Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-05

IN M whole place hs wants 10 assist
him. Wouldn't that b. cats pajamass
The eficiency grill II"
A shabbiiy gownsd old lady had
come up to the desk and vas waiting In
front Of Mary Connolly. ibid you
have an advertisement to placer
asked Mary pleasantly.
eyes, / did," answered the old lady
tartly. ''You didn't think I was
standing here merely to hear that bob
bed headed young miss there use new
slang, did youT' Her black eyes
'""pS II bes u your pardon,' murmured
vertisemert for YOU 2" She was lookina
at the empty hands Of the advertiser.
.'It's not much to write. Just say
Wanted, a ROOM 4
Mary stared at her. Odd were many
Of the advertisements placed with her
'But this one! No one would know
from the advertisement in what part OF
the city It was desired. what type Of
room---good accommodations with their
I commensurate cost or less convenient
ones that would be reasonable-a hum
dred ideas flashed through Mary Con-
nolly's mind. She herself, seeing the
little old lady with her shabby black
outfit, guessed that an inexpensive room
was desired. Yet she could not be
sure.
| Suppose we put in Just q little
more,' she ventured gently. "You
see. 1t doesn't tell much-just wanted,
a room ~"
Doesn't tell much! Doesn't tell
much !" snapped the old lady. "Tell
me right to my face I'm an idiot, will
you? I'll have my son come down here
at once-I'l tell him the whole thing,
that will Ian idiot, indeed I" An
grily she shook her head at the bewil-
dered Mary, whose face was red and
white by turns.
But" gasped Mary, wondering
how Affairs could have taken such a
turn that she should be accused of call
ing a gentle looking old lady in rusty
black an idiot.
A man standing near came forward
and Mary was not surprised at all, so
excited was she, to hear the old lady
call him John and tell him that the
young lady had called her fool.
L" again gasped Mary. I'VE
have orders to assist in the advertise
ments whenever 1t is possible. You
see,' she explained earnestly, I'VE don {
accept less than two lines, and so I
wasn't trying to get her to pay any
more money out. It was Just that II
she said where she wanted the room and
what price she wanted to pay or what
kind of room she wanted, whether for
rooming, boarding or light housekeep-
ing; why. you see. she would have more
replies. ] was thinking of the answers
she4 would have--I-I--" Mary Con-
nolly's blue eyes filled. Noise of any
sort was undesirable in the classified
advertising Offices, and there was no
doubt that dismissal would follow such
scene as this. Above that, however,
was the idea that she had wounded the
gentle little old lady in her faded suit.
She heard across the polished counter
the tall man called John explaining the
whole thing in low tones. Several tears
rolled down Mary's cheeks and she was
aware of the interested eyes of the other
ad- takers. In a few minutes the little
black bonnet Of the old lady began to
nod.
II had a bad night in that hotel
didn't s'eep wink" the old lady told
her. "Yous write it up. Make it as
long as you want, and make 1t right.
guess" the old eyes twinkled, "we'll
let John pay for 1t anyhow. And.
John. if this young lady would help me
well, I'd get some clothes If she d
help me choose them. guess she
wouldn't be afraid to tell me il any
thing was too young or too gay or any