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About The morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1899-1930 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1906)
IUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1004. THE MOIINING ASTORIAN.yVSTORIA, OREGON. 11 '. W ASA I 'her : Miss Kinglake's , Experience. What Came of Her Plan to Malce Money for a Christ mas Gift. ;'"'" lty CE.O. M 188 DOROTHKA KINOkAKS OHnd lw already large! eye, and, )f truth mut bSh mlKhl try thorn. Quickly, dome- told, parted her: rosy lip Ph gave ii lull p of Mlonlehiwnt. Whence the Idea had coma, how It had arrived, li could nut Imagine. Still ta iomn unaccountable way the ttioiiRht bad entered bar mind, so strange ,o amaalnf. io dnrlttfr. so unprecedented, so utironvenifnmU, H revolutionary that she was nhorkfd Into crectne from the glided chafs. lounge on whlrh aha rsellned. Certainly suvh ft con oeptlon was not In th leat In accord WUfc fcr vary lunurlous, modish exls fhc. fib glanced about the pretty Louis-Quins room whlrh was her botl- f etolr. In tba tender' light, with the weet alienee, smh an actuality waa a trange Intrusion And yet when alia had worked at th problem a she had, onghf dta not to axpwt stune commensurate outcome? Exactly aa she knew she was pratty. L without exactly admitting It t her I self, she wan aware thnt she was not stupid, though she only considered thin i fiutt sometimes a justification for certain impatiences and wrlniia. Thrfor, uhim ah gave herself to tba subjeet, bent hr whole mind to the noiti i Ion of ih question, might aha ot hope to reach some novel cunrluirinn? Hut such a rultl "Jack," aha said on the prtHiitua afternoon, aa thy aat for few mtn ut alone, "what ahall I give yoif for Chrtatmatr II looked at her with an Intensity which, In the htlf-llght, aha did not ot, HI silence, however, suprlsed ber. ' "Why don't ynu answer' n-l waa thinking," h replied with a auddan, broken Inutth. "what 1 want." "What do you want?" Hha contin ued plaintively: "I believe I have ex hausted everything. I began when I waa a little, tiny girl and you war a Junior at college, with a papercutter for your room. In your cantor I fol lowed It up with a allver Inkxtund. I have run through ,the gamut of match boxrst etgnrntte. caacM, crtovat plus, atuda, bonka and riding crops. The year before last I gave you a aet of old sparling print, Last year, aa a particularly rlnky venture, t eeeiiyed a nli-ture of myxelf In a beautiful frame." "Thnt," he announced In a low tona, Mwn beat of all." "Thn friiiua?" lie hiqulied. "My power of Invnntlon 'have given out My" Imagination ccnaei to work. I can't think of another thing." "J nhould like." he replied alowly. "aomethlng new." "There It la." ilia commented. "Yoi are no exnctlng, Whnt ahnll I do?1 She hnd alwaya known him. Long before, when he had appenred eo lm meiijiunibly old, eho had ml ml roil him with nil a Utile girl' adoration. An time had piteed a chango hud come ,hout. She wai the one who directed h obeyed. Still much of the rmer reliction had continued, and ahe curried to him nil of her probloma aura of him nlwaya; ehe had counted on htm to ride out with her on her drnt pony and play tennla with her, .now at bnlla alio de pended on him to help her when fhe km bored by any one. When aha held her fan In a particular wny he waa at her Inntant command, Really her ChrlHtmns gift hau lwayt been to uiiual, o unlmnglnatlva for onu of her known originality. Ha ahould have iomothlng different and aho pondered the nubjeot with a aoft, little wrinkle In her amootn mow. Buddonly the Inspiration ' had come, almple like all great dlacoverlea, though cataetrophlo In Ita upheaval and over throw. "Why had aho been o long In doubt? Of oourne, there wna but one mothod, one course to pursue. The thing ttaelf waa of little conaequenoe. Bhe could And ewllena objecta to give him. The emborraenment Indeed was only the embarrassment of rlchei. But If she gave to him aomethlng purchas ed with monoy whioh In some manner she earned herself, that would bo ex yentflonaj, unprecedcnted surprising, 'significant, delightful. There would be some meaning In It, Iiut how? In what fanhlon