Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-10-21

black uniform of the salesforce into
an ultra smart little claret suit. A
relic from the tag end of prosperity
with the French label in the waist
band. On her shiny brown hair was
perched snappy new hat.
Her face was framed by an enor.
nous collar of rose fox fur that the
! couturiers sometimes referred to az
blue. 1t was the color of the blue
the mellow brownstone of so many
grass of Kentucky, or, more aptly
old New York houss, and eminently
becoming to the clear-skinned young
Ann, who looked lovely.
So thought the merchandise-man-
ager, Paul Bradley, as he was about
to step into his limousine at the curb
in front of the store.
Ann had exited by the employees
entrance, but turned into the Ave
nue. in search of taxicab. None
was in sight.
"Appalling!" thought Ann. "My
clothes will be ruinedY'
Her eye lit on the shiny black for
eign car.
How lucky some people were!
A man was looking at her, with a
question in his eyes.
Good heavens! 1t was the merchan-
dise-manager, and she was leaving the
store ahead of all the other employee
es!
He was coming towards her. To
rebuke her? Not possibly to offer
her lift?
But it was so!
"Jump in. I'll drive you to wher-
ever you're going" he said master
fully. She was so surprised that she
didn't even say "thank you."
But once in the elegantly fitted in
terror, she found her voice. "The
nearest subway. Three blocks west"
she said to the chauffeur's back.
"No. You'll get drenched. I'll take
you direct"
Between Madison and Park, on the
south side of 54th stret. I can't re-
member the number"
"Go ahead Charles" The chauf-
feur closed the glass partition.
They shot up the Avenue, while the
rain beat against the windows and
swished under the balloon tires.
"This isn't real!" thought Ann, who
was perfectly accustomed to luxurious
cars, but not to her escort. 1t was
too amazing! Here she was, alone
with the merchandise-manager!
1t was essential to say something.
Not sit there in this comfort like a
dumb fool.
In her nervousness, the most banal
remark slipped from her. cts fine
day for the ducks!"
'But not for the cats"
Ha! The Ice Carnival?
He knew it had been she, then?
Remembered her stupid joke? and his
reply-"Cats hate having cold water
thrown on them"
She turned to him a perfectly blank
face.
All very we'll to flirt at a masked
party, but outside of that, better
watch ones step.
Yet her heart sang with excite
ment, and his nearness, and the fleet
ing opportunity of getting to know
him better. -.
"That's remarkably pretty hat"
(He was human, then? She could
see it in the strip of mirror to the
left of him.
"You got it in the store?" He was
as nervous as she was, and annoyed
at himself because of it.
"No, Paris" Hadn't it cost the
equivalent of two weeks of her pres
ent salary? Couldn't he see it?)
"It becomes you."
She remembered his first injunc-
tion-"one can't bring ones elegance
into a department store" 1t was on
the tip of her tongue to inform him
that her elegance was labeled with
prettier names than Barclay & Weiss
but decided that impertinence, how
ever propos, would get her nowhere
with the merchandise-manager.
"Miss Shellfish informs me you're
doing nicely"
She had dreadful impulse to fling
back at him: "Why! the jolly old
crabw
But sense of humor didn't seem
to be his strong point. She said de-
murely: "That's awfully nice of her.
1 .