The Coolidge examiner., 1932-05-27

accessory game was alternating.
There'd be nothing much doing until
spring, or at least until a few fine
days gave a hint that it was COM
ing. a real advertising campaign
was the only thing that could pos
sibly wake them up, right now. This
was the burden of the salesmen's
complaints.
Edward did his best-and it was
better best than he would have
been capable of a month agO-to in
spire them and keep them up TO
their work. He admitted it was a
handicap that they weren't better
supported by advertising, but a real
campaign was out of the question.
The financial resources of the busi-
ness didn't run to it.
Edward had an out-of-town Gus
toner on ms hands one day and
took him to lunch. When he got
back to the office, about three
O'Clock, he found the city salesman
debating a letter TO Edith.
The glimpse he got of the man
through the glass door, before he
opened it, offended him. The fellow
was leaning over her closer than
necessary, and his gOOd-lOOklng-
enough face wore a fatuous smile.
He looked around with a perceptible
start as his employer opened the
door, Strengthened up, and said with
a completely changed manuer,
That's all. Yours very truly"
He seemed suddenly, too, in a
great hurry to get out on his rounds.
He had lot of people to see, he
told Edward, between now and ak
o'clock.
Almost against his will and
aware that his voice didn't sound as
casual as he meant it to, Edward
asked, "ls that a business letter,
Edith?"
The girl laughed 81 should say
mott" She turned around to him
with nothing in her face but
grin of perfectly spontaneous amuse-
ment. Its the silliest stuff you
ever saw. It's a letter to a girl.
He's a sort of a-washout, isn't he,
dadf"
Edward sighed. "rm inclined to
think he is" he said. The sigh was
half rueful, half relieved. He was
glad Edith felt that way about him,
but this feeling he kept to himself.
You wouldn't be broken-hearted.
then, If let him goT' he asked.
Broken :" She whipped
around upon him and saw by his
grin that he was teasing her. "He
isn't really any good, Is he?" she
asked. "Oh, dear. / wish you could
get somebody that was some good.
Or | wish :"
She didn't go on to complete the
alternative. and presently he asked
her what II was. He didn't much
want to. somehow. But the ST.
lence forced the question from him.
Il wish you'd go out and sell the
thing yourself" she said. "just to
show them up"
He tried to laugh that Off as a
simple absurdity. but he found he
couldn't let 1t go at that. II doubt
II l could show them up, In the
first place." he said. You see,
I've never sold anything in my
life. There's a special technique
about IL that I've never learned.
And then, of course, I have to be
here, really; especially now that
Mr.. Mariner has practically aban-
doned u.s." He essayed a smile
There has to be somebody on the
bridge, you know"
"Well, | G he here" she remind
ed him. Il mean, usually know
what to tell people now when they
telephone. And I've sold three
chokes this week to people who were
driving by and stopped to see what
it was like. Oh. of course" she
concluded. after a pause, Il know
you really are too busy. | was only
wishing. | know that anybody
who was any good could sell those
things"
The afternoon mail came in just
then, like a godsend, and gave them
something to do. But that talk of
theirs wasn't forgotten. He didn't
believe, at least, that she had for
gotten it. AS for himself. it kept
gnawing away In his mind like
persistent mouse, audible whenever
the silence gave him a chance to
hear it.
He couldn't be expected, could he.
TO rush out whenever he found a
free moment and peddle their ar
ticle about the neighborhood. Cant
| interest you in the Mariner Auto
Choke?" OF course 1t was prepos-
ferrous.
All the same, he grew acutely
self-cOnsciOus about the periods of
unwelcome leisure which kept crop
ping up during his business days,
and he resorted, sometimes, to rath-
er far-fetched occupations to fill