Evening Star Newspaper, November 15, 1925, Page 37

Adventures of the Flapper You Know. CHAPTER 1. Miss Twenty-seven of the Silks. E GOOD, little girls! Dab your noses and put on your smiles. Good Morning is coming! It was a wonderfuly sweet voice, and solemn. But there was the flavor of a laugh hidden in the mock solem- nity. That was a trick of Joanna's. She had adopted it from some one. @®oanna adopted all tricks of manner that promised to be successful addi- tions to her own original store of them. Obediently, the young women who flanked Joanna behind the silk coun- ter, a bevy of sheer, sinuous young persons made in variations of the in- congruous pattern of the day, dabbed their noses, softened the craftiness in thelr too-wise eyes. and shaped smiles about their grotesquely scarlet lips It was cach day’s preparation for what was a daily ceremony—the 10 o'clock visit to the silk counter of “Good Mdrning.” E “Good Morning,” it may be plained, was, in a more definite way, Mr. Leroy Harkness, an imposing gen- tleman of sleek grooming, risen to the dignity of a long-tailed coat, and tre- mendously impressed by his respon- sibilities as arbiter of the world's events, and, incidentally, the auto- cratic buyer who rules the destinies of the silk department. Promptly at 10 o'clock each morning—the store opened at 9—Mr. Harkness, magnificent, tapped his fingers on the spread of the silk counter, encom- passed each of the young women be- hind it with a friendly, condescending glance, and sald to them collectively: “Good morning!” There was much rivalry among the servitors of satin as to which of them first would see “Good Morning” down the aisle and announce his coming. And if, by any chance. “Mr. Good Morning's” eyes rested a little longer on one rouged face than on another among his silk counter nymphs, why, there was a full day's scandal ahead. It happened often; too often. Joan na herself had heen hothered a bit of late, because “Good Morning” Lad fallen into the habit of looking at her more and more speculatively. The morning before she had decided she could not ignore that meaningful look in the buyer's eyes any longer, and had tilted her chin at him. She was prepared to do it again But, strangely, “Good Morning” was not approaching in his usual lan guidly majestic manner. His expres- slon was stern, as if he carried new matters of Importance. He didn't stop at the next counter, but came right along. “Good Lord.’ [ e imed the young person on Joann right. “‘He has a grouch. Somebody's in for i Joanna struck her pose. Joanna had many poses, one for every circum: stance. For “Good Morning” she had rehearsed a way of elevating her chin, putting one hand to the back of her head so that her elhow und forearm would show off well. and fixing the other on her hip. The effect in her mirror had been extremely satisfac tory. But her hand fell from her hair and the one at her hip flopped down suddenly. Mr. Harkness had no good morning for any of them. He walked directly to where Joanna stood and stopped abruptly facing her. There was neither smirk nor smile in his half closed eyes. Once he had interrupted an unfortunate shoplifter, and had looked at the trembling young woman in just that manner. “Miss Joanna,” he said, his words sharp and evenly cold, “have the good- ness to go at once to Mr. Graydon's office. You are to be spoken to by Mr. Graydon himself. At once, if you please.” Pencils dropped to the floor behind the silk counter unnoticed. Eyes stared. Blank faces turned upon the startled girl. Angd she stared into the fatuous face of the man across the counter as if he had woven her some evil spell Mr. Harkness was no longer “Mr. Gool Morning.” He was an ogre; the serf of a tyrant and bearer of a tyrant's summons. e stood there. :old, immovable, piercing. Waiting: waiting for Joanna, Joanna of the gold-brown hair, that had watched him on other mornings, to hurry away at this