SHORT STUDIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 758, 5 March 1910, Page 11

SHORT STUDIES.

THE BASIS OF THE WAGE. Tho oblong envelope stuck over tho edge of the breakfast tray, looking very whito against the coarse greyness of the cloth. The woman moved swiftly forward from the door, and grabbed it, picking feverishly at tho flap. Tho envelope llnUercrt to the thready carpet, ns she peered at the few typewritten lines, frowning to overcome- tho momentary spasm ill her eyes. After she had road, tho letter she sat down in front of the tray, smiling a little. She ate a littio bread-and-butter,, and sipped at a. largo cup of tea: but she kept looking at tho-letter beside her, reading

il, over and over again; and very soon she got up. from the table. For a little while she stood 1 staring at a remnant.of pattern at the edge of the carpet, then •she crossed suddenly to the mantlepiece, and looked into the mirror, which was covercil with litUts 'brown spots.. ;Bhe frowned'at (he oblique hollows in her cheeks, and then inty'-' : the reflection of her tired eyes! Presently she turned away and left, tho room.' When she returned, dressed to go out, the landlady - was -taking away the tray. ; The woman spoko hurriedly from the doorway. "At last, I've had 'a reply; its the last:] answered—tho .cashier one." The landlady stood; prfessing the tray against her waistband. "I said you'd get one. soon; and you would freh" The woman's forehead wrinkled. "Oh, I know," continued the landlady, "it isn't nice owing people money, and London isn't the best•place 'to do it .in neither,- especially when you're alone in the world.". Then' she made a move to pass out. "Well, anyway, I hope you'll bo successful; then it, will be all right." She moved towards' the door. The wonlan was examining a pair of stained . gloves, finger' by finger. She looked up. "I Jiope so. But'l've only hs*n told.to call so far. Thank you all the same,"Mrs: .Bassett." The landlady turned at.the open door. "Oh, you'll'.stand a good chance against, most of them, I know," she announced, "though there's sure to bo a lot." ■ "I'm afraid so," murmured the woman, as the-landlady-left the-room. . . As 'the: clock 'of a church was striking ten, the woman stood ,in the gloomy'entrance passage' of, a big block of offices;., reading tho rows of .names printed on the wall.-. Men and women, hurrying into the"building, jostled past her. With a slow movement of her eyes-she read from the top to half way' down the wall'; then J she turned,' walked along the passage,and went up the stone stairs. On the second floor she hesitated in frout of a doublo, glass-panelled swingi door. Her chin went up with a little I jerk as she suddenly stepped forward and ; pushed in.

On the left side, on a long bench, sat four ' girls who eyed her as she entered. •: She -glanced at them an,d .crossed -to , the counter, standing. there gaxing at ' the bowed heads of several men who sat-writing at a .long, 'high desk. While she waited, a girl came through a door in the partition on the right, made a little grimace of disappointment at the row on the bench, and passed ont through the swingdoor. "Nest ' called out a youth, coming to tho counter and looking at the girls. The girl next the counter got up. The youth eyed the woman, carelessly. "Advertisement? Over there, please." He nodded towards the bench; tiien , returned behind tho partition.

. Tho woman sat down on the end of tho bench away from tho counter. After a while the girl flounced out from the partition-door, frowning, and crossed to the bench. > "Nine to seven," she muttered to the first girl in the row. i "Next!" called out the youth from behind tho partition. The first girl got up. "Nino to seven! Oh, dear!" she sighed. She smoothed down, her short brown skirt and pushed up her hair off her. forehead with a quick movement of her hands; then sho passed through tho partition-door. Tho woman examined her gloved hands, back and front, gazed at tho movements of the clerks at the high desk, eyed the two girls next the counter, furtively; but she kopt glancing every now and then at the partition. So sho sat waiting and watching. As a girl came out through' the partition, the youth <$Jled out, and the next girl went in; each time the woman moved one place nearer to the counter. At last sho sat next to itTwo more girls came in through the swing-door, one after the other, looked round, saw the woman on the bench, and camo and sat' down. While the _ woman was looking at them, the partition-door swung open. Tho last girl came out, staring blindly ahead. Her under lip trembled a littlo. . "Next!" called out the yijnth. Quickly please!" The woman jumped up off the bench and wont through. "Straight along the passage to tho door at the end," said tho youth, half-turning from a row -.of speaking tubes on the other side of the partition. The woman nodded and moved swiftly along. At the door sho hesitated; then her shoulders heaved 6lightly; sho knocked and entered. "Namo?" asked a voice from behind a desk. "Please como forkard."

The woman moved up to the side of the desk. "Madge Blenkinsop," she replied. "Blenkinsop, Blenlrinsop,", repeated the man, turning, a bundle of papers clipped together at the corner. "Blenkiusop, neht." he added, without looking uo.

The woman watched him as ho lead her application. 'l'ho man looked up; he leanod back in Ms chair aiid eyed hor with a long searching stare. The woman looked at him, shifted her position, and looked away. The man continued to stare.. "Ago?" he lisked. , Tho woman looked back at him. "I'm twenty-eight," sho answered. "H'm. Done anything since this?" The man tapped:the typowrilten .testimonials with the b'ac.l; of his lingers. "1. liaven'l been able to get anything," replied the woman. "K'm," 'repeated the man. "You're a bit old."' Then his voice, changed to a 'sing-song utterance. "Cashier at our Camden Road depot; nine to seven;tyelve and sixpence a.week; black dress," he looked up at tho woman. Her eyes clouded; and she looked down into Ihe man's face, her forehead puckering. "Twelve and sixpence," she repeated. "Yes; twelve and six,"' said the man, "and I've had about two hundred replies." Then his voice softened, as he watched the blank look on tho woman's face. "You soo, we expect our employees to bo living at home. You are living at home, I suppose?" The woman was staring away at tho wall; she looked down at him with a jerk. "I beg your pardon," she said, hurriedly. "I asked' whether you were living at home," said the man. The woman nodded her head quickly several times, and swallowed,-as if she had a lump in her throat; then she spoke quite slowly. "Yes; 1 am living at home." "That's all right, then," said the man, moving in his chair. "You can start next Monday; 2Gla Camden Road. Be there at nine. Good-day." He nodded at tho woman, and turned to a speaking-tube by his desk.

•"Thank you very much. Good-day, Sir," said the woman in a low "voice. Then she turned and raorcd towards- the door, walking slowly. - ' . . 'CHABLES'TNGE.