The guardian., 1939-06-03
Judgment
By HARRY HARRIS
Released by Associated Newspapers
WNU Service.)

cold and bitterly discouraged.
Her three weeks in the big city,
where work was supposed to be
plentiful, had been nothing but disil-
lusionment. Although having had no
special training, she had been a sue
cessful saleslady for several years
in her home town and knew she
could sell any goods that women
cared for; yet that did not seem to
help her.
Now it was noon, so she could
interview nobody else till after one
o'clock; therefore she came again
to this great public mart and wait
ing-room as she had done several
times before. 1t was warm inside
and she always liked to watch hui
manity hustle about intensely at its
matters of small Importance. There
was soda and lunch counter in
the center with its row of patrons;
people halted long enough to glance
into the windows of the various
shops that opened off the great CEN
tral hall; radio and an orthophonic
instrument tried vainly to out
screech each other; and amusing,
cheerful pandemonium-an easy
piece to forget ones very identity.
Unable to indulge in a soda her
self, Myrtle watched those who
could, and particularly the cashier
who took their checks. In a cage,
perched high on a stool, only her
head and one hand were visible.
She had short, shining dark curls,
a face of alabaster and roses, great
dark eyes enhanced by heavily mas
carood lashes and faultlessly tweez-
cred and penciled eyebrows. From
the vividly carmined lips two
straws led to a tall glass of rub
something, held-oh, so daintily-by
a snowy hand with sparkling rings,
and five fnger-nails that rivaled any
nail-polish advertisement.
Each time that Myrtle had seen her
it had been the same-at this time
she evidently did her work with her
other hand; she never seemed to
remove the straws to speak, though
her smile was radiant. She had for
Myrtle sort of odd fascination
like some kind of automatum
with the straws as connecting rods
between head and engine.
Wonder how much she Makes"
mused Myrtle. ''It must be fine to
work in this building! To think of
that bepainted what-is-it having a
rnNI oh
trudge in vain and starve!"
The next day was no better and
than severe headache kept Myrtle
in her bed most all the rest of the
week. How miserable and lonely
she felt! Really knowing nobody in
the city and having only a bowling
acquaintance with one or two in the
house where she stayed
A loose-ftting door separated her
room from her neighbor's and
sounds came through with annoying
distinctness. The others table
stood right against this door so, each
morning now, Myrtle was tantalized
by the delicious fragrance of good
coffee and she heard the crisp little
noises of teeth biting into hot but
tered toast. Then several nights
this neighbor came in late and pre-
pared for herself cup of tea; she
seemed fond of crunchy things like
celery and shredded wheat biscuits.
Sometimes she strummed a either,
very low, humming lullaby. Myr-
tie grew to feel quite well acquaint-
ed with this woman, whom she had
never even seen-she must be short,
matronly and comfortable. The
sense of her presence was energiz-
ing, somehow.
Sunday afternoon found Myrtle
feeling little better and anxiously
searched the "help wanted" col
unns of the newspaper when there
came a light tap on her door.
"Come in!" she called.
''Miss Blake, I'm your neighbor,
Mrs. Stead" said the tall, slender
woman, pleasantly. 81 had pre-
pared to have my little boy with
me today, but they can't bring him.
AS you and l are both alone, won't
you please COIllG III anu nave luIlCH
with me? We ought to get acquaint-
ed, don't you think SOP" Myrtle
was only fearful she would dis
play too plainly how thankful she
felt. Her mental image of her
neighbor was shattered, but the
voice still belonged.
And so, here she was herself,
crunching celery at that cheerful
table! Over the leisurely meal the
two girls exchanged condolences.
Mrs. Stead expressed the belief that
Myrtle could get good position at
place she knew about. AS to her
own little son, she told of having
tried so hard to work and keep a
home for him since the fathers
death; how the effort had failed;
she was now obliged to board him
out with a distant relative.
Myrtle felt strangely drawn to
this young woman whose thin face
showed the marks of sorrow in spite
of her engaging vivacity. Once or
twice there was fieeting, puzzling
idaa as of something Vapuely