The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-08-15
Meters and Meetings

plant window and wondering how 1t
was that such an entirely charming
young woman could work for so heart
less a corporation as 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 and glanced at the name.
Il want the one who gets the mail
complaints" be 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 invectiye.
II didn't know that you were-that
IL, that the complaint clerk was a wo-
man." he stammered.
II didn't think you do" she laughed.
But I'm used to that sort of thing. /
had man over at your place yester-
day"
"Did he have an axT asked Caverly.
"It's 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 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 poach the mod
est egg or fry the humble rasher, the
meter straightway charges me enough
gas to prepare a dinner for a family
Of six, which, thank heaven, do not
possess" Now he thought 1t sounded
very silly.
II must have smelled 1t, IL 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 mp to me-" he said
slowly.
EYES," she assented. 1920 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. 81 hope you will have no more
trouble"
II hope I 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 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 wlnston's aunt, and through
this medium he was able to meet the
girl conv0ntionally. 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 80 to boarding" she ad.
vlsed one evening as they fingered over
the demitasse. They had repeated the
dinner. "You would have no more trou,
BILE with the meter then"
eve had very little since met you, /"
he declared. land l hate boarding
houses"
"why not get marrledT she smiled.
THAT would solve the problem"
IT know 1t" he agreed. i've got the
very girl In mind too, haven't asked
her yet, but mean to SOON"
"It Is very good idea." she said
eoldly. with a 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 ouI
little dinner occasionally even after
am married"
II think you have rather poor opin
ion OF me-" she said.
"By our little dinners I meant my
wife's and mine" he said explicitly.
j The girl flushed. II beg your par
don," she said.
Caverly yelled his amusement anC
satisfaction. "You see." he added, "a
shall have plenty Of time then.
shan't have to watch the gas meter 81
carefully"
"NoY'
mo; there won't be so attractive {
complaint clerk at the gas company.
O0lce-then." he said polntedly.
A month afterward the same two sal
at opposite sides OF the same table.