The Washington times., 1935-11-07

seattle, miss, ana this is the STATE
room ticket, and here are your
checks. The boat doesn't sail till
midnight, so shall I take you to
Q hotel first?"
"a hotel. Wait till I think.
D.. Listen, didn't she say was
to be paid?"
mo, miss. She said distinctly
that you was to have your ticket
and berth to Seattle. and that
was all why, aren't you a
Seattle girl?"
mo, I'm from San Francisco
and II haven't any money to
get that far. Why, II don't
know what to do"
She seemed ready to dissolve
into tears.
He scratched his head.
well, that's the way they do
things, sometimes. Listen, kid,
I'm not gonna see you stranded.
Say, wouldn't a twenty get you
down to Frisco, on the chair carp"
Il don't know, but I couldn't
I couldn't let you"
Nov, you take it! Aw, I'll
get it back on the gas, or some
thin! IAsten-you take it"
"No-no-I couldn't. Thanks
Just the same. You've been awfully
kind. No, I really wouldn't take
it. I'll MANAGE can wire some
one-Tn be all right. Good-by!"
In the end she let him drive
her to the impressive c. P. r.
hotel, for, as he said, she had to
wait somewhere, and a soft chair
in the best hotel lobby costs no
more than a park bench!
The doormen and bellhops were
impressed. They thought she was
somebody, stepping out Of Mrs.
James Todd'S cream-colored car,
being saluted by the ToddS' liv-
cried chauffeur.
The chauffeur was impressed
by her nerve, too. He thought
she was crazy, but admired her
because she wouldn't let him get
her a chair car ticket to San
Francisco.
For a little while his admira-
ton bolstered her up.
She pretended to read her mag
azine, glanced around from time
to time, as though she were wait
ing for someone who was late.
The chauffeur had been right,
she was crazy! What would Mar
got say? What would Ma say?
What would anyone say of girl
who let silly pride stand in the
way Of two weekS'-no, a months
pay!-for they really have to pay
you two weeks in advance when
they fire you, and here she'd al
lowed herself to be eaSed out with
out q dime.
She was ready to drop when
the gates were open at last, and
she could get on the boat, go to
bed.
But the comfortable, wide berth
couldn't rest her, nor the waves
rock her to sleep. She was too
tired, too worried about what to-
morrow would bring.
There was just one thing she
was sure of-She wouldn't wire
Ma for money until all else failed.
First, she'd go to the Seattle office
Of the Heeley Steamship Company,
introduce herself and see if she
could get a job, or if they could
help her get a job somewhere else.
And If they wouldn't, she'd make
the rounds Of the employment
agencies, ask for anything house
work, factory work-anything at
all.
In the little coffee shop where
she had her orange juice and cof-
fee after the boat docked in Sc
attic in the morning, she read
through the ads in all the papers,
tore out the sheets and put them
in her purse.
The waitress wiped up the coun-
ter twice, before she took the hint
and left. More time to kill be-
fore it would be a suitable hour to
call. park benches, hotel lobbies,
pavementS. :.
And then, before she felt quite
brave enough to carry it off with
an air, it was $3.50 and she was in
the elevator going up to the
Seattle office" she'd written to
so often.
And all too soon she was COM
ing down again.
Mr.. McMurtrie, the general
manager, had been kind. He ap-
preciated her calling. He was
always glad to meet the per
sonnel from other offices. He'd
be glad to let her know when
there was an opening, and he
couldn't suggest anything else.
Now she'd have to try the EN-.
ployment agencies. In a little
while, when she felt a little bet
ter.
= Shoppers, business men, sight
seers passed her. In all the city
she seemed the only one who
had nothing to do, no place to
60. But still she plodded on,
looking in plate-glass windows,
seeing nothing. Putting off the
moment when her last hope
would be dashed.
A man stopped her. She raised
troubled, half-glazed eyes, took
another look, and gaSped. "Oh,
Stephen Bennett! How did you
get here!"
In her relief at seeing a
familiar face, a friend among all