Waa the result to be accomplished? She almost laughed aloud at the drollery of "the rich Mln Klnglake" setting out to make money. How much should she need? She reflected that gaining money must be very difficult. She had heard that. People seemed to find so much trouble in doing it that this must be 00. She determined to be very modest. What could she do? With this call to action she sat up, and, resting her chlii1 on her hand, foil to thinking via- oously. How -did girls earn money? was aware hat thousands of them though the means was far" beyond knowledge or experience, As she reflected she recalled the columns In the mewspapers with the declarations1 IIIHHAItl). of pintle seeking employment and the announcement of emr.oyftint offered. thing which she had seen and not no ted at the time flaahod bre her balf cloed eyes, A almple sign, How bad she happened to remember lttmleae In an unronmdnua expectation of such need? tthuj recollected that In the window of a mrg department store hung an tnconsplcuoua white placard "fllrU Wantod." That, h meditated. mut mean 'work tnuat iioceanarll Imply pay. What If she should-? She fairly het her breath with the excitement Of the mad scheme, "Apply from Ave to six," tilie could See these word also, OlitneliiK ut llllln gobl-mounted able ehe observed the . hour. Halt past four, Hho sprung erect. The touched the bell When be mnld appeared she stood like a girl Alexander, ready for new wnrlils to conquer. "Telephone that I wont the automo bile," she directed, "And give me the Simplex! and shabbiest dresa I have." Tli day bad just broken when Miss Dorothea Klnatuke stole down the wide atalr Into the big, dark hall. Occa sionally, In a hunting country, she had v"n the sun Tlse'when arising her eelf for a particularly "early meet." fmetlme on a yacht she had ob served the first pale glow In the east. Never before bad she known any thing like the cold, grim winter morn ing. She hud long before established nn Independence which permitted her to take such an unusual step. She mlxlit bo supposed to be breakfasting In her room. When she did not appear Inter her abaence would be accepted unquestlonlngly, She looked about .furtively. To make .her exit without notice by an early servant waa desirable, Success fully, without observe tlon she slipped through the door and through the porte-corher The ;llght was still dim In the leaden !) Snow bad fal leu overnight and the ground was gray with It. The deserted Avenue she scarcely knew at this hour. In deed, she scarcely swmied to recog nlxe the .world Into which she had emerged. The distance was consider able to the downtown district, and she had determined to take a car, Klght o'clock was the hour at which she wax lo be nt the store. Ton minutes was all she had In which to reach her des tlnatlon. Obtaining the place on the preceed Ing afternoon had boen , easier than she anticipated. She had left the nu tomoblle at a corner, and made her way Into a crowd of waiting girls, Almoxt Immmllutely they were header! Into a hallway. A man came forwan! hurriedly. Inspection was brief. Question were few. At tbe holiday season an unusual number of extra helpers had to bo obtained .unexpect edly, "You'll do," 'said the official, with a glance at her. "We can always make use of a girl of good appearance whether she knows anything or not. What's your namo?" ' "Mamie Taylor," she answered. She had thought carefully, and thla name hod struck her as both unnotlcenble and characteristic "Report tomorrow morning to the manager." . . She was reporting. She had stopped a car and entered. She stood sway ing unsteadily In a mass of pale, sleepy eyed men and women. No one heeded her. She had never felt so alone In her. life, At a corner of the bloctf cupptod by the great shop she got out. Bhe saw many hurrying in her direc tlon. Following with a persistent senso of unreality, she found herself one of a long Una approaching a desk. "Mamie Taylor," snapped the man without looking nn. j "Yes yes, lr," ah Wid timidly. "Number 623. do to the Toy Depart mnt." Number 5231 , Waa she a convict to be catalogued? To tin) strangeness of the situation was added almost the loss of