The Washington times., 1924-01-11

brokerage office. The morning
trembled when she was to go.
Jennie bustled about the kitchen,
red, talking to herself. She in
sisted on packing a lunch that
Chiclzie didn't want.
Chickie doubled it up hard and
stuck it in her purse. Jennie pro-
tested. Chickie was almost crying.
carry a paper lunch bag on the
car! Nobody does thatv'
Jonathan, brushing her suit,
whispered as though she were a
child: "There! Nervous? Shucks.
Nothing to fear!" 1t was his own
big hand-not hers that shook.
Nothing terrible about that first
day. No woman-eating man, vol
leying out wild fire dictation-just
nice mild fellow, like anybody's
brother or son, took her into
little glassed in corner of the big
square room and handed her some
printed slips with blanks where
she was to type. -.
You'll be careful, Miss Bryce.
to get the names correctly, won't
your
And he hoped she'd like the
place-and he was sure the other
girls would help her.
There were four of them in the
room, and one that the others
called "Janina" flashed out as
though made of flames. She was
a young Pole, dark with black
hair drawn Grecian fashion to the
nape of her neck. She had pale
olive skin-a too prominent noso
and red, clean cut lips, the upper
one short, curling. Striking
even handsome in a hard, glitter
ing way. Chickie was drawn by
the extraordinary brilliance Of the
girls dark eyes.
Their glances met and the dark
one smiled. 1t made her whole
face intensely vivid as though sud-
denly struck with light.
That very first noon when
Chickie came back from lunch,
Janina met her in the dressing
room. She took off her hat and,
with prima donna nonchalance
dropped it on the waste basket
She began combing her black hair.
Then she noticed Chickie. "This
your first job?"
Chickie answered stiffly: "Yes,
1t is"
Janina, pulling her hair out the
merest trifle, coolly put her
through a cross examination.
''How old?"
Chickie had no better sense than
to answer: Eighteen, almost"
Then Janina. extremely busy
with her lip stick, laughed.
Eighteen! Poor, proud and pure,
I take itw
"Oh" 'Chickie gasped.
Janina's eyes crinkled with
amusement. Remember, little
one" she cautioned, "poor. proud
and pure is always lonesome"
Chickie turned scarlet.
She had scarcely recovered from
the shock of this first meeting
she was still guessing at the dark.
guilty meaning of Janina's words
when the young Pole all but
twisted the gayety out of Chick
les heart.
1t was an afternoon toward the
end of her second week. The
window Of the dressing room
looked down over office buildings
and far out even to the clear
blue of the bay. Chickie was
idling here a moment.
In one office girl came in,
took off her hat Then the
girl was sitting at a desk in the
corner A man entered.
He sat on the edge Of the desk.
The two began to talk.
How nice and friendly, Chickie
thought. Pleasant to be working.
Just then Janina opened the door
Leaned over Chickie's shoulder.
Just then, too, the man gripped
the girls hand. They were both
laughing.
"Cosy, eh! Wonder how Mrs.
Turner would hike that?" Janina
Knocked.
MRS. Turner? Why should she
carer" Chickie asked mystified.
'She shouldn't! But wives are
all stupid! They do care!"
"Oh-you mean that man is
married?"
"Is he? And has three kids TO
bootw
"Oh! Oh, isn't it awful"
Janina's lips curled. "What's
awful about it? A mans still hu-
man, isn't he, for all that the
marriage yoke tries to turn him
into dumb beast. He has eyes
still, and a heart. Fudge! The
incest men are all marriedr
Chickie's eyes burned-she felt
a curious heat rushing up to her
neck.
you mean they all do things
like that?''
Janina's mouth raised in pity.
mine out Of ten! Official sta
tisticsr'
Chickie felt a sudden. hard aver
sion for this mocking, superb
Janina. She said angrly: IT don't
believe it! don't believe itv'
But the thought went into her
heart and weighed there heavy
and cold like a stone.
Yet Janina's wisdom--Janina's
immense sophistication drew her
like a magnet-like a hunger at
once cruel vet irresistible. She
was soon listening-soon flushed
and eager as the others Of Jan.
mas following.
The girls in the office had a
habit Of running into the dress.
ing room for a little chat or a
secret smoke. Here Janina held
court. She gave out vivid advice
about men. about life, about love.
She was consulted and envied as
n kind Of Delphic oracle.