unheard-of bidding® For, so far as the record was re- membered at the silk counter, no other girl employe had been sum- moned into the awful presence of the ~0ld Man.” It augured but one thing That thing shaped itself in Joanna's mind almost instantly. She had of fended a customer; unconsclously, perhaps, but offended one; and an im portant customer: one who had the ear of the mysterlous, unapproac able, thoroughly unknown “Old Man And that meant dismissal! The buver's fingers began to drum warningly on the counter. A sum- mons to the office brooked no delays. {le didn’t know what the summons was about. nor why, nor how the Old Man so much as knew the name of the unimportant Joanna, who, despite hat gold-brown hair and the capti ing poses, was, after all. only “No. 17 in the silks.” Graydon, owner of the city's largest department store, was not the sort who knew certain ones of his hundreds of young woman clerks by name. A few of the man- agers were that sort: not Graydon. “1 believe I sald ‘at once. Miss Twenty-seven,” Mr. Harkness repeat- ed, icily. “I should advise that vou interpret that as meaning ‘now And then he added the aftersting that brought quiver to scarlet lips: the quiver that the girl bit at £nd repulsed viciously: “I fane miss, that the other young ladies will conduct the counter satisfactorily un- til you return from your intervie Joanna could have choked him for that. Even in her trouble she re- membered the different tone of him and the different light In the eyes ef him on the morning of the day be- fore when she flushed under his fawn- ing. He knew, she reflected, that she was golng up to the taunting dignity of being dismissed by the owner. His code demanded that he have no con sismmatjon for @ven such a one as sh in - | not THE The Strange, Tragic, Romantic By H.L.GATES if she were to go into the owner's black book. But Joanna was Joanne. “So sweet of Mr. Graydon to send vou along fc me!” she murmured. “We were discussing you just last evening, you know—Mr. Graydon and I 1 was telling him what a nice lit- tle boy you are—and shall you run along now, or shall you show me the way If she was going to be discharged she'd leave behind her something to be remembered by! She'd wanted a long time to shoot something like that at the supercilious “Mr. Good Mern- ing.” She gloried in the smothered gasp which choked in the throat of | the girl standing next her. Harkness snorted, in the way buy- young ladies, and turned away. would bandy no words; not with one about to achieve disgrace through the Old Man himself. A torrent of condolence became im- mediately vocable. Joanna affected | disdain, and failed in the pretense | miserably. The flirt of her slender | shoulders was pathetic as she made | her way along the counter to the| alsle exit. She felt, but did not re-| spond to, the friendly touches of gen- tle fingers on her arms and wrists| as she brushed by her silk counter companions. She nodded silently at a florid but sincerely whispered: “Buck up, girlie. If there's a row with the landlady before vou land an- | heavily to the silk counter standards. She was pale, and needed touching up at the cheek bones. Joanna could have shown her how to lay on one of red, three of blue, rub it in, and whiten with Flor- ette’s pink. And she wore no brace- lets or bangles, or, even, the dangling jet earrings which were the mode. Really, she must be stupid that sec- retary of the Old Man's, and with her | opportunities! Still—something about her fascinated Joanna. Miss 27 caught herself rubbing at her lips and won- dering if she'd marked them too red that morning. ew doubts, new specters took their ce in the parade that marched across the shopgirl's brain. The creditors, those inexpressibly lit- Pl |tle people who fatten on the meager- ness of the shopgirl's purse with ex- orbitant prices for flimsy things, dug in their prongs and faded away. They were now of the