personality. Who was she? Was she herself, 'to be checked off In this fashion like tme of the wagons of the establishment? Daxed, she moved aside. ' "Come! Get a move on," some one commanded. ' ; ' By questions not always too civilly answered she at last reached the place she , sought. In the basement, bril liant with sizzling arc-lights, the heat, th,e hard ref ulgenoe and confusion further , confounded hor. "The manager?" she gaaped. "I'm him," a small, nervous person declared pompously. "Five hundred and twenty three, you can begin to dust and condense this stock at once." , "Condense?" she murmured, gazing haplessly afttjr the potentate, who moved on majestically. Turning quickly, xlio saw an Irnpoa "Say, you are green!" spoke a harah high Vulcsv r . .,' . 'f,,,:i Ing being, Certainly the girl was about her own age, Tho sallow, powdered face: the unblinking, staring eyes; lhe , lines about tha mouth, however. made her at first sight appear ol'Ior, Only on t'hiss Inspection might one note the still girlish roundness of the cheeks, the 'youthful redness of the mmtili, The yellow hair was brought forward In a heavy wave, low over the forehead, dropping almost lo the eye brows. The gold filling of a tooth, aallently displayed, showed between the rapidly-moving lips, ' "I don't know what "condense" means,'; said Dorothea hopelesaly, "Put the gooi together w they'll take as little room as they can," snap ped the girl. "Here, like this." With an Impatient yet skillful move ment she collected a number of small er objects lit an Incredibly small space. "Ouess you won't be much good," she went on censoriously. "You don't look as if you'd got the sand. What's your namtr. ; "Mamie Taylor," Dorothea answer ed timidly, ' , "I'm Miss MeCloekcy Miss Maggie McClndkey," continued the other, "Now, Miss Taylor, why ain't you doln' somethlnT' ,. "Whatr ... . ';.,': "Oot to explain everything to you?" Mlns McCloskey continued with every appearance of anger. "Now, you Just dust those things and stand ready to sell when the people begin to come. When the prices bother you, ask me. Course you don't know how to fill out a check 7" ', She explained In hurried, aggressive tones, giving every Indication of grow ing Indignation. "Wast In' my time thla way," she complained acrimoniously." as if I hadn't somethln' better to do. Bee, you don't want to get left. There's some would take the last birdseed from a moulting canary. 1 got to hus tle myself. Christmas com In' an tbe money I'd saved for a present for Mr. Pitman advanced to Annie Taggert for rent, or she'd V been put In the street. Course he'll think I've gone back on him an' aome other glrl'll be glvln' him somethln'." Mlsa Mi donkey's hard eyes were clouded for a moment. "Love ain't the sure thing It looks. If I had what I deserve and waa the hmd of thin department-r-na It Is, what I'm to do for a new dresa for the Co lumbia Hall on Christmas Eve I dunno. An' Mr. Plttman, he's a great dresser himself an'll notice In a minute." She hurried away, putting vigor Into a lagging worker; then arranging to better advantage some article for sale. Dorothea waa left bewildered and al most breathlesa. Automatically she moved about, dusting and ordering. Gradually she came to see more clear ly. On every aide were loya. Above her. strung In wreaths, were smaller trinkets. About her feet, so that she almost stumbled over them, were piled tho heavier and larger playthings. Everywhere wore Christmas greens a'nd signs, "Merry Christmas" In scarlet and gold letters showed among the decorations encouragingly. Glancing at her companions, she found a mockery In the words. Hur ried, anxious, nervous, they bent to their tasks. Doxens of girls flitted and prattled. None, were old, some were very young ond pretty, "My!;' said one, gaxlng at a doll In gorgeous raiment which displayed an Jnsolvently satisfied, waxen counte nance, "I'd like to have her myself.' Dorothea reeogij.eij (that. In an other sphere of life, the epoaker woe Id have been merely a schoolgirl, j She was so small and frail Indeed that, when' she sank, looking furtively round, into a largo toy chair, she ap peared nowise out of place. ' "I don't know how I'm