Bought and Paid For

y scissors? Did you

h chiffons and laces, Mrs. Blaine stopped sewing and began a laborious search all over the board for the missing article. Finally the scissors were found hidd

I'll never get this dress done. Did

summons. Virginia's new dress could wait-it was a whole month to graduation day anyh

alid, she did not look as if she would long survive him. The world goes on just the same no matter whose heart is breaking, and time flies so quickly that the happenings of a decad

gh to see her girls happily married and taken care of. At first it had seemed as if existence without him was impossible, yet the regular routine of life must go on. Besides it was not fair to the girls. Her own life was irretrievably wrecked, but theirs had barely begun. It would be selfish to allo

shop. This was a bright idea that had occurred to Fanny. She had always been clever at trimming hats. Why not put her skill to commercial profit? She and her mother could very well attend to such a business, while Virginia continued in school. If they were only fairly successful, the income would pay expenses, carry them

Harlem. It was a narrow little store, with a fair-sized show window on Broadway, and with living rooms in the rear. Fanny declared it was just too cute

fe. For the nonce, books and music were forgotten. She was a smart little saleslady, succeeding in selling one after the other, for ten dollars, hats which had cost Fanny not more than two. But her co?peration was not to be for long. It was quite decided that in the Fall she was to go to High School. This was her mother's wish, and it had also been insisted upo

ery surrounding influence, with ideas and ideals of her own, in full sympathy with the social side of life, yet independent and self-reliant, and just beginning to choose her own path in the bewildering maze of the world's devious thoroughfare. In High School she made astonishing progress. Her fine mentality enabled her to grasp quickly the most obtuse scientific and economic problems, and her natural taste for belles lettres making languages a

ides, they could not spare the time from the store. It would be cheaper and quicker to buy the dress ready made. Even Dr. Everett, when consulted, shook his head and tried to discourage the widow from a task which he was afraid might prove beyond her strength. But Mrs. Blaine was not to be

it for something else. The girls literally wore their shoes to pieces, but they did not mind. They knew that making this graduation dress was the one great joy that had come into their mother's life since their father's death

s just what I wanted! Now I ca

ospered, and all three were happy, each in her own way, Fanny in looking after the custom

ies of other young women of her age. When not waiting on customers, she was cooking. Yet she was always good-natured about it. Laughingly she called herself Cinderella, because, while her more favored sister might be dressing up to go to recitals, lectures or concerts, she would be in the

innocently, of course, had always monopolized their society. But this particular young man, whose name was James Gillie, seemed not in the least attracted to Virginia. In fact, he rather avoided her, appearing to be somewhat intimidated by her well-bred manners and cultured conversation. He made no secret of

me has been standing on street corners reading baseball returns. Not only had he no education, but he was rather proud of the fact, affecting to despise bookish people as prigs and "high-brows." Incompetent and lazy, without any real ability, he worked only because he had to, and his standing grievance was that he was misunderstood, unappreciated and underpaid. The one good side to his nature, and the one which, perhaps, appealed most to Fanny, was the unconscious possession of a rich fund of humor. He was funny without intending to be, and this not only made him a diverting companion but ensured him a welcome everywhere. With the straightest of faces, he would say funny things in so ludicrous a manner that a roomful of people would go into convulsions. He laughed with them, not realizing they were laughing at him, but ever preening himself on

pe measure? I can't f

ss of chiffons and laces piled up before her. In the shop outside she coul

help me, Fanny? Who

came the answer. "He's he

d when he called, as he had done very frequently recently, she had tried to receive him as cordially as possible. But to-night she was very tired. At times

home yet? It's g

ny. "The concert's not over till ten. We'v

irl appeared, followed mor

re a check suit much too small for him, a pink tie, and patent-leather shoes. Fanny's face was r

to be asked. Sitting back, crossing his legs and carelessly flecking his ciga

e," returned the widow g

g at the littered table, he said: "Sti

ne sighed

ined for. Sometimes I feel very tired.

th a quick, significant look a

by this time." There was an awkward pause and then she st

wn her work and loo

ed in amazement, looking inquiring

hen, while Mr. Gillie, his chair tilted backward, a picture o

ay to me?" repe

h-oo

ological phenomenon which curiously enough never failed to present itself when any extraordinary pressure was put upon

astened, just because I've got no one to sew a button on. It gets on a feller's nerves-yes, it does-until at last he says to himself: 'Jimmie, my boy, you've knocked about alone long enough. You want to hitch up with some girl and take it easy a bit.'" He stopped a moment to gauge the effect of his words, but as Mrs.

slightest encouragement. She fully realized that times had changed since the days when they lifted their heads proudly in the world, but to sink as low as this seemed too terrible, too humiliating. Yet, after all, could she b

isure to talk it over with my daughter. May I ask if your means permit you to prov

were again about to be shaken convulsively by a mighty sneeze, but the spasm passed. He merely c

all right." Tilting his chair back until it seemed physically impossible

for pikers-poor devils that have no spunk-but not for 'yours truly.' I'm a pusher, a climber, I am, and, what's more, I'm a man with ideas. No one can keep me d

lieve," said Mrs. Blaine when s

pped, "a shipping

ery-lucrativ

absurd to imagine he was going to r

ow, but I'll be boss so

present income is?" inq

for an answer. Awkwardly shifting his cigar t

now what I'm worth to them. They're just watching me. Any day they may make me an offer that would land me in Easy Street. Besides, soo

was full of tobacco smoke and his free-and-easy manner irritated her extremely. Of course, his proposal was ridiculous, an impertinence. It was Fanny's fault for having encouraged him. But it was best to say nothing-to just drop him gently. An awkward pause followed during which the widow, fatigued as she was, plied her needle m

. Mr. Gillie will excuse you, I'

pping clerk rose to his

good night, ladies!" As he shuffled off, accompanied to the door by Fanny, he said in an

fited by the opportunity to snatch a kiss, a

ng me a nice, juicy lemon, but I gave her a line

out at the front do

Mr. Gillie," sh

hucked her playful

's the matter with James or Ji

the street and shut the door. Virginia, a

xclaimed. "Is he crazy?" Without waiting for

ng Virginia into her confidence; somehow

il now. We expected you home earli

oat which she threw on a conve

Everett was there. He brought me to the c

en suddenly the elder sister flu

hat do you think? Mr. Gilli