The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-11-16

Hooi, announced George
all out He unlatched the iron doc
and pushed it open. Going up" |,
asked, as he turned and glanced at III
agent. "a
Mr.. Garvin," said the latter. wit
dramatic earnes stness, II must rcoue,
! you to leave this building when vo,,
month is up. l will gladly refund tn
rent you have advanced if you will leay
at once"
. Couldn't think of it," said GEORGE
Not even to oblige you, Mr.. Abbott
No, l mean to stay-and the bov viii
stay, too. Twelfth floor. Going down ?
Why, confound it. SIR" cried tn,
agent, you talk as if you owned th
bu;ldirgw
why not?' asked George, the imper
turbabie.
] The agent stared at him and drew
back little. What do you mean?" he
cried.
! You get your authority here from
Attorney Jethro Browning" said George
without looking at him. And Attorney
Browning acts as trustee for the Francis
estate"
"Yes," said the agent sharply. "What
Of thato"
Il am the Francis estate said George
Francis Garvin mildly. Ground floor.
all out"
This time the agent needed the an
nouncement and stepped from the car.
! His Horid f.ca ,r,e o,I,
The boy stays?" asked George, with
the slightest interrogative infection.
The boy stays" replied the agent.
Good morning." said George, po-
, litely.
AS the discomfted official passed
through the outer door a radiant vision
entered. It was Miss Mary Armstrong
in her new summer attire, and Miss
Mary was lovely girl and her attire
was decidedly fetching.
AS George saw her coming he stood
little straighter.
Fourth floor, please" she said as she
tripped into the car. Then she looked
up and recognized the new elevator man
with little gasp.
But he paid no attention to her as he
latched the iron door and drew on the
hosting rope. He was the elevator man
now. Besides, it was this girl who had
told him he had no object in life; that
he had no heart, no sympathy. True,
he had tantalized her by his languid in
difference. but her words were unneces-
sari1y hard She had abruptly parted
with him with intentional coldness and
had not asked him to call again. And
she was the one girl in all the world
whose good opinion he valued most.
What would she think of him now?
Fourth hoor," he said, and he stop
ped the car with beautiful exactness.
Thirteenth, please" said Miss Mary,
with touch of wonderment in her voice
that conveyed the impression that he
must have misunderstood her.
Sorry" said George, without looking
round, but it's against the rules to run
the elevator any higher than the roof"
"The twelfth will do" said Miss
Mary, as if graciously yielding disput-
ed point. Then she sweetly added, But
I fear l will have to report you for
ack of willingness to oblige your pat
rons."
Il must'call your attention, ma'am,"
said George, TO the fact that patrons are
requested not to converse with the ele-
gator boy while OIL duty. 1t distracts
lis attention. Twelfth floor"
''Going down, please" announced
Miss Mary. Then she gently murmured,
I don't suppose there is any rule against
patron talking to herself, is there"
lie did not answer. II wonder why he
5 running an elevator?' she softly SOL
oquized. 81 suppose it's because of
'et. Men always do queer things be-
ause of bet. l wish it was for some
ther reason, for he certainly runs it
cry well. I've no doubt he could do
Many things very we'll if he tried. He
ecds an honest friend to tell him So"
She paused, but George did not look
ound. =,
Ground floor, all out" he said and :
cached across as he pushed back the I
on door. t
Miss Mary sat still. Ii
And just then boy ran in from the ,
dewalk. His face was glowing. his T
reath was short. t
"Oh. Mr.. Garvin!' he cried. Did ]
ou have any trouble" replied George, +
, he stepped from the car, "and your
b is SAFE" a
'Oh, thank you, Mr.. Garvin." cried il
le grateful boy. II found father very r
,on-an' just in time to save him from |;
: patrol. An mother sends your her 7
essin', sir" a
Thank you," said George. Your h
r is waiting"
1T was awful cheeky of me to let a
.ntleman like you take my place" fin
he'd the boy; Il didn't think what l
as doin' until afterwards, sir"
THAT will do, Jamie" said George, b
ID turned from him.
And then a vision in white suddenly Il
nfronted him in the doorway of the cl
said Miss Mary Armstrong. rt
was the first time she had called him p
his first name, old friend that he is
s. and she couldn't have said it more T.