Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-27
TT Err name until recently, was
II Murphiddle. When she APP
nlied for the eleYa tor Job in


piled for the elevator job in
tn Columbian emporium she gave
merely her first name. at gets you
nowhere. name like Murphiddle, +"
she explained to the one protesting
friend, Ann Assay Nowhere at all.
And Miss Iona meant to get some
where in spite of the handicap of
name, lack of learning, luck and
good looks. AT least she had meant
to get somewhere when first she
began at the Emporium. She had
been there four years; and four years
of ups and downs such as hers in
duce consideration of many suffer
ers. It is the kind of occupation that
requires no imagination at all or
vast amount of it; resignation or
lofty mental soaring above all bar
riers. Miss Iona gave the appear
ance of dull content only Ann knew
the seething of her spirit. RS
az do get that fuddled with calling
Soors that l sound to myself like
-.'azy crow, -caw-cawing over the
neads of the people" she complain
ed one evening as the two girls =
they were both thirty-four-sat stir
ring their tea after their modest
cafeteria dinner.
That's the trouble with the job
you have" said Ann. ME, now, I
get lots of chances to see people
the way they are. There's fellow
comes in twice a week and buys one
spool of Sc white cotton thread regu-
lar as Tuesday and Friday comes.
Why just thinking of him between
times is enough to keep me from
worrying that I have no prospects
of getting married myself.
II know, open the cage door
and the birds hop in. don't get a
chance to look one of them in the
eye. I know the feet of dozen
steady customers outside of the
house clerks. Elevatoring's elevat-
ing-not. If 1 could study a book
or something! And can't"
- HES got long whitish hair and
long yellow teeth, and he always
says the same words. Please. Miss,
may / have a reel of cotton, white,
number -. Only he don't get that
far ever with me. I have the slip
made out and in the cash-carry box
before he has time. 1 got a laugh
out of him today"
Laugh out of nothing for me,
Ann. Say. honest, if had time I'd
look UP a job down in the country
taking care of babies. 1 like 'em.
They're always dippy about me. 1
could sit out on the grass with the
little rascals rolling and tumbling
all over me. Grass! Say. 1 could
eat it. 1 could lie down and roll in
1t the way an old horse does when
he's turned out to rest up"
What about Waite Hamilton?
Lost hope of him ever coming to the
rescue?"
"Wattie's all got left, excepting
you. Ann. Nope, here he is on the
hind side of my wrist watch. 1 pray
to him. l expect him to, walk over
my corns any day now. He'll apollo
gize and III get d chance to look him
square in the eye and he'll be done
for. Come to my arms. Iona. he'll
be saying, and I'll throw my lever
glove into the face of the new stiff
back that dispatches the ellis and de-
part on the arm of Waite"
Both women laughed heartily.
Waite Hamilton, social leader.
astride} a prancing polo pony, and
Iona Murphiddle, elevator woman,
had much between them-practical-
~ the whole length of the social.
ladder. A girl of his own class,
squeezed into Iona s cage" had lost
his, picture out of locket. It was a
down" day with the tired working
woman, but the laughing face of
Waite changed it all to up" She
had fastened It i.pon the case of her
watch, studied the handsome fea-
lures and had come to think of their
owner as one with whom her own
life must be somehow related.
"Whatd l do without Waite, /.
can't tell you at all, Ann" the
weary woman admitted soberly, as
they laid down pennies for a final
chew at the cashiers desk.
You'd do we'll to look I'D that
baby job, advised Ann.
1t was true that her work was
getting Miss Iona. She was close to
tears all the next day. Her watch
was worn inside out constantly. The
gay young face alone it was that
kept her from pitching headlong out
of her cage more than once Then
about 8 o'clock in the afternoon.
when traffic was, heaviest, the air
most sitting, he entered.
Waite Hamilton entered, treading
upon Miss Iona's corns, as shd had
dreamed he would. She looked dag
gers at the offender and flashed a
white smile Of recognition when she
saw who it was and how it had hap
pened and that the hour of her fate
was upon her.
''Mr. Hamilton
He rode to the top floor with her.
do you like babies?" he asked
her. then and there
We'll I most certainly do" she
answered him. But it's so long
since I've held one in my arms I've
forgotten the feel of it's cuddling''
How much do you get for this
work?" he demanded next.
1.-THE minimum" she admitted.
"And it's the death of me, you can
see for yourself, Mr.. Hamilton
IT know it is. I'll give you twice
whatever you're getting here if
you'll come out to Hamilton Vale
and look after the youngsters there.
Will you do it?"
as there grass?"
miles 'of it,
I'll come"
They had to go down now, all the
way to the first floor, basement and
sub.cellar. There they waited for the
manager, who was rummaging for
hale of naper hay Again Waffle