Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-06-17
HALF HOUR
FOR LUNCH

copyright, 1904, by Temple Bailey.l
Jeanette'S fingers few over the KEYS
OF her typewriter, them there was a
sharp click as she struck final period
and a sigh Of relief as she drew the
paper out with a whir.
''One two, three-out goes she
And brews herself cup Of tea"
she sang as she went to 4 file case and
took out from certain odd corners a
quaint blue teapot, caddy, a sugar
bowl, two cups and two spoons.
The man at the desk on the other
side Of the room settled back In his
chair and dropped the pencil.
You ought to be presiding over
home teakettle," he said, '1nstead of
one In an Office"
Sufficient unto the day." interjected
jeanette as she measured the tea.
"But you really should think about
It," persisted Francis Darcy, chief
clerk in the law Office In which jean
cite Melton did the typewriting.
"Oh, I'll think about It." said Jean
cite airily, land some day when the
proper millionaire fits across my
horizon I'll say goodby to these musty,
fusty rooms and enter my proper
sphere" and she lighted the alcohol
lamp under her brass kettle and went
to the window for the bottle Of cream.
Darcy whirled around and looked at
her keenly. II didn't mean that" he
said.
"Oh, didn't your asked jeanette
calmly. I'm one breath you say one
thing and contradict it in the next.
Now, what do you really mean?'
She sat down to wait for the kettle
to boil and fixed her teasing gray eyes
on him.
"You know what mean, Jeanette
he began. Il don't want you to leave
here until you are ready to come to
me as my wifs-to my home"
I'm other words, you want me to
transfer my tea making from the Office
to a fat. Oh, It's much nicer this
way. You might get tired Of me if
we were married, and think how
dreadful that would bel Now II you
get tired of@me you can get new
typewriter, but you couldn't get new
WIFE,"
"And, besides" he said bitterly, *
am paor, and you don't want to marry
q poor man, Jeanette"
mo-" she said, "but II I loved
and then she stopped as the door
opened and the Junior member Of the
firm looked in. The Junior partner
was young, rather ftortdly handsome
and very well pleased with himself.
''Oh, put that away" he said, as he
saw the tea arrangements land come
out for lunch with me-"
But Jeanette shook her head. Don't
ask me-" she pleaded; 'tust think what
/ shall MISS" and she laughed as she
named them. "A chicken sandwich,
slice Of homemade cake and tea--my
own tea-home brewed," and she fash
ed a bright glance across at Francis,
who sat tapping hts foot glonmily.
But the eagerness Of the Junior part
ner was only increased by her re-
fusal
"You shall have bird and salad
and souffie," he said, land wine, IL
you WILL"
Darcy clinched hts hand, but the
Junior partner needed him no more
than the fly which crawled On the
wall He wanted Miss Melton to lunch
with him. She was fair and sweet
and pretty. by Jove, as pretty as any
girl in his own set.
Come" he pleaded.
Jeanette glanced toward Darcy and
met In hts face only sternness. If he
had but known that she wished to re-
fuse; that she would rather drink cup
Of tea with him than have all the 1ne
lunches tn Chrtstenfom. But he did
not know, and she missing the SYM
patty that she had looked for, said
yes" to the Junior partner.
Darcy sat alone, therefore, and ate a
part Of hts lunch. He did not drink his
tea, Tor be could not touch the pretty
cup that she offered him daily with so
much grace. He stared at the blank
wall and imagined Jeanette in the soft
~ lighted dining room Of the great ho-
tel He knew the Junior partner would
take her to a fashionable place. That
was one thing In his favor-he was not
ashamed to be seen with his typewrit-
er. But it was the first time that
Jeanette had gone.
And It won't be the last" groaned
poor Darcy, with hts head on his desk.
Eyes, It will" said q soft voice be-
hind him, and he whfrled around to see
jeanette, all smiles and bushes, fresh
as rose.
HE asked me to marry him." she
said without further remark.
Darcy's head dropped down on his
desk.
Silence!
Then In the stiffness came the ''click-
ETY., clickety-click" Of Jeanette's type
writer Darcy raised his head and
picked up his pencil desperately. He