Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-18
DAILY SHORT STORY
HALF HOUR FOR LUNCH.

DI neT typewriter AHSA theiS was
sharp click as she struck a final period
and a sigh of relief as she drew the
paper out with a whir.
lone. two. three-out goes she
And brews herself a cup OF tea
she sang as she went to file case and
took out from certain odd corners a
quaint blue teapot. a 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 10 be presiding over
Il home teakettle," he said. INSTEAD 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 III the law Office in which Jean
cite Melton did the typewriting.
ooh. 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. Il didn't mean that" he
said.
ooh. didn't youE" asked Jeanette
calmly. I'm one breath you say one
Il. a fs.V - IN, IL
Now, what do you really meanT'
She sat down to wait for the kettle
to boil and fixed her teasing gray eyes
ON him.
You know what l mean, Jeanette"
he began. Il don't want you TO leave
here until you are ready to come to
me as my wife-to my home"
I'm other words, you want me to
transfer my tea making from the office
to a fiat. Oh, it's much nicer this
way You might get tired Of me if
we were married. and think how
dreadful that would be! Now if you
get tired of me you can get new
typewriter. but you couldn't get a new
Wife
And. besides" he said bitterly, Il
am poor. and You don't want to marry
a poor man, jeanette"
NO" she said. but If / loved
and then she stopped as the door
opened and the Junior member of the
firm looked in. The Junior partner
was young, rather fioridly handsome
and very we'll 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; Just think what
l shall miss" and she laughed as she
named them. "A chicken sandwich, a
slice of homemade cake and tea-my
own tea-home brewed," and she fash
ed a bright glance across at Francis,
who sat tapping his foot gloOmily.
But the eagernesS of the junior part
ner was only increased by her re
fusal.
You shall have bird aud salad
and a souffie." he said, land wine. If
you will"
Darcy clnched his hand. but the
Junior partner needed him no more
than the hy which crawled OH the
wall. He wanted Miss Melton to lunch
with him. She was fair and sweet
and pretty. by Jove, IA pretty as any
girl in his own set.
Come" he pleaded.
Jeanette glanced toward Darcy and
met in his face only sternness. II he
had but known that she wished to re-
fuse; that she would rather drink cup
OF tea with him than have all the fine
lunches in ChristendOm. 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
part OF his lunch He did not drink his
tea. for he could not touch the pretty
cup that she offered him daily with so
much grace. He stared at the blank
wall and ina gined Jeanette in the soft
ly lighted dining room of the great ho-
Tel. He knew the junior partner would
take her 10 q fashionable place That
was one thing in his favor-he was not
ashamed TO he seen with his typewrit-
er. But il was the first time that
jeanette had gone
And IL won't be the last" groaned
poor Darcy. with his head on his desk.
hind him, and be whirled around to see
jeanette, all smiles and bushes. fresh
as a rose.
He asked me 10 marry him." she
said without further remark
Darcy's head dropped down on his
desk.
Silence.
Then In the stiffness came the "click- |
ETY.. c!ickety-click' Of Jeauette's type
writer. Darcy raised his head and |
picked up his pencil desperately. He |
might as we'll begin. Same old routine. |
same old work. same old struggle and |
now jeanette would be ont Of Il. |
whirled into a gay life by the riches Of /
the junior partner, and he would be 1
alone alone.
The typewriter was silent. and he !
heard the whir OF paper being pulled ,
out and then Miss MeIton's step as she