Evening star., 1922-03-12

with every breath. that he would keep
that smile on Roses lips: that he
would make 1t easier for laughter to
come and for song to bubble forth.
And SO, in q new frame OF mind.
whistling cheerily. Tom Winters arose
on Monday morning and set forth to
work.
Yet the instant he passed the
threshold of the shop wherein Mellet
reigned an undisputed king a damp,
chill blanket tried to fasten down
upon him.
mo, you don't" he defied that spirit
Of awe and fear which tried to drive
away every determined resolution
from his mind.
Good morning, everybody
In defiance to that ominous cheer
lessness. Tom Winters sang the greet
ing out with an exaggerated bravado.
For one moment the startled clerks
were almost shaken from their habit
ual repression. But the next instant
they glanced surreptitiously toward
the corner where Mr.. Mellet stood
glaring upon the reckless intruder.
"Oh. GOOD morning, Mr.. Mellet."
+ \ y
A ND then. because he feared to wait
\ and see whether there would be
reply to that greeting. Tom VIM
ters threw his hat upon a shelf under
the counter and broke forth into "The
Bonnie. Bonnie, Ba-anks of-Loch
Lomond."
A customer entered. With a bound
Tom cleared the space between them.
"Yes, sir2"
II want to see a sports shirt. Got
anything new"
Sports shirt" repeated Tom. "Oh.
yes! Just step this way. Here are
some"-haufing forth a box with one
deft movement-"that are marked
specially this week. Five dollars.
Regular nine-dollar values. They
won't be duplicated. either. Fine.
sturdy. washable silk. Stands laun-
dering. Quiet patterns. You'll take
three? Yes, sir. Have you seen our
new ties? We have a decided reduc-
ton on knitted models"
For half an hour Tom Winters kept
up an enthusiastic flow Of talk. At
the end Of this time he rapidly added
the costs Of the different items and
sang out:
Fifty dollars straight, sir. Take
it now or have the package sent?"
The morning wore on. Three more
large sales were recorded, the mysti-
fication Of the clerks growing with
each one. Then Tom Winters went
out to lunch and did thing he hadn't
done in four years.
THAT you." Roses?" he saked as the
operator switched him on and he
heard his wife's soft answer. There
was a little gasp, quickly stified, that
told him only too pointedly how he
had surprised her. Happy"
"Why-yes"
what you been doing?"
"Oh, cleaning, and busting. and
oh, yes! Tom, I've been practicing
that song we heard. Coming home
early?"
seven to the dot! Good-by. Keep
smiling, Roses"
That afternoon Mellet was called
away to a conference with Burr. And
a customer came in who asked for a
pure linen shirt
''Linen?" repeated Tom. But"
Linen is what said. Have you or
haven't you got it,"
TOMS mind took a lightning leap to
L the stock in the back room. Two
years before he had himself stored
away linens and cambrics.
1--WE have. sir. Will you wait,
please, while go to our reserve
stock?"
Tom brought forth the linens. The
styles were plain and conservative and
the price tags still bore the old fig
ures.
"H-m," grunted' the customer.
'"Thafs what want. I'll take SIX
When he left the store, Tom Win
ters stood and stared at him for the
barest fraction Of second. Then
he dashed into the inner stockroom
and returned laden with boxes. From
these he selected a few plain models,
placed them in the window, and
settled down to hand-letter a sign:
Very Special Offer
For Today.
A Limited Number of
REAL LINEN SHIRTS
At
$685.
The Metropolitan Mems Haberdash-
cry Shops didn't believe in lfttering
their windows with paper signs an
rouncinz sales. Such, a policy was
hardly in keeping with their principles
and the class of customers they drew
"S-ay! I sa-ay, Winters" began
one Of the clerks who had watched
Toms movement with growing alarm.
"Did Mellet tell you to"
Tom swung around abruptly.
"Mellet," he declared with undue
empha sis, s"didn't tell me anything.
But" ;.