Clara did not send for the Treasurer of the Shoe Factory. She knew
better than to go out after her Prey. She allowed him to find his Way to
the House with the others. When he came, she did not chide him for
failing to make his Party Call; neither did she rush toward him with a
Low Cry of Joy, thereby tipping her Hand. She knew that the Treasurer of
the Shoe Factory was Next to all these Boarding School Tactics, and
could not be Handled by the Methods that go with the College Students.
Clara had enjoyed about ten years' Experience in handling the Creatures,
and she had learned to Labor and to Wait. She simply led him into the
Circle and took his Order, and allowed him to sit there in the Gloaming
and observe how Popular she was. All the men were Scrapping to see who
would be Next to sit in the Hammock with her. It looked for a while as
if Clara would have to give out Checks, the same as in a Barber Shop.
Late that night when the Men walked homeward together, they remarked
that Clara was a Miserable Hostess, they didn't think.
Next Evening the Treasurer of the Shoe Factory was back on the Lawn. So
were all the Others. They said there was no beating a Place where you
could play Shirt-Waist Man under the Trees, and have a Fairy Queen in
White come and push Cold Drinks at you and not have to sign any Ticket.
They composed flattering Songs about Clara, and every time she moved
there was a Man right there with a Sofa Cushion to help her to be
Comfortable.
[Illustration: HIGH-SCHOOL CADET]
In the mean time, the Other Girls out at the Summer Resorts were doing
the best they could with these High School Cadets, wearing Tidies around
their Hats, who would rather go out in a Cat-Boat and get their arms
tanned than remain on Shore and win the Honest Love of an American Girl,
with a String to it.
Clara's work about this time was ever so Glossy. She began by asking the
Treasurer of the Shoe Factory to come with her to the Refrigerator to
get out some more Imported Ginger Ale. All the men Volunteered to help,
and two or three wanted to Tag along, but Clara drove them back.
They were gone a Long Time, because the Treasurer had to draw all the
Corks, and they Fussed around together in the Pantry fixing up a Lunch
for the Boys. Clara told him how Strong and Handy he was, until he felt
an increase in his Chest Measurement.
On successive evenings she had the Treasurer supervise all the
Arrangements. The Hired Girl had every Evening off, because it was so
much more Jolly to go out and run the place yourself. In less than a
Week the Treasurer was giving Orders around the House. She would get him
back to the Kitchen and tie an Apron around him and ask what she should
do next. She made him out to be the Only One who could be Trusted. The
others were Company, but he was like one of the Family. And although he
was being Worked like Creamery Butter, he never Suspected.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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