yesterday. For the first time—the first time that she could remember—Joanna, waiting to be dis- missed for some unknown offense against some unknown customer, thought of tomorrow as it loomed within her own outlook. Dismissed from one store, the others would be. for a time, barred to her. And she had struggled long to attian the opu- lence of salesgirl of the higher grades. Had she been more accessible morally she would have been more prosperous. But Joanna stopped short of a great many things; a stopping short too other job I'll share ‘up!” And g0 she came at last. her brain freshly ' “I WAS TELLING HIM WHAT A NICE LITTLE BOY YOU ARE, AND SHALL YOU RUN ALONG NOW, OR SHALL YOU SHOW ME THE WAY battling with a frenzied parade of rapacious creditors—Cohen, who was threatening her now for the overdue installment on her last Winter's fur wrap; the perfectly adorable hat she'd bought vesterday and promised to pay for tomorrow; the woman who ran the hosiery shop who had refused to give her another pair of silk stockings un. til she paid for the last four s0 she came at last to the outer door of the Old Man's office, on the uppermost floor., Joanna had never seen Graydon, the owner. Few of the store emploves be low the rank of bu: had. He c and went through a p 7 reached by his own elevator and open- ing into the street through an en- trance reserved for him alone. The store tradition was that he was pom- pous, sourly grim and gray, eccentric and fearful. For such a tradition the meagerness of Tuesday's envel- opes——their utter incapacity to cover the requirements of fragile lingerie, silk hose, natty pumps, twice-a-week manicures and biweekly supplies of beauty pot—was an ample founda- tion. Harkness had austerely emphasized | his “at once,” but Mr. Graydon did eem 4@ be in a hurry. A soft- voiced, efficfent secretary, a girl who seemed, somehow. to be from a differ- ent world than that of the garish shop outside, smiled warmly at the pitifully defiant shopgirl who stood { haughtily at the office threshold and announced: me e pa the grotesquely | | “I'm 27. Did the Old--did Mr. Gray {don want to ask my advice about the | business today?" | The secretary tion. “Oh, so you are Joanna!" she said, imply. .“T sent Mr. Graydon’s sum- mons to vour department chief. don't know what it is, but I'm sure it's important.# I'll tell him you're waiting." Joanna, urged by the secretary, found a chair. Somehow the atmos- | phere of the Old Man's office worried | her. | Not at all in keeping with the most | approved disclosures of old men’s dens {on the movie screen. It was star- | tlinigly bare, and solid, and sedate. And | the secretary wasn’t as an owner’s of- fice assistant should be. Not even pretty. That is, not pretty according ignored the affecta- 1! It wasn’t what she’d expected. | many people, classing her as one of a geniusm—the ultramodern genius— ning, all at once. She braced her- self for the fencing. The fur wrap could go hang. There'd be no differ- ence between the owner, who could summon her, and “Mr. Good Morn- ing,” who had to come to her counter with his fawning. “Did you send for me? I'm from 0. 27! Her very tone was a challenge. The Old Man pointed to a chair. “Won't you sit down?” he asked, pleasantly. *Twenty-seven stands for Joanna, doesn't it?" She answered shortly; “Joanna Man- ners.” She wondered how long it would take him to show his hand. Her resentment grew more bitter each minute. More and more she was con- vinced that there was only one, and, a commonplace motive, for the genial reception of a salesgirl, and a pretty one such as she knew she was, by the wealthy, powerful owner of the store. The man across the table settled himself in his chair and faced her. A curfous expression played about his! gray eyes. Ah, yes,” he murmured; “Joanna Manners—I understood that was the name. Would you mind, Joanna, tell- ing me where—and how—you live?” Joanna narrowed her