The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-17
BY :. ADELAIDE HAZELTI Dramatic Department Store Story OF Girl Who Kept Promise
 Though HALn1ost Broke HerHeart

I sell, studying the cash register as they rang up change, He loved it with the fervor of Q teen-age boy for his life occupation.
 She was working in the store on Saturdays then, A freshman in high school. Andy was Q soph- omore and wore the halo Of the boss's son. She admired him from q respectful distance, She didn't know herself when that admira. ton began to be something more.
 It was when he came back from military school she felt the first sweet shock of 1t. She was Mr. Dearborn's secretary by then, Seated at her typewriter one day she looked up to see Andy beside her, Andy, man. Broad-Shoul- deTod, tall, with the clean line Of his fathers jaw and the same well nodded lips. His eyes were gray with glintS of silver in them.
 "Its youP" he said, looking down at her As If he didn't quito know what she was doing there. can you tell me where to ind my father9"
 Between this simple question and her StammeFed reply, the thing had happened Her breath caught in her throat, For a deet- Ing moment - 1t seemed hours she stared at him and something came alive, some inner flame all her tears would never Quench.
 He hadn't seen, He hadn't known.
 But Carol knew and the knowl- edge tortured her.
 He was graduated that year. She saw the letter in whlsh he told his father he was ready now to 90 Into the store,
 She saw his fathers answer, too He dictated It to her. It spoke of higher education. travel, and things he wanted Andy to enjoy. Things he'd never had him. self. Plenty of time to como into the business later" he ad. viSed T don't need you now"
 True. he didn't need him ct that time,
 But when he d4d only a few short years afterward. young Andy was too busy with his Llndas and his yacht to care. Oh, he took Q desk, all right. In the merchan. dising office. He did well to sit at 1t an hour week. His father had set the stage for life filled with pleasure and, Andy had acted his part so long ne was loath to give 1t up. He had become a model playboy and the model was do luxel
 No wonder the store condemned him. No one but Carol knew the trutll-the actual reason behind his behavior, The others saw only the years he was wasting.
 Carol left Mir. Herricks office and made her way to the floor below to her own. She stood out side of 1t moment, gazing down upon the crowd of shoppers on the main floor. People jostled one another good-naturedly. Clerks hurried from one customer 10 an. other, smiling thank-you to the one as they turned to the next.
 Christmas at Dearbornsi It was MT. Dearborn's favorite ser son. He loved the rush. He prided himself on the number of customers who would stop to speak to him and wish him a Merry Christmas.
 How long could the store % on without him? It was the next day before Carol had time to think of that.
 It was up to Andy and, indirect ly, to the six of them who were named to judge him. Those were the terms of the will. How well she remembered them! If, by the first inventory date after my death, the SIX specified below agree that my son is going to run the business as would nave done. faithful to the tradi- ions upon which the store was quilt, then he is to inherit 1t all with my blessing. But if he has continued to pursue his own pleas ure. using the store only to SUD- port that pleasure without regard for the welfare of the people, hereby order the store closed. its goods sold at auction. The name og DearbOrn's shall never stand for anything but service. It must remain the Peoples store.
 The will went on to state thas