The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-14
THE SHOP GIRL, By C. W. and 4. M. Williams

THE SHOP GIRL, By C. not bein' home to them? I'd like awful we'll to have you in the same movie with me. There ain't guyl care to speak pea & to on the the some folks say it otta be spelled with HI. The noise pretty near drove me playhouse at fyst but Pm settin' down to it now. Earl Usher, that big feller whose best lion died on him (good thing 'twasn't his best guylD he told me he's comin' to Columbus avenue to~room with the chum wat put him onto wuykin for the Hands. He's in the toy de- partment with me and feels real at home with the teddy bears. could get you a room in my house for $2 per"
 "Per week?". Win was obliged to ask.
 ''Per week. Per everything. And if you take my tips about grub, you do your own waists and hank'chiffs Sundays = laundry lem 1 mean, instead of wa1lerin' in bed like a sassiety bud, you'll have money to burn or put in the mishrunny box"
 "I'll come!' exclaimed Win. "Please en- gage the room. If it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me, and I'll put up with the noise for the sake of your society,""
 My! Thanks for the bookays and choc- lits! Ia, ta! I'll wait for you tonight at the stage entrance with the other Johnnies." /"
 Rolls ST. and Henry Croft, the man he
 
 sponded daily, by letter and telephone, but Peter Rolls himself was not supposed to enter the great commercial village he had brought together under one roof. Ena was able to say to any one rude enough to ask, or to those she suspected of indscreet curi- csity, Father never goes near the place. He's tired of business and, luckily, he doesn't need to bother"
 When, father went to New York in the evening, as he often did, not returning to Sea Gull Manor till late, and some.imes staying away all night, he used to say as an excuse to mother or Ena, 'I'm going to the club" After while it was taken for grant ed and he made no excuse at all. But if Ena had known the mystery of those late evenings she would have been struck with Sear--the fear which comes of finding out that those we think we know best are strangers to us.
 Peter Jr. had never been entirely happy since he left Yale at 23. He didn't care much for business. but he felt that being Peter Rolls enly son, it was his duty to care. He imagined father deeply hurt at the indifference Of his two children to that which had been his ife-hurt, but hiding the wound with proud reserve. So Peter IT. determined 10 sacrifice himself. He offered to go into the shop, to begin at the bottom If father wished and in learning all there was to learn, gradually work up to place where he could be staff to lean upon. But father did not wish. In fact, he said:
 Leave me alone to manage what know how to manage. You let me do it my own way, without showing in your oar, and don't you listen to what any of your highbrow friends say about me and my methods be- hind my back. Now we're on the subject l will say: If you've got faith in the old man, hands off the Hands!'
 That settles it, father" returned Peter. "I never meant to hinder, only to help if could. From now on the watchword is, hands off the Handsv"
 This was promise, and he kept it scru- pulously, even until now, when he had re- turned on the Monarchic from his trip abroad.
 Saturday night came and to Winifred Child all the fatigue and nerve strain of six dreadful days and six appalling nights seemed suddenly to culminate in aft of overpowering restlessness. She was sure if she sat down or went to bed she should think more about her aching back and burn ing feet than if she walked. She longed for the sweet, kind air of heaven to ripple past her hot cheeks like cool water.
 "I'll walk in the park" she decided.
 It was exquisite ill the park, and she was thinking how delicate floating blue cur tain appeared to shut her away for little while from all the harshness of life when a small and singularly silent automobile