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

usual (just as if last nights adventure had been black dream) heard the other girls talking about Lil. She listened and said nothing; had no opinion when asked what she thought.
 Pale and absent minded, she was giving the finishing touches to a cloaked group of figurines when a letter was brought to her by messenger boy.
 Five minutes later she was standing still the open letter in her hand.
 "Goodby, deerie," she read again. q coodnt of said this to yure fase. only moo for schure yesterdy It's consumsion and they won't have me back for fere of my giving it to others. 1 guess that's right tho ist hard luck on me. It aln't that care much about living. 1 don't, ,becawse there's sum one I love who loves another girl. She's a lot better than me and werthy of him so that's all right too but it herts and I'd be kind of glad to go out. Don't you be afrade of me doing anything silly in the tabloyde got to leeve this house for the same reeson the Hands. l mite give my truble to sum one else. Its good thing we found out in time. I've hurd of a moo phase where they take consumps for nuthing, and I've got to steer for it. Its in the country but try to see me and don't think cood stand it the way feel now. But love you just as much. Goodby. Yure affecshunate Sadie.p
 Win was overwhelmed. Lately she had seen little of her friend. Neither girl had much time, and the weather had drunk all their energy. She ought to have guessed from Sadie's thinness that she was ill., She ougnt-oh, she ought to have done dozen things that she had not done!
 What man does she love who loves an- other girl?" she asked herself.
 Then, suddenly, she knew. It was Earl Usher, and he loved her. Winifred, who could never be more to him than friend.
 Win had heard of "vicious circle" It seemed that she and Sadie and Earl were travelling in one, going round and round, and could never get out.
 Then she suddenly looked up and into the eyes of Peter Rolls. He was speaking to her.
 "How do you do, Miss Child? I shall be so much obliged if you can speak to me for a minute"
 She bowed her head-quite polite, ord- nary sort of bow. But really it did not mean politeness at all. It meant that she had to hide her face, and that it was taking every square inch of nerve force she had to behave in the least like saleslady-
 It was seeing Peter Rolls suddenly-Peter Rolls in flesh and bone and muscle and magnetism of eyes, which told her in a devastating flash thing about herself she had feared for months. She was in love with him. Hideously, desperately, over Wheimlngfy 1n love WlCn nm. FfODably ne had tried to make her at first with his friendly, chivalrous ways that hid black ness underneath. She had escaped, thanks to his sister. And it looked as if those horrid hints mad indeed been true, other wise he would not have troubled to persist after his snubbihg.
 Miss Child, I've been looking for you for mont hs!' were Peters next words.
 Have you? How nice of you to say so," she braced herself to reply with gayest indifference. Are you going to buy a cloak? Because, if not-this is busy morning."
 "Yes, I'll buy one as present for my mother" said Peter. "I should like you to choose her something. But, Miss Child, l want to talk to you, not about cloaks, about yourself. 1 know you mean me to under stand that you don't think I've any right to force myself on you after you showed me so plainly you thought me bounder. But I'm not bounder. There must be some way of proving to you that Pm not. That's why I'm here for one thing; though there's an- other"
 "What?" Winifred threw in, frightened, and thinking it better to cut him short in time.
 q want you to meet my mother and let her help you to get some kind of position more-more worthy of your talents than this"