Rockingham post-dispatch., 1922-10-26
A Girls Face
and Fortune


By JOHN PALMER


49, ~te"sRebet c.'r-'
4 wish the men wouldn't pestel
me so,p said Gertie Miller, as she
stepped out OF the shop door Of Brad
bury's.
II ever a girls face was her for
tune, It ought to have been the cast
with Gertie. Yet no sooner had SHE
left Bradbury's than she saw the mer
begin to ogle her.
She passed on with shrug of her
shoulders. In fact. she was too light.
hearted to care that day. She had
applied to Bradbury's for an increase
of salary, and had been turned down,
She had given notice. Afterward the
manager had asked her to reconsider.
Gertie. hadslaughed at, him.
Why not? She had nice little
sum In the savings banK, and she
could afford to take holiday. And
Just now she was on her wayto meet
Leslie, at the corner of Fifth avenue.
Leslie,wa her fancy boy, and they
really expected to be married some
day. Leslie was going to take her
out in his car. why wouldn't girl
feel good in that bright sunshine, go
Ing to meet her boy, even II the men
did stare at her.
There he was-that little, persistent
fellow who always followed her as
soon as she left the shop. For week
past he had been lying in walt for
her. Now he came hurrying up. He
walked beside herr minclngly.
"Fine afternoon, Miss Miller" said
the little man pleadingly.
"Aw, cut it out !" said Gertie. 81
don't want you hanging around me
with your proposals. know your kind.
It only takes a girls mo- to make them
think they can't do without herr
"Shy, that's one for warm day /"
said the little man, wiping his fore
head.
I've got better than that If you
don't quit kidding me-" said Gertie.
Kidding? See here, Miss Miller, I'm
honest, am. Five hundred dollars
"Kid, you make me slckw said
Gertie.
She passed on. The little man. knew
her well enough, but to others she was
only a cipher--a cipher with the most
beautiful face that ever drew the
stares Of a Broadway crowd.
"Oh, Lord, there's the fat one~ said
Gertie.
The fat one was watching for her
at the corner Of the block. He raised
his hat as Gertie hurried by.
'Say, what's your hurry?s he de-
manded.
Gertie turned around.
"See here. once and for all it's mo.
to you and all your kind, you cheap
piker," she said Indignantly.
Come and have q little lunch and
--and something fizzy / know about"
said the fat man. maybe you'll feel
more like talking things over. What's
the sense of acting in this way? A
girls got to earn her living, hasn't
shef''
r can earn a better living than you
can give me-" Gertie retorted.
Eluding the fat mans outstretched
arm, she hurried on, though conscious
that he and the little man were follow
ing her. And at the corner Of the
block she gave little cry Of joy.
For there stood Leslie.
"Great dreat" he calculated, feast
ing his eyes upon her beautiful face.
"0h, Leslie" said Gertie, half laugh
Ing and half crying, "those chaps sure
have been pestering me to death.
Every time / go out into the street
they accost me. There they are, trail
ing after me now!'
(which one d'you like better?" asked
Leslie.
Gertie wrinkied her forehead. II
guess the fat ones the better proposl-
tion of the two. He's got the cash."
she answered. "But I'm just sick of
them"
"Never mind IL you're slck Of them
or not You need the money" said Les
lie. "If you'll take my advice you'll
have. a little talk with the fat one
and hear what he's got to say"
''Do you think / ought to, Leslie 2"
asked the girl doubtfully.
"Surest thing you know |" Leslie an
swered. "You can't live on air, Gertie,
and till we get married we need every
cent we can saye.'
Gertie turned and marched mourn
fully up to where the fat man, emit
ting wheezy coughs, traiied In her
direction.
"See here, I've been thinking things
over she said, "and If you're Johnny
on-the-spot with the mazuma, It's up
to you. But want sixty berries per-"
"Sixty berries Whewl'' calculated
the fat one. swell, I guess you're
worth 1t. grille. We got to get that
face and bead of yours in our shop
window to advertise our hair tonic,
and ! always said we wouldn't make
big sales till We got that little peach
that sal in front Of Bradbury's, Sixty's
yours, and you can start in Monday.
He took off his hat and wiped his