The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-07-12
A CHEST Of SILVER
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BY DORA MUTE


vK7HBN the elevator stopped Sarah
w stepped briskly OF and walked
with firm steps to the office door
marked, "John Wainwright. Sales Ex-
pert" Opening the door with her pass
key, she stepped In and, crossing to the
hat rack, removed her hat and coat. A
faint tinge of dust from the porter's
recent efforts brought a gust Of quick
sneezes, and Sarah opened one Of the
windows. While she showed back the
roll top Of the desk, the phonograph in
the music shop below ground out the
song of the day-"Lingering in Lone
/ some Lane"
Now that Aunt Elvira's warnings Of
the fickleness of men were fading from
her mind, Sarah found a strong curl
osity growing regarding the subject Of
matrimony. If you wanted your room
at the boarding house specklessly neat,
you went home Saturday afternoon
and swept and busted It yourself. On
Sunday after church, there was no
Aunt Elvira to talk over financial mat
ters with, and gauge how soon you
could afford a new suit. This led up
to the subject of home-a speckless
one-of your own, and some one to
plan the future with.
Sarah's brain was Of the analytical
variety. SO by the short, sharp process
of elimination, she reached the con-
clusion that matrimony offered the
only hope of permanently established
home. At this point her brain reacted
to Aunt Elvira's warnings, but natural
inclination argued: Nothing ven
tured, nothing won" AS her acquaint-
anceship with the male sex was very
limited, the process of elimination at
this point was shorter still, and re-
vealed the fact that John Wainwright
sales expert, was elected without op-
position.
With never a fluttering of the heart,
Sarah decided upon her course. Ten
years had given her good insight into
her employers character and natural
incinations. When she had first ap-
piled for her position she Was welcomed
as an efficient worker who. in sys-
| tematic way, covered tremendous
amount of work. After a bit, Mr.. VAIN
wright had turned to her for opinions.
How did her woman's instinct react to
this or that color scheme? Did she
think 1t was time for the pendulum of
fashion to swing to the opposite ex-
treme on the length of skirts? When
she offered blank expression to his
questions. she missed the genial tone in
his voice thereafter.
AS Sarah bloomed out into the latest
f1apper, with all the dope" on fash
ions and feminine preferences the de-
light of Mr., Wainwright was patent to
for his own Office; suggestions from
his secretary he received with due
respect.
Six months found Sarah no nearer
her "chest of silver" although she was
mentally and physically tired, and
when the tune of ''Lingering in Lone
some Lane" fioated In this morning,
her courage failed. With her highly
polished fingernails pressed against
her plucked eyebrows, her sobs grew
in time with the swinging beads which
clinked against her desk. "Oh, dear,
do so want home.' she wept
scratching at the glass door drew
her attention. With hasty rearrange-
ment of her attire she went to the
door to investigate.
A solemn-eyed little girl of six stood
hand.
please. do you want home, too?'r
the girl inquired.
The boy looked mp into their faces.
and walled, 81 want home, too"
Startled, Sarah said, won't you
come in and we can talk 1t over"
Maudie and Bob accepted with alac-
rity, and BObbie was soon sorting over
bright-colored cards. while Maudie ex-
planned how lonesome they were now
since mother was gone and how the
housekeeper had left without notice.
necessitating fathers bringing them
downtown to his Office each day until
new housekeeper could be found.
The children were most content with
Sarah's invitation to spend the morn
ing with her. When the porter brought
the message that he was to take them
to restaurant, as their father was
detained, Sarah vetoed this and they
held delightful party right there.
When 1t grew near to five o'clock Bob
bie's head nodded over the cards. At
six o'clock, Sarah acted, and, with the.
children's help, large sign was print
ed and tackled on fathers door, while.
Sarah took the excited children by the
hand and departed.
When father arrived, the message
sent him hurrying to a boarding house
in the suburbs. where the children hndf
already been well fed /; but charming
ly kind lady in very simple dress
awaited his arrival and Joined him at
supper.
g. 1t so happened that John Wainwright
also read the sign on the door and,
after an exciting moment of introspec-
ton, also followed the directions there
on. When he arrived, with fixed
intention shining in his eyes, he found
an Interested grOuD explaining 70 Sa-