Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-02-17
1t Was the
Lucky Bill

By GRACE D. GOODRIDGE


Of winning prizes, or, in other words,
nf getting something for nothing.
There was nothing in the shape Of a
contest that he didn't try, and he
had a large range of subjects to eX-
pertinent with. but Lady Luck wasn't
with him
Finally when one of the big news
papers announced they would give $50
for 81 bills of certain serial numbers
Edwin Immediately saw fortune be-
fore him He began saving every So
bill he became the possessor of, often
at q great inconvenience for he absO-
lutely refused to part with one. He
even went so far as to borrow a
dollar now and then, and the final
folly came when he drew on his bank
account. He began to hope at last the
contest would close before his entire
amount of money became converted
into 50 bills; his roll Of bills became
so large he had difficulty in carrying
it around, but he wanted them handy
so he could scan their numbers as
tle eullloIiS Vi lHe paper Cdllie oul.
Now, Edwin had an aunt in the
country who studied bargains in the
papers as assiduously as her nephew
trained for prizes, but, unfortunately
for him, she seldom could get to the
city to do her own shopping and dele
gated Edwin to do it for her. The
last commission was large order for
kitchen utensils. Edwin said uncom-
plimentary things about relatives in
general and his aunt in particular as
he made ready to execute her errand.
The kitchenware department was
crowded with women eagerly pulling
over the various bargains when Edwin
descended into the melee. He wan
dered aimlessly about, his list in his
hand, until at last he attracted the
attention of a tired-looking salesgirl
who evidently felt it would be re-
lief to wait on a man, after her fussy
female customers. AS most Of the ar
ticles his aunt wanted could be OBJ
tanned from the one counter. Edwin
felt that, after all, his aunt wasn't
so very unreasonable, at that.
OF course the shy blue eyes looking
into his, as they discussed the merits
Of the various kinds of double boilers,
had nothing to do with it, but Edwin
was sure he had never before found
a salesgirl to be so pleasant and help
full. She even went with him to the
other counter he had to visit and of
fered him advice about selecting the
remainder of things on his list, then
they came back to her own counter
and she made out the slip.
Edwin gave a bill in payment that
necessitated quite good bit of change
in return. He fervently hoped it would
contain a lucky two: if it did, he GER
tainly felt justified in keeping it for
himself. He surreptitiously drew the
list of numbers for the day from his
pocket as he waited. He did not notice
the little salesgirl as she also drew
a similar slip from the pocket of her
apron.
Finally his change came. The girl
slowly drew the crumpled bunch from
the carrier and smoothed it out, and
somehow Edwin found himself watch
ing her face instead of his change.
AS she smoothed out the last bill,
a two dollar one, she gave a little
cry and paled slightly. They both bent
their heads over it and looked, then
frankly consulted their lists. There
il unc WINNING Dnplbpr
Edwin felt delicious thrill, $50
for which he had not done a single
stroke of work
Then he looked at the girl, who
was regarding him with a wistful
smile "Tm so glad you got it," she
said softly, as she passed over the
change Edwin grew bold with the
excitement of the moment and the
sympathy in the blue eyes, and
pressed her hand as he took the
money Then he collected his bundles
and left the basement.
The grass did not grow under his
feet as he went to collect his re-
ward, but somehow the thrill he had
expected to get was not there. In
stead he saw a pale. tired face and
wistful blue eyes and the desire that
had been i'll them when she had seen
the lucky number.
AT $50 that night Edwn's feet
carried to the employees door of the
store where the little clerk worked.
She looked more tired and pale than
before, in her shabby little suit and
hat. To Edwin it seemed the most
natural thing in the world to fall into
step with her and place his hand care
fully under her elbow at the cross
ings. And II seemed the most natural
thing also to have her tell him how
much she had been tempted to slip
out the lucky bill and replace it with
one of her own when his change came.
Also. it seemed to Edwin that every
thing had happened just as it was
ordained to happen when he had the
r;obt 70 elm IN crisD hills in his Wife'S