Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-07
THE EVENING STORY

and her place will be vacant" said
Mary Fancher.
They are looking for somebody to
take my place" Elsie said. During this
conversation the girls didn't once pause
in handling the empty shells.
Jennie turned around and went
straight toward the office. AS she went
she made swift computation-$5 day
for 80 days would buy her that wash
ing machine. Meanwhile, she could hire
Melissa Sprague to help her with the
houSework.
When she went home she had Me-
LISA with her.
Whats the idea?" Joe demanded.
Melissa is going to do the work here
for a few weeks, joe" replied Jennie
"On account of your hand?"
NO Jennie tried to laugh, but she
was trembling all over. "On account
of my taking Elsie Dumond's place at
the condensery."
What are you talking about?" Joes
face was crimson
Il mean it Joe. I've hired out for
one month. / begin my work tomor-
row." Jennie's tone sounded much
steadier than she felt.
Joe jumped up, oVerturnlng ms
chair, and dashed out OF the house. He
was angry clear through, but he knew
all that Jennie hadn't told him.
Jennie went to her work next morn
ing. She drove over to the condenSery.
She drove home at night. Joe said not
one word. Nor did she They simply
dropped the matter. But she knew when
she looked at him that he wasn't 60
ing to give In about the We Ing ma
chine. The Warren way h .lold OF
him. 1t was the first time that Jennie
ho tcf Wa n
ton, and she hated it. Her mode Of pfo-
cedure had become now challenge.
She was striving less for the coveted
labor-saver than for victory over an
inherited trait which threatened to mar
their happiness.
After the first week Jennie's work
became monotonous. Just an endless
handling of shells. Once she awak-
ened in the night to find herself Sit
ting up in bed going through the mo-
tons on the counterpart. Night found
her tired, her head aching from the
pounding OF the machinery all about
her. Her washing machine was cost
ing much, much more than money.
Could she hold out, could she?
She held out to the last day and
the last hour until her months check
was in her hand. YEARLY she climbed
into the car and started homeWard.
She had given up her job She was glad
to be through with that. But harder
lob lay before. If she got that wash
ing machine it would add to the trouble.
And the distance between her and Joe
was wide and getting wider. Perhaps
Joe's mother had done the better thing
she had managed without protest. She
had bowed to the Warren way. OF
course, she hadn't lived long. But what
matter? Jennie was worn out. Her
thoughts were thoughts OF defeat as
she drove homeward, the big check in
her pocket.
Joe was nowhere in sight. She got
out OF the car and went slowly into
the house. She heard Melissa slam
ming pans in the kitchen. There was a
good smell Of pot roast.
She went to the door. looked into
the ROOM at the grinning and excited
Melissa, and at something else-the
washing machine OF her dreams stand
ing in the corner that seemed Just TO
have been made for 1t.
Melissa" gasped Jennie. Where did
that come from?"
From Aliens hardware. Just got
here Joe told EN- to be sure and have
it here before you got home"
"Joe?" Jennie felt tears coming. She
could hardly see Joe strolling In cas-
ually.
Hello, Jenl" Joe said He looked at
her an instant, then went up to her,
took her in his arms and kissed her.
Melissa slipped from the room. Jennie
put her arms around his neck. ner
head on his shoulder. You're a brick.
I'll saw" whispered Joe. But. Jen, say,
If you won't go back to the condensery
ever again I'll get you anything you
ask for. II can't come into the house
and find you gone Jennie. Why, it
! it Just about kills me.
THE END.
(Copyright, 1922