going to get through to-day," she moaned, putting her hands to her head with the dull nexl of pain showing In tho blue pupils under tha long lashes. ' "Number hundred and Ave," snarled the manager, who waa poaslag, "the house don't pay you to take your ease," Tho girl stood up with a terrified stare. . Dorothea's white tooth closed sharply. Her little foot stamped aa aha stepped forward. Now you look out!" warned Miss MoCloskey with a retaining hand on her shoulder. "No use mlxln In other people's business. We got enough to do to look out for ourselyes," Still Dorothea saw that with a great air of unconcern the vitroraua damsel drew near the smaller and younger girl. She observed in her hand the contour of. a marshmallow. With a quick movement the flaccid delicacy waa transferred.'' :, , ' "What's the trouble," commented Miss McCloskey, as if taking up a subject already under discussion When Dorothea waa next brought near hor, "is thla: the moat of us has others "Is this: the most of us has others that's got. Now, Pearl Clark's got a crippled brother and a baby sister, an' her mother, who's a widow lady, la sufterln' Just now with bronchitis. She's pretty, too, as things go, an'-well it's harder for some nor others." V "How terrible!" exclaimed Dorothea Impulsively. ' " . ; "It's all In the day's work," continued ain't as strong aa a horse." The morning advanced. When, however, Dorothea thought the time must be ten, she found It nearer nine. In the close air, In the dlscordnnt din. the minutes dragged like hours. Few people had appeared. As each . one crossed tha floor tbe "salesladies' stood In readiness. Eleven o'clock had passed before the rush begun, Then sUMidy stream of purchasers filed tbe place. They crowded before the coun ter. They Jostled each other. The riot grow, Dorothea would never have found the 'courage to accost any pros peetlve buyer, much Jess cut her from out under the attack of any of her companions. Only b cause the crowd waa so great that all were engaged and tfiere was no one to "wait on" her, X stout, belated cutomer was unot tended. , She gassed about Impatiently, "If you girl were attending to your business Instead of chatting" she be gan, looking squarely! at DoVolbia. "Can I do anything for you, madam T she asked humbly. "Certainly," croakea the woman, "Haven't I been waiting here for quarter of an hour,? I want a doll In tho tatert fashion, A real stylish one,1 "Will this dor Dorothea asked displaying a Caxen -curled, red-cheeked figure clad In white with a wide blue ribboned straw hat. "ThotJ" fumed the femole contemp tuousty. "Do you call thu up to date? Why, there ain't no fashionable look there. When were hats like th,vt wore? Before the flood, I guess.", ,'' Dorothea produced another and more modish example. "A suit of that sort!" condemned the woman. "They went out lost year. No, I'm not to-be put off with any old stuff." " Obediently Dorothea dleplayed an other and then another, only to find It unsatisfactory, still the next failed to meet the requirements and yet one more. Bhe took down doll after dolt She opened" box after box. The time employed waa considerable, the de mand on patience great. "Well," declared the massive shopper at length, "new I'm sure. 1 waa only lookln'. I'll go somewhere where they have things." She deported with as near a flounce a. her slxe permitted. Dorothea sigh ed. When she had done a thing well she had always been praised for It Failure annoyed her. "Why didn't that woman buy?" fit manded the manager, who bad been watching, "There was not what she liked." "What's thatr he retorted. "You're here to sell what we've got, not what they want." ' Dorothea's eyes flashed. Then ahe remembered. With an effort she re malned silent ,' ; . "Yes, air," she said meekly. Tbe department waa packed. Mo tion was difficult On one side at last she discovered a small boy. He stood somewhat apart from the mob, aa if Intimidated by It His gase was fixed on a large and glittering Christmas tree. "aee!" he muttered to himself. "Couldn't I use that!" "May I help your she aakod gently, making her way toward him. His clear, ten-year-old eyes rested thankfully "and truatlly on her. "I