lips. “I live alone, and not in a palace, either. And the best of it is, I'm satisfled. Her employer seemed not to notice would not have credited her with. She counted frantically and esti ed for herself one week of idle- ness without being too deep in trou- ble. Of course, if the worst came to the worst, she could pawn the fur wrap. Cohen wouldn't know But Joanna didn’t want to pawn that coat. At any of the dancing places to which the boys took her it would be missed Immediately. Other girls are observant of such things, and, really, a fur wrap is 4 necessary mark of caste nowadays. None of the boys would be coming around for her if she showed up any place with ler old and unfurred coat. None, that is, except John. Jokn! She'd quarreled with him only last night—again! She'd told him he was entirely too muggy to keep up the pace with her. Somehow the thought of John, with whom a quarrel was never worth a second thought, since none lasted from one evening to the next, comforted her. She looked, sud- denly, w..the Old Man's quiet, unim- pressive secretary. She smiled a Jit- tle, inwardly, with the thought that she, the secretary, would be about the | sort of girl John pretended to want | her to be! | Fancy the glorious Joanna with the | shimmering gold-brown hair and the | fash of scarlet across a field of velvet | pinks, like that! She almost laughed | where the other girl, in response to { the purr of a buzzer, nodded At her and said: | “That's Mr. Graydon now. Won't you go in The vislon of John, He'll see you nd the silly | the quiet. softly self-effacing secre- {tary just to please him, had cleared | Joanna's brain of the imminence of tragedy. Her head was up and so was her heart when she went through the door and stood in “the presence.” She expected to face the living Image of sinister cartoons she'd seen. rather portly, gray-haired man, who stood behind a great mahogany table | ta receive her, was “The Old Man, and that he was -actually smiling across to her, she wrinkled her brow. | Then a great light came into her mind. So, THAT was it! She might have known! She was alert, shrewd, cun- | spectacle of herself trying to be like | When she realized that the elderly, | JAPANESE = SILKS o RIS E AN - Best Glove Values = J Bl Women's Fabric Gloves, wi Women's Imported Kid Gloves . Pliant loves. two ikepe: claspe; emiroid black backs: and colors. 7 white Kayser's Misses’ Chamoisette Gloves Kayser Fabric 2 Gloves, for little P girls 1 to 6 years. All colors. $2.25 Men's Lesather Auto Gloves Fleeced - lined Bverything that's new in Imported ~and Do mestic Dolls. and the best values in town for the price. Kid os. * Joint. Dolls _and Mamma Dolls. ither un: \ Va in Town Chamosuede Gloves th 20 0EXTRA SIZE DRESS Youthful lines that give the semblance of slenderness. In models girls or matrons. finest satins, Poiret twill embroidered cuff tops, embroidered backs, double finger tips. Brown, sand, beaver, gray and beige. All sizes. . in every wanted color, including black. Colors— B 720-22-24 7th St. N.W. EHRENDS Agents Ladies” Mome Journal Patterns i A Marvelous Sale of Coats and Dre;;s_ $15.00 to $19.75 DRESSES Extra and regular sizes. Of finest wool Polrets, satins and silk crepes, in smart one and two piece styles. Every dress a brand- new Winter model. 16 to 62 sizes. $15.00 to $17.50 COATS Richly Fur-trimmed Dressy Coats and Nobby, ‘Warm Sport Coats, In 16 tc 44 sizes. Flared or straight- line styles, warmly lined, and a splendid variety of new arrivals to select from STUNNING FUR-TRIMMED COATS Worth $29.98 to $37.50 Gorgeous shades of red, blue, green, rose, tan, brown, gray and black with rich crepe lining and exquisitely modeled in newest flared or straight- Some have wonderful mushroom col- lars and cuffs of elegant fur, others fur bordered line styles. or banded. 