS the telephone bell rang, Rosetta
Cooper turned toward the small table
upon which the instrument sat and
jerked the receiver off the hook.
She thought: tits Mrs. Campbell,
and that dress she bought this morn
ing does not fit
To her surprise, 1t was not Mrs.
Campbell's bumptious boom that
came over the wire, but a small,
gentle, rather unsteady little voice
"Roselly! Is that your" it asked.
why, it's Mrs. Kerry" Rosetta
said. A smile came over her fretted
face. Rosellas afternoon face was
altogether different from her morn.
ing one. By half-past 4 each day
the firm resolve of her o'clock vow
to keep a grip on herself" had melt
ed like snow.
How'd you know" demanded the
small voice, with a kind of startled
delight running through it.
Il guessed she eVaded.
''Well, Roselly, I want you to come
up to supper tonight and spend the
evening""
" nat. IOIi1SllC!
eyes, tonight. You will come,
won't your"
miss Cooper 1t was Mrs. Latham
speaking. Come here a minute,
please"
iii call you up in two minutes,
Mrs. KERRY, and let you know"
Mrs. Latham ran the Daintie
Shoppe, and Rosetta was her assist
ant. AS matter Of fact, Rosetta
did all the business. She sold the
gowns and blouses, and induced more
trade by her perfect figure and the
perfect taste in dress. She earned
500 a month, which was scarcely
equivalent to her service, but it was
more money than she could use in
the small town Of Brisben, and she
had no need to save. since her par
ents had left her nicely provided for.
AS Rosetta deftly steered a stout
customers fancy from an evening
dress two sizes too small for her
and persuaded her to accept one bet
ter suited to her size and cOloring,
she thought rapidly of the invitation
she had just received. She was
tired, too tired to walk the half
mile; too tired to listen whole eve
ming to the old woman's chatter; too
tired to have old memories raked
up for her. For old Mrs. kerry, who
lived in the tiny white house on
Plum street, was the aunt Of Samuel
King, and Samuel King was and al
ways would be the one man who
could find a place in Rosetta Cooper's
heart. But he had gone out of her
life one day and had not returned.
She heard that he was succeeding in
the city and had won several promo
lions from the firm with which he
was engaged. For four years Rosetta
had given up all hope OF him; for
four years also she had lost all &C
tive interest in life.
Still old Mrs. kerry was the only
living person who called her "Ro'
selly' with a note Of tenderness. 1t
seemed a pity to hurt her, as she
would be hurt if her invitation was
not accepted.
81 suppose I'll have to CO." Ro-
sella sighed, and unlocked the re
ceiver Her acceptance was brief
I'll come, Mrs. KERRY. Now don't
you make any fuss for me. I'm
afraid I may be late-a half hour,
perhaps. But I'll hurry She
smiled family at the sound of the
delighted gurgle at the other end
Of the wire.
At O'Clock she was wear;er
than she had been at 400. She
locked the shop door-Mrs. Latham
had gone home long before-wish-
ing that she could go straight to
her pretty room ana snuggIe down
with a new book. But since I'm
in for a whole evening Of it I'll
do it right" she told herself
She stopped at a newsstand and