The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-12-20
Meters and Meetings

said Caverly. peerinS through the COM
plant window and wondering how it
/ was that such an entirely charming
young woman could work for so heart
less corporation rs the gas company.
Il am the regular clerk" was the
smiling response as she reached for
the slip Caverly had half thrust through
| the window aud glanced at the name.
Il want the one who gets the mail
| complaints" he stammered, The girl
laughed unsteady.
Il am that top sided, frozen hearted
ter" she insisted You see in Your
heat you forgot to give any address.
| Caverly thought of some of the other
and more personal illusions he had
made and groaned, Until then he had
rather prided himself upon his ability
! at invcctivc.
II didn't know that YOU were-that
is. that the complaint clerk was Il wo-
man." he stammercd,
II didn't think yoa I, she laughed.
But I'm used to that sort OF thing,
had man over At Your place yester-
day"
Did he have an AK" asked Caverly.
Its the only way to get the best of
that meter
THE gas was turned on in the oven
of the stove" she said Smilingly. 1T
must have been flowing for weeks
But don't use the oven" he pro-
tested. I'm a bachelor, and l just
get my breakfasts there"
perhaps when you were cooking the
modest egg" she laughed, you brushed
against the lower cocks
Caverly blushed. He had been proud
of that line. When l poach the mod
est egg or fry the humble rasher. the
meter straightway charges me enough
gas to prepare a dinner for family
of six. which, thank heaven, do not
possess" Now he thought it sounded
very silly.
Il must have smelled it, if it was" he
argued. The girl shook her head.
There is a pipe connection with the
chimney" she reminded. ut never got
into the ROOM
Then guess it's up to me-" he said
slowly
Yes" she assented, $3.50 for last
month: $S.40 this month. Pay at the
last window"
I'm sorry to have given you all this
trouble" he said awkwardly, and said
-er-those things, you know"
THAT is right; | understand she
said. Il hope you will have no more
trouble"
Il hope do" he announced, ambig-
uously, as he raised his hat and went
in search Of the cashiers window. but
won't write letters"
After that Caverly's meter seemed
; suddenly to have become the most
troublesome in town. Two and three
times week he called with some COM
plant that somehow never seemed to
need more than a word of advice.
; Meantime he had discovered the
, name of the young woman and was
searching everywhere for some one
who knew her, so that he might seek
an introduction. 1t was several weeks
before he discovered that his mother
out In Chicago was an intimate friend
, of Grace WinStOn's aunt, and through
this medium he was able to meet the
girl conventionally. He lost no time in
asking her to accept an invitation to
a little dinner which in some way
might make up for the trouble he had
, caused her.
| You should go to boarding" she ad-
yised one evening as they fingered over
, the demitasse. They had repeated the
I dinner "You would have no more trou
BILE with the meter then"
1--WE had very little since l met you.
he declared. land l hate boarding
houses"
why not get married?" she smiled
That would solve the problem"
! II know it, he agreed. I've got the
very girl in mind too. l haven't asked
her yet, but | mean to soon."
1T is very good idea" she sale
n w ltil Wllt YOU "OuN lIt
# more settled down and not have to de
n pend upon restaurants
n 'Oh, l don't know about that" he de
n INJURED. 81 should want to have oul
5; little dinner occasionally even after
: am married"
= II think you have a rather poor opin
- ion Of me- she said
a by our little dinners l meant m,
d wife's and mine," he said explicitly.
l. The girl flushed. 81 beg your par
s don,' she said.
p Caverly yelled his amusement ant
1T satisfaction. you see," he added, :"
u shall have plenty Of time then.
- shan't have to watch the gas meter s
Il carefully"
~ mop"
" mo; there won't be so attractive
8 complaint clerk at the gas company
,r ofice-then,' he said pointedly.
n