13 to 52 sizes. for youngest of Made of silk _crepe or aux '14 Cloth %Zélfi; Extra Size Coats ‘Whether you pay $19.75 or $69.75, you'll get the best value you've ever bought. Finest of smooth, soft wool materials or silk Bolivia in every color, including black With fur or self trimmed- just as you lke. 43 to sizes. $ a5 4 = B Navy Brown Tan Red Green 800 CHILDREN'S SWEATERS Cnmpcrc' with those youw’ve seen at $3 and $3.50—A great Monday sale Slipovers ; Coat Styles Belted eltless girls. Plain colors and stripes 54 .85 Sizes 26 to 34, for boys and [ Warm Winter weights NEW SILKS AND DRESS GOODS FOR YOUR WINTER COSTUME $2.25 40-Inch Satin Charmeuse Rich, Lustrous, Satin-face Char- meuse that is so much in demand this season, in pencil blue, pansy, seal, buckhana, navy, fallow and black $1.79 Black Silks $1:49 Duchess, Black _Satin Charmeuse and 40-inch Sports tin, in all colors. $1.25 Nottingham 38 wide. 1 ment of designs. Lace Panels scalloped; 45 inches 89 wide and 4 lovely new designs. In the irritation. “Then you don't live at home? Not with vour family “I haven't any family,” she answer- ed him, still biting her words. As an afterthought, she added: “But I can take care of myself as well as a family | \ l could, and T do.” The elderly man smiled at this. He began to recognize the symptoms. “I am sure of that, my dear,” he said, softly. “So let’s speak of your friend: What kind—I mean, have you many he had caught that “what kind. Ehe stiffened in her chair and looked him full in the face. She was em- bittered anew by that curious expres sion under his gray eyebrows: ly, besides a bunch of boys who are as lightIn the head as they are on their feet, but if I want any more I'll pick them out for myself.” Graydon darted a quick look at her. He was silent for a minute, toying with a jade paperwelght. When he spoke he had resolved, evidently, to shorten his approach to whatever it was he had to say to the salesgirl from the silk counter, who was not disposed to be humble in his présence. “I must say that you impress me, he said, as if voicing a profound con- clusion, “as one who would not hesi- | tate to dismiss friends, If they were not invited.” Again he was silent. Joanna fancled that he was prepar. ing a new method of attack. She bullt new fortifications around her scruples, and walted, craftily. Graydon was still patlent. “You have retd, T suppose,” he said, quite | slowly, as it he wanted her mind to {tollow him, “of Cinderella and the prince who put her foot into the | solden slipper?” “Yes,” Joanna replied. “I've read about it—lots. But I'm off the prince stuff, and I put on my own slippers, thank you!" Then the Old Man laughed. Laughed as some of his executives didn’t know he could laugh/ He dropped the jade paperweight and rose. Joanna rose with him, byt he turned to a window and looked eut into the skyscraper maze that opened. here and there, to releases a glimpse of an ocean liner plowing its way down the sapphire river toward the Narrows and the sea. When he turned back into the room Jeanna (Continued o%l’n‘e Thirty-eight.) “I haven't any friends, particular- lovely assort- dered and all- over effects three tone ] $3.50 54 - inch Polaire stripes, plaids colore. Will fashionable 75¢ Sunfast Drapery Madras 99c chen n o a new bor- oue, two coloringn. In Lot Are— Velvets—Satins Patents—Kids Black—Tan Brown—Gray Side Buckle Step-ins. 1 and 2 Strap Oxfords New novelty styles. A Combination Sale can miss. 4-Pe. no_ parent afford to | ‘Overcoat | Selling | for_$10.00 Suit Selling for $7.98 BOTH FOR 2.98 A Clear Saving of $5.00 4 Long Plaid Breasted . Li 1 with 8 to with crash_tops. and gray and 3 10 8. Made wool bl suits. of with | | H Wide - wale belts. Made of x0od quality gingham, nice- { p iy trimmed | &nd alt-around i s full feut ‘ zes: all colors, biack and white. suiting cerise, wistaria. $1.50 Women's House Frocks Bungalow Frocks §]-00 Winter Woeight ined Double Coat, Long and Short Pants et 17 _mzes. $1.25 Boys’ Cordu- roy Juvenile Suits Button-on_style. corduroy bottom washabl 95¢ Colors, blue brown. Sizes 79¢ BOYS’ CAPS fine o all 59¢ | $4.00 Women’s Corduroy and Blanket Robes Corduroy 1 Heavy Blanket Robes, in scroll and fancy designs; large collar and ribbon trimmed; all-around Colors — Rose, Sizes to 44. r including | Coating. coi copen, orragd med: and i and large sizes: all colors. $3.25 54-Inch Embroidered Flannels All-wool Embroidered Flannel, in all wanted colors and patterns which reflect the latest vogue in embroidered and woven effects. Wool Coating 89 wool and_plain e warm . An extremely able suitingfor and stripes. 