Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10
TIE hoped that her name was

TIE hopSu that hef name was
Rose But il was Minnie.
And yet she looked SO com
Il pletely Rose. She was both
pale and glowing; she was
both near and far--if you know what
Elmer meant. Not that Elmer knew
He merely yearned.
He had come to BeetieVille to be q
pharmacist. SO far. he presided al
large in what old Beetleville called the
apothecary's and young Beetleville
called the Blue Lion Soda Grill. Elmer
had thought OF that name. And his
employer MIR. Meddy, had thrilled him
by grinning and saying:
Il spotted you for batch o brains.
When the electric sign went up, FL
mer nightly all but lost his job by
retiring TO the street TO stare upward
His brains,
When she first came into the soda
grill, Elmer was alone. SO was she.
Elmer had never seen any one Sc
lovely. so near. so far. Seventeen, and
her curls about her like-Iike--
"Did-did you want something?
Elmer asked.
Certainly. I want some rouge"
Good heavens. They used it, but did
they buy it?
He set out the boxes, his fingers fiat
and clumsy-but hers were so cool, sc
calm. so inquiring. Calm fingers
calm. appraising chances. She wanted
she said, rosee, and he sold it TO her
Then she wanted a powder pun OF
lambs wool. and he sold her that
And then she opened the metal box
and--used it.
He watched her. He did not breathe
Others he had seen SO. In the init
macy of street corners he had seen
them. But not like this.
Fair" she observed.
you've said it, he muttered, and
blushed and scraped his feet.
This she did not acknowledge. She
snapped the metal case. she moved
toward the door. She was going,
Anything else" he asked. but in
gasping imitation of his brisk business
manner.
No. there was nothing. Eyelashes
on cheek-not a glance for him-she
was gone.
What woman, 1t was so that he
put il. Elmer was 10 and she was II.
What woman.
REHIND the soda grill he polished
glasses. Oh. that she had ordered
coiuctt1AAS' ne WOulu nave run OIu
Needy to the poor farm pouring in
his nectars.
Who was she? Rose-she must be
Rose. She must belong to a leading
family. She would never look at him.
IL only she had come there as beggar
maid. Observation-Disclosures
The door opened. She was back.
Il never paid you" said she.
So she hadn't. He hadn't thought
of pay, of course. And now, at the
implication in her forgetfulness, his
heart beat harder.
=. 1T didn't matter" said he with all
his chivalry.
She eyed him practically. What
kind Of a clerk are your"
For no reason on earth, he heard
himself saying "Oh, nothing
How much for the box of paints?"
she asked with hauteur.
oh. nothing" He could say no
more.
Are you trying" She looked
full into his eyes--biue, wide, adoring
No. no." he said earnestly, and
added. az one giving confidence. 1T
was 60 cents"
She paid, her rosy palm so close to
his. She had dime and half dollar in
her hand, almost in his hand, And
then she drew back and held out to
him q bank note. Would you mind
changing this?" he heard her saw
He took the bill, and it trernbled in
his fingers. Did she-could she-was
II that she wanted to nrger1
He couldn't count. Some inner sense
erose and counted for him. Into he,
Mttis nat bag she swept her change
II he had cheated her!