The Washington times., 1922-12-12
By Linda Stevens Almond !

By Linda Stevens Almond
~ ARRIpT PRATT was a
neutral sort Of . person.
- No one absoiutsiy DIS
liked her. but no ons aSDsarsd to
care anything about her. She
lived with her sister. and her
sisters children rssardsd her a.
"pisin Aunt Harriet" and never
paid the slightest attention to
her. She worked in the ready.
made dress department Of . big
store. on4 hot August afternoon.
Just after she had returned from
lunch. she watched . pretty
young Girl sxaminihg . rack Of
oftandy dresses.
Yea" said Harriet to herself.
shes the sams young thing
who's been coming in here at
noon for several days. I wonder
now"
At that moment the young girl
caught HarFist's eye and walked
over and asked IN an exceedingly
wistful voios ''Think they'n be
reduosdf"
what! Those organdies?"
asiksd Harriet. .s.a
The girl nodded.
''Naybs. You can't tell. But
they're cheap at that-ssven-
ffty." replied Harriet.
Yes. suppose so." said the
s1ri with . slow smile. But I
can't afford ssven-fifty. I really
shouldn't spend i've, but I
thought IL they went down to
i've I might buy one. the peach.
ooiored. II - 20 sweet. isn't IT."
Customers seldom took Harriet
into their confidence. She wished
they would. but Of course she was
not smart and sprightly like the
other salesgiyis. Salesgisis. In.
dssd! why. she had siivpsd past
forty. and shs was pisin Of facs
and figure, and she had . sharp
way Of addressing and approach
Ing people which she had never
bssn able to overcome. =,
still, she wanted to be different
and q little thrill Of pleasure
tingled through her being a. she
realized that the pretty. poorly.
dressed young gifl was slowly but
surely waxing Confidential. 30
Harriet said: 'Yes. II II very
sweet. Say. now. why DO you
wont Il % badly7'
A rush Of lovely color ripp'sd
over the girls facs.
would you really IKE to
know7' she suddenly inquired.
why. Of oourse," Harriet an
swersd in her short. jerI<y way;
but she really wanted 10 say:
''Oh. would love to hear al
about you. ohild."
TT an % siad to tell some
body" smiled the girl I've BEEN
wanting to tell some one for sges.
but there was no one to ten, 1t
least no ono who ID interested. Ny
mother % IN . sanitarium; II
takes nearly Ill I mako TO ksep
her there. but I don't mind that
II Shs viii only gst wsll. and I
don't IKE TO bother sick people
with such things. and my cousin.
I never could ten her. Veal. I
have q real beau'-shs flushed
IN pretty confusion and looked
around to see II any one had
heard.
"I don't sse Why a pretty
young thing like you shouldn't
have plenty Of .bsaux." terss.y re.
turned Harriet.
"But this 10 ; real one" softiy
laughed the Siri. "Hs-r aw
sure he Il serious, and he = 20
fine and sood and kind. He
came to the sffics where I work
and ne bsGAn 70 talk to ms. AMI
then hs came 10 my co0sin's.
who're board, apd we'vs been
going together al summer. : and
It's been wonAsrfai! Z,
"At first I. fe,t kind Of
ashamed. always wearing the
sAms ola clothes, never anything
nsw and pretty. bat he. tidn't
sssn to mind until-wsl. he
found out when my birthday
wAs, aAd he sAid he va going
10 tAes me to Z roof garden and
hs wsntsd me 70 lock vtsy nice.
Asybs he really didn't mean
aAytAint. but anyway IA feel
= aswdy In my "a bauS vcils.
!, sAA i'd almost raihsf MT 60"
: xxx. ..>a~> .,ssvAnA ma - ~