36 wide in ali colors, -Lace Curtains and Draperies 49c Nottingham 36 in s Just the thing for panels, sash curtains, etc. and Lucky Were We to Get Another Lot of Those Marvelous $3.00, $4.00, $5.00 SHOES Tomorrow 800 Pairs Go On Sale 99 $6.00 Little Tof Crepello Coats Allwool Crepello smocked fronts, with small or large embroidered collars; button front; inter- lined: for tots 6 months to 3 years. Fine, sheer Nafnsook Dresses, daintily trimmed with. lace and embroldery: hand- smocked yoke and bishop style. Baby Flannelette Fine Coats, Cap to match. of fine worsted, with Two-tonn - color. = Pink" and Alve: Petticoats & Gertrudes 49¢ Warm Winter Underwear MEN’S—WOMEN’S—CHILDREN’S $1.00 Richelieu Winter Vests Fleéced-lined Combed Yarn Vests, in high-neck, low-ncck”a]nd_ sleeveless models; short and long All sizes. Soft Outing Flannel Petti- coats and Gertrudes, both short and long. All white. { and $ 2 .95 $1.00 Women'’s A sleeves. Ginghams. d percal novelty _prints: ickrack and trim. back sashes: medium $4.50 Women’s Brushed Wool Sweaters Heavy Brushed Wool Sweaters, with silk-bound fronts; large col- lars; solid c stripe combin: $1.00 Women’s Sport and Wool Hose Derby Ribbed and Part-wool Hose in solid colors and heather mixtures. Double soles and elastic top: mostly perfect. olors, with ations. Warm, weight. shirts, 69- 1y finished. 89¢c Novelty Suiting fashion- street wear, in woven eilk plaids inches 65¢ Rayon Marquisette inch Lustrous Marquisette natural only: handsome figured designs for panels. 59 69c This Is 5 Bedwear Time $1.39 Seamless Sheets 81x90, or full doub! bed size: heav: veig and seamless: mill sec. onds. Limit, 4 to each. 20c Outing Flannel 27-inch Double-fleeced Fan Outing Flannel, in pink and blue checks and stripes. 69c Mercerized Table Damask 58-inch Doubl e Mercerized Damask, in a lovely assortment of allover and bordered designs. Printed Challies 36 inches wide. Wiil cover comforts, furni ture; make nice drapes or dressing sacques Full pieces and perfect 49c Our New York Office Has Just Sent Us From Their Broadway and 33 Street Store 200 HATS Worth $3.00, $4.00, $5.00 They Go On Sale Tomorrow for White Dresses I | $1.00 Mon's Ribbed Underwear Winter: high-neck ankle pants with _double Sizes 34 to 46. j Metallics Felts Taffetas Velours $12.50 Girls’ Cloth Coats s $3.98 oi's Dewest m large fur collars trimmed bottoms Grackle, blue st and penny $4.00 Girls' Balbrig- gan Dresses, $3.39 The new Balbriggan Dress. de 1 2-piece stvle: some e velvel trimmings loose elastic waists all colors. Girls’ Hats $1.95 to $5.00 New models in the m ming styics: velvat tAmmed, it or buttons and bu olore $2.00 Girls’ Gingham Dresses, $1.49 Gingham. prints and nov #Ity cloths, in jumper or wtraightline’ models: all pretty patterns and color Inge. sizes 7 to 13 b 2 fel Tac 67c Irregulars. $2.00 Springtex Unrion Suits Al Porfect s :g Winter-weight Sizes to 44. $1.25 Boys’ and Girls’ Waist Union Suits 69¢ Boys' and Girls' Silkk Striped Shirts Union Suits ‘Elther pin-hack or Ecru Color Boys: ot Girls Ficcee 711 Sui high or ipw neck and high reck and sleave ankla long sleaves. Sizes < to 12 And knée pants vears Heavy Fleece-lined, Body-style 95c Union Suits, either gray or white: drop seats.’ Sizes 2 to 12 years P 75c Babies button-front Silk-and- wool Undershirts. Sizes 1 month to 3 years. 79c seats. Nice-