The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-08-17
Meters and Meetings

plant window and wondering how II
was that such an entirely charming
young woman could work for so heart
less corporation as the gas company.
II am the regular clerk" was the
smiling response as she reached Tor
the slip Caverly had half thrust through
the window and glanced at the name.
II want the one who gets the mail
complaints" he stammered. The girl
laughed unsteady.
II am that top sided, frozen hearted
person who would not answer your let
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 invective.
II didn't know that you were-that
is, that the complaint clerk was wo-
man." he stammered.
II didn't think you d." she laughed.
"But I'm used to that sort of thing. l
had a man over at your place yester-
! day"
did he have an ax?' asked Caverly.
'Its the only way to get the best OF
that meter"
1.-THE gas was turned on in the oven
of the stove" she said smilingly. 1T
xuoQES1
But 1 don't use the oven," he pro-
tested. I'm a bachelor, and 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 1 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, I do not
possess" Now he thought it sounded
very silly.
II must have smelled 1t, If it was" he
argued. The girl shook her head.
There is a pipe connection with the
chimney" she reminded. 1T never got
into the ROOM"
'Then I guess it's up to me-" he said
slowly.
eyes," she assented, "$7.2O for last
month; $40 this month. Pay at the
last window"
"I'm sorry to have given you all this
trouble" he said awkwardly. land said
-er-those things, you know"
''That is right; l understand" she
said. Il hope you will haye no more
trouble"
II hope 1 do" he announced, ambig-
uously, as he raised his hat and went
in search of the cashiers window. "but
l won't write letters"
After that Caverly's meter seemed
suddenly to have become the most
troublesome in town. Two and three
times a week he called with some COM
plant that somehow never seemed to
need more than word Of advice.
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
.srIo llr loot nj 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 adj
vised one evening as they fingered over
the demitasse. They had repeated the
dinner. "You would have no more trou-
BILE with the meter then"
1--WE had very little since met you
he declared, land I hate boarding
houses
"Why not get married?" she smiled.
THAT would solve the problem"
II know it," he agreed. 1--WE got the
very girl in mind too. l haven't asked
her yet, but 1 mean to soon"
1T is a very good idea," she said
coldly. with q wife you would be
more settled down and not have to de-
pend upon restaurants
"Oh, l don't know about that" he de.
INJURED. II should want to have our
little dinner occasionally even after
am married"
II think you have rather poor opin'
i'm If mo" she said
by our little dinners I meant my
wife's and mine," he said explicitly.
The girl flushed. Il beg your par
don," she said.
Caverly yelled his amusement and
satisfaction. You see," he added, II
shall have plenty Of time then. ]
shan't have to watch the gas meter sc
carefully"
sNO?'
mo; there won't be so attractive a
complaint clerk at the gas company's
ofice-then." he said pointedly.
A month afterward the same two sat