wunter git Christmas presents, he confided. "Yes," she said. "I got nlnety-flve cents," he declared proudly, "An" I waiit presents for Edna an' Maud an' Tommy an' the baby." I "We'll certainly find something." she declared confidently. She was obliged to take his hand to lead him carefully through the throng. Carefully they hunted through the place. They gravely Inspected rock Ing horses, play-house, express-carts, locomotive engines and steamboats. "Thcy's too high," he said finally with a depressing realisation of the limited purchasing powers of money, even of nlnety-flve cents. "I thought that Pd have enough ho went on. "I made It sellln' papers, an" I thought It was goln' to go," he flntahed, struggling manfully against dlappotntment.- ' "Never mind," Dorothea exclaimed. "We'll find something that will be very nice. Just wait" Again they made the round, giving their attention to less magnificent or tlclea. Dorothea put down on a check each purchase made. At length, reach Ing the last, she found that the list atood: Trumpet, Top, Noah's Ark. Paint-box. i"An' the baby?" he murmured. "True," ejaculated Dorothea, "the baby. Alid thla Is ninety four cents. The child-eyes were fixed reverent ly on a clown, splendid In red stripes. (Continued 6n Page 12.) IN PRAISE OF CHAMBERLAIN'S COUGH REMEDY. There la no other medicine manu factured that has received so much praise and so many expressions of gratitude as .Chamberlain's Cough Remedy. It Is effeotlve, and prompt relief follows Ita use. Grateful par ents everywhere do not hesitate to testify to Ita merita for the benefit s ot others. It la a certain cure for croup and will prevent the attack tf given at the first appearance of the disease. It Is - especially adapted to children,' aa It Is pleasant to take and contains nothing Injurious, Mr. B. A. Humphries, a well known resident and clerk in the store ot Mr. E. Lock, of Alice, Cape Colony, Africa, says: "I have used Chamberlain's Cough Remedy to ward oft coughs and croup In my family. I found it to, be very satisfactory, and It gives me pleasure to reocommend It." Frank Hart and Leading Druggists. V ! S E B-g'A'W Have you Seen our Saw Window. Special Kitchen Saw 25c We have everything in Saws. The Foard & Stokes Hardware Co.Jqc. 's Successors t Foard ft Stokes Cv AMUSEMZHTS. STARTHEATER Special Stock Bfigagetncnt. Eckhardt's Ideals Monday, Tuesddy and Wednesday the great pastoral I comedy drama "A WOMAN'S STRUGGLE" , Companion play to "Way Down East"-and York State Folks. Special Bargain Matinee Christmas Day at 2;30 pm. Evening prices, 15c, 2oc and 35c Matinee iOc arid 25c. - - . ' ''''..,. Free Xmaa Ticket for Opening Night, Monday, December 24. Cut -this out and present at Box Office before 7p.ni, Monday. Ladies. Sec ! ' ' No ! Row...... This ticket will admit at the opening performance of ECKHARDT'S IDEALS ;. AT THE . ' StarTaeatre,Xmas Eve., Hon. Night, Dec, 4 It accompanied by a regular paid SSo reserved seat ticket. Seats must be secured before 7 p. m, Monday, Dec 24. ! Xm as Suggestions ! i for him or her abound among the big, well assorted stock we have laid in, but every day is depleting the assortment, so come in as soon as possible.', t Books of All Kinds. Toilet Sets. Burned Wood and Leather, Fine Station ery, Mirrors, Pictures. Calenders but come at once. 1 , !i E. A. HiggiMS Co., SUCCESSOR TO J. K GRIFFIN J Books Music The Old Stove Man Has been hunting around for a year or more to find a line of aa good or better than the kind he sold here twenty years ago (some of these are beginning to wear out). He thinks he haa found the Una. He wilt show them to you if you will call at the store of W. C. LAWS M CO. Plumbers iiCHR X Means not only good things to eat, t and tha beat of all good drinka is Rye and Bourbon Choice Wines THE COMMERCIAL Sherman Transter Co. HENRY SHERMAN, Manager Hacks, Carriages Baggage Checked and Wagont Pianos Mored, 433 Commercial Street Free TicKet any lady FREE to a Reserved Seat Stationery Leather Purses, Z Stationery and Steam Fitters. MA but also the best of things to drink, Sund & Carlson' Whiskies; and Champagnes. ! Transferred Trucks ard Furniture Boxed and Shipped. Main Phone 121