Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-06-07
At Silvers &
Stones
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(Copyrlght.)
By JANE OSBORN

XXTHEN Nancy Stone was fifteen
w she began selling kitchen uten-
sls at Silvers & stones after supper
on Saturday nights. Nancy's father
was half owner Of the store, which
did more business than any three
other hardware stores in the county
put together, but Nancy had asked to
do It to start with for the sake Of
earning little extra spending money.
At the time Malcolm Sllvers, just
through high school, had Joined his
father in the business.
Nancy had not tried to hide her ad-
mratior for the tall. fine-looking son
of her fathers partner. One evening
after closing hours Mr.. Stone had
suggested driving Mr.. Sllvers home in
his car, and Malcolm had taken the
hint and had asked permission to
drive Nancy home in his fathers car.
Nancy and Malcolm became engaged.
That was something that seemed to
have been settled some time before
Malcolr, went through with the for
malties Of proposal and Nancy,
who had come to take Malcolm for
granted, murmured acceptance.
Now Nancy was twenty and NAL
colin was twenty-three and they were
driving home after Saturday eve
ming that had been especially pros
porous to the business which they
would one day inherit.
IN ri xJOV a ~
Nancy tainted Malcolm. tits your
whole life-hardware."
'I don't see why you jump to con-
cluslons," said Malcolm. Then, after
a pause, "As matter Of fact, l
loath It'll loath hardware"
you'd say anything to avoid an
argument" said Nancy. "You haven't
any idea of the way l feel about 1t.
Sometimes l could just run away"
Nancy paused and looked at NAL
colin, but Malcolm, &c her surprise,
had not turned to look at her
'Td like to cut loose myself" he
said at length. II don't particularly
banker to lead a life that has been
cut out for me, either" Then an
other long pause. you started 1t,
What would you do II you did 60
away"
Nancy took long breath, stretched
out her arms, and then felt at loss
to know precisely what to say. "There
are ever so many thing I might do
she said. I'D go somewhere where
I'd have an opportunity. I'd want
to be free; really to live, to think
Have you any brilliant idea for your
future-if you gave up hardwareT''
81 have" said Malcolm simply.
swell, IL that's the way you feel
we might as well call our engage
ment Off"
Nancy was decidedly annoyed, ant
this moment of her release from Nal
colin didn't give her the sense Of pro
found relief that she had anticipated
"It's o. X. with me-" said Malcolm
"If that's the way you feel about 1t.
And so within few days Of eacl
other Nancy and Malcolm told thel
fathers of their broken engagement
and started forth to seek their for
J tunes apart from hardware.
Three months later Mr.. Stone ap
peared at the usual time on Saturday
night and with him came Nancy
looking a little thinner-a little lesi
bu0yant than usual. Mr.. Silvers, wht
was measuring chicken wire at the
time, looked up in surprise.
| uNnnnyIS haoE for onod - o0fd Mr.
Stone, gleefully. Says she'll. come
back to sell kitchen things Satur'
days, as usual, II we want her."
As soon as Mr. Silvers was at lib
erty he went to Nancy and, laying 9
rough hand gently on her shoulder
said: I'm glad you're back, my cir
only perhaps you'd rather leave
early. Malcolm's coming back on the
eight-thlrty from the East. He's com
ing right here to the store. He didn't
make out quite so well as he expect
ed. Went up thinking he could beat
those old fellows in Wall Street al
their own game. Funny you two
never ran into each other-just by
chance"
New York's too big for that" said
Nancy demurely. Besides, Wall
street Is miles from Fifty-elghth
street."
Mr.. Silvers was laughing to him
self. 80 you'll stay and meet him
hereT he asked. "Well. maybe you
can patch up agaln-you two. Though
hope you won't do 1t just to please
your father and me-"
Malcolm had come In the store BY
the back way, had hung up his hat
on the accustomed peg before anyone
knew he had entered the store.
"Need a hand to help with the
chicken wlre?" he called out to Mr..
Stone, by way of attracting attention
to his presence.
MIR. Stone turned red, rubbed his
eyes, shook hands and stammered his
welcome with something like tears
In his beaming eyes. Then he
thought of Nancy, looked about the
store to see whether she had seen
Malcolm, and felt much embarrassed.
Nancy stepped lightly to his side.
"Malcolm's back" said her father In
whisper. "Maybe you'd better go
on home"
Hello, Malcolm Nancy said, light
ly. Their eyes met and they seemed
to exchange an understanding mes
sage. "NO, didn't tell them" she
said aloud. ~ lost my nerve. after
all. thought maybe father'd notice
that my trunk tag said Mrs Malcolm
Sllvers, but he didn't. Well tell your
father and mine together after we
close store" And Nancy went of
gleefuiIy to a customer who wanted