Evening star., 1926-10-07

~ III
M the sitting room. She had
|ut the rug out on the grass,
the curtains on the line and
she was now struggling with
the big leather chair which refused
to move from its place beside the
reading light II was Mr.. Sperry's
chair. a mammoth. comfortable. ugly
old thing which she hated. but which
he would not do without. II smelt OF
tobacco and II bore a deep hollow
which Ben had made while sitting on
his back Sunday afternoons or eve
nings. If Ben had been in the house
he would have picked the old chair
up and marched it to the place where
his wife wanted it to he. But Mrs.
Sperry was small and light and the
chair was too much for her to handle
While she tugged at 1t determinedly
steps ascended the porch without ana
a face peeped in at her through the
open window--a smiling face under
modest hat young face with eyes
like the violets which were beginning
to blue the grass.
"Oh, good morning" said a pleas
ant voice. Then as the owner saw
what Mrs. Sperry was about: Cant
help you?"
II am afraid you couldn't" an
swered Mrs. Sperry. too absorbed In
her problem to suspect that this alto
gether attractive being probably had
wares to SELL You see 1t is so heavy
that can't bulge II myself.
But I am very strong. besides. two
are better than one" The girl stepped
in over the window sill and laid her
hands to the chair Now. then"
she said Where do you want 1t to
go?" And when II was shifted to the
desired spot she laughed as she sank
into it's depths for an instant. 1T
seems good to be off my feet for an
instant"
II am sure am Obliged to you, "
Mrs. Sperry said. and then she noticed
the bag strung on the girls arm.
What is your business. my dear?'
Soap" The girls manner instantly
became business.like. She opened the
bag. extracted a large sample and
offered it to, Mrs. Sperry. 1T Is the
best laundry soap made today. See.
what large white cake. Why, 1t
turns wash,day into A joke. II you
had some right now you'd be sur
prised how It would help you with
your house cleaning"
How much is it?" Long ago Mrs.
Sperry had made vow to buy moth
ing Of agents. But this girl was so
different. She was telling about her
self in that pretty voice.
You see. I'm crazy for college, but
our family is so big I can't 60 unless
earn my way. So I am earning it
with soap. And. really. this is an
awfully good bargain even though you
only get 10 cakes for dollar. 1t is
the quality that makes 1t a little more
expensive than ordinary kinds. !
wish ! could give you that sample. but
it is all l have with me. May I write
your name?" She had poised her pen
Gil over the pages of fresh little
book. You don't have to pay till your
soap is delivered"
Mrs. Sperry gave her name. Then
she gave other names. Mrs. Franklin s
and Mrs. Burnside's. She even wrote
a tiny note OF recommendation and
sent the girl forth with the blue eyes
beaming with JOY
went Miss Pearl Paradise and down
the other and every woman bought
of her Indeed. before the day was
over her little book overflowed with
names. And every woman to whom
she talked said that she was lovely;
| they would have said it anyway. even
if she had not casually quoted Mrs.
Sperry as her friend.
A week later Mrs. Sperry was wa
tering her porch box when she. heard
a gay good morning flung at her from
shining little car. 1t was Miss Pearl
Paradise. She had come to deliver her
soap. which she did so gayly each pur-
chaser felt as If she had received a
prize with her individual package.
And indeed the packages were so neat
ly wrapped that they were most at
tractive. On each was a printed label:
| ALLOW soap to ripen before using"
Mrs. Sperry put her packages away
on the emergency shelf unopened. and
Mrs. Franklin and the others did the
same. And for six weeks they paid no
more attention to the soap.
| 1t was really Mr.. Sperry who
| brought about the sequel. He had
fallen off the step ladder one morn.
! ing as he was tying up Mrs. Sperry's