The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-06-14
ANNE
GETS A
JOLT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
&c by d. J. Walsh.l

NNE SUIT WAS WOrklnS Ut
"A her yellow sheets" that morn
Il \ ing when she happened to
glance up and find the eyes of
Miss Waterman, her superior in the
stock room, fixed upon her. Miss Wa
terman had bright black eyes, and at
that instant they held something that
was so much more noticeable than
brightness or lackness that Anne was
startled. She thought, Bunny hates
me-" Bunny was the name that Miss
Waterman went by in the big factory !;
there was no reason for it other than
that Lucia Hooper had once given
Anne: "She nibbleS-when you aren't
looking 1t came to Anne that she
had caught Miss Waterman nibbIins
uow-nibbling Anne herself.
Anne's glance escaped instantly and
returned to her work. That morning
the superintendent had sent in COM
mand for 200 dozen TO fill the big or
der. The work was going on with q
rush, and Anne was checking up as
fast as she could with care. A single
mistake might entail lots of trouble
even the loss of her job. And she
wanted so much to keep her job. The
money she earned was more necessary
now than ever since her mother had
had that illness
But that look of Bunny's-that nib
Oling look! "She hates me-" thought
Anne again. But why?"
AT that instant Roland Wight came
into the room. Anne kept her eyes
down and pretented not TO see him.
Yet somehow she knew that he was
there, knew, too that he was looking
at her, knew that Miss Waterman was
looking at him with that curious
bright, blackness of her eyes. She
could see just how he paused, irreso-
lutte. then turned toward Miss Water
Ulan- She could hear them talking in
tow tones.
Mine and seventeen-are twenty
six" Anne said to her pencil and bent
her head lower. But she could not
help hearing the tones of the two in
the room behind her. All the racket
Of the factory couldn't drown them.
They're quarreling," she thought
Eight and nineteen are"
Miss Waterman was angry. Roland
gently pacific. But at last he went
out rather suddenly. Anne could hear
Miss Waterman come close behind
her. breathing hard. She felt uncom-
Portable. as If she were about to be
struck. but she kept on figuring.
IF you make a single mistake" said
Miss Waterman. terseIy. "Tll-Ill see
that you're discharged"
Anne lifted her head. Her gray,
still eyes met the bright black ones.
She smiled.
"Oh, / shan't make a mistake" she
replied. "You know, that's the one
thing I'm really sure of-the multi
plication table"
Miss Waterman jerked. But she
went away silent. AS her solid,
0Iocky figure receded Anne looked aft
sr her contritely.
''Oh. what made me say that?" she
sighed 10 herself. For Miss Water
man was stupid at figures and only
held her job by sheer force of will
power and experience. Anne had
pricked her with a particularly sharp
little pin, and fear Of the effect she
might produce troubled her.
The other person in the stock room
had, in her usual way. kept out of all
this. Mrs. Keene was middle-aged
with a son in college, a fine young
ster, year or so older than Anne.
indeed. Anne thought him one of the
nicest, if not quite the incest, young
fellow that she had ever met. And
his mother was good to her. Mrs
Keene was one of those calm, sensi-
Die little women who go about light
ing the way for the ignorant and in
experienced. Anne looked at her visit
fully, and as soon as Miss Waterman
was out of the room for an instant
she ran across to where Mrs. Keene
was at work.
'Fve done something to offend Bun
Miss Waterman" Anne whispered.
Il can't think what il is. wish
could. Haven't you an idea"
Mrs. Keene turned and looked into
Anne's honest. questioning eyes. She
looked deep. But still she did not
speak.
do you suppose she isn't having
good luck with her love affair with
Roland Wighf?" asked Anne. "Still.
don't see what I've got to do with il
If she isn't"
Mrs Keene smiled and tucked back
a loose strand of -Anne's hair.
'You haven't anything TO do with
il. | can see that" she replied. Then
she returned abruptly TO her work as
Miss Waterman came trotting in.
Anne puzzled about the matter till
business drove il out of her head. II
was business first every time with
Anne.
At noon as she came out OF the door
Roland Wight stepped up to her.
Come on. Anne. have lunch with
me today at the Rialto. won't your
ne pleaded.