Patty's Social Season by Carolyn Wells

The next morning Patty started off in her own little electric runabout / with Miller, the chauffeur.

She let him drive, and gave the address, as she stepped in, "The / Monongahela Art Embroidery Company," adding a number in lower / Broadway.

The correct Miller could not suppress a slight smile as he said, / "Where I took you once before, Miss Patty? " And Patty smiled, as she / said, "Yes, Miller."

But it was with a different feeling that she entered the big building / this time, and she went straight to department B. On her way she met / the red-headed boy who had so amused her when she was there a year / ago.

He greeted her with the same lack of formality that had previously / characterised him.

"Is youse up against it again? " he inquired, grinning broadly. "I / t'ought youse didn't get no cinch, and had to can de whole projick."

"I'm not on the same 'projick' now," said Patty, smiling at him. "Is / department B in the same place?"

"Sure it is," and for some reason the boy added, "miss," after a / momentary pause, which made Patty realise his different attitude / toward her, now that she wore a more elaborate costume, than when he / had seen her in a purposely plain little suit.

"And is the same lady still in charge of it?"

"Yep; dey ain't nuttin' lessen dynnimite goin' to boost Mis' Greene / outen o' here!"

"Then Mrs. Greene is the lady I want to see," and Patty threaded her / way through the narrow passages between the piled up boxes.

"No pass needed; she's a free show," the boy called after her, and in / a moment Patty found herself again in the presence of the sharp-faced, / tired-looking woman whom she had once interviewed regarding her / embroidery work.

"This is Mrs. Greene, isn't it? " said Patty, pleasantly.

"Yes, I am," snapped the woman. "You don't want work again, do you?"

"No," said Patty, smiling, "I come this time on quite a different / errand."

"Then you don't want to see _me_. I'm here only to give out work. Did / Mr. Myers send you?"

"No, I came of my own accord. Now, Mrs. Greene, forget the work for a / moment, and let me tell you what I want."

"If it's subscribin' to any fund, or belongin' to any working woman's / club run by you swell ladies, you can count me out. I ain't got time / for foolishness."

"It isn't anything like that," and Patty laughed so merrily that Mrs. / Greene's hard face softened in spite of herself. "Well, what is it? " / she asked, in a less belligerent tone.

"It's only this," and though Patty's errand had seemed to her simple / enough before she came in, she now began to wonder how Mrs. Greene / would take it. "Some friends of mine and I are asking three or four / people to lunch with us and take a little motor ride on Saturday, and / I want you to come as my guest?"