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

woman serving him. q like large girls best, girls exactly your size and age, twen- ty at most, and warranted to look seventeen if given days rest and pretty hat and supper at Sherry's-with the right man. l don't mind how much trouble I take looking for doll any more than 1 do mind the trouble of looking for girl"
 q think l know just what you want" said Win briskly. "If you'll be good enough to wait here half a minute, I'll see that you get it."
 Like a~flash she was off, looking for Sadie. But Sadie was too far away Close by was Lily Leavitt, looking bored to the verge of extinction by an old lady who wished ad- vice in choosing five presents for five grand children. Miss Leavitt," Win whispered, would it be possible for you to take my man, who wants doll for middle-aged sister, mean, mddle-sized-and let sme attend to your customer!'
 Miss Leavitt threw green-eyed glance at the man indicated, and said: "Ginks! Ye-hy' as quickly as she could draw breath.
 The immediate and brilliant success of the strategem was as reviving to tired Win as the encounter in the park had been. Now and then, when the old lady was choos- ing between an airplane and a train of cars, or schoolroom and Noahs ark, Win took an eyelash-veiled look at Miss Leavitt and her customer. He had apparently bought one doll, and was hesitating over another. But though their heads were bent over the doll, their eyes turned occasionally toward Miss Child.
 ''Keep the change and buy yourself and your friends some little thing for Christ mas," Win heard Logan say at last when, discouraged by the interminable length of grandma's visit, he had resigned himself to go away.
 The girl glanced involuntarily at Miss Leavitt's hand, which was elenched into fist. In it was a crisp-looking new green back on which at one end she thought she saw the word "Ten."
 was a changed girl from that moment She no longer glared and talked "at" Miss Child, asking if she "wore her hair that way for a bet" and "why some people wanted to take up all the room clerking in stores when they could get better money doing giantess stunts in a Bowery show" Instead she did her best to make friends with Win and her smart little watch-d dog, Sadie Kirk.
 MT. Logan "blew in," as he called it, nearly every day now to buy something more for his little sisters Christmas tree" something that he had forgotten yesterday, or to inquire earnestly after the sale of mechanical frog, which he claimed as his own invention and patent. He had never succeeded in getting Win to serve him, but he was as free to look at her as a cat is free to look at king.
 One afternoon he loitered about, ostenta- tiously waiting until Miss Leavitt should be free to serve him. Win was showing dolls to a fussy woman who could not be satisfied with the most beguiling porcelain or waxen smile. At last, having looked at several dozens, she flounced away, announcing that she would go to BimgePs. This threat, being uttered in voice Intentionally shrill, was overheard by the lowering floor-walker, Mr. Tobias.
 : It was too late to inveigle the lost client back, but while Win was hastily replacing dolls in boxes before taking another GUS toner, MT. Tobias bounced. ''Why did you let that lady go without showing her any of our best dolls?"
 q showed her everything of the price she wanted, and even some a little higher" 2,884 excused herself.
 "What about the doll you all call Little Sister'?" Tobias threw out the question as if it were lasso. Il hear you've said that you won't part with that one if you can help it."
 Win grew pink, though she firmly gave him back look for look. Little Sister was her favorite doll, and it was an open secret that Miss Child didn't want to sell it unless she could be sure of finding it suitable and happy home. In fact, she hated the thought of sale. If she had twenty dollars to pay with she would have bought the doll for herself.
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