Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-20
DAILY STORY
METERS AND MEETINGS.

| less 4 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" he stammered. The girl
laughed musically.
Il 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.
CaverIy 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.
Il didn't know that you were-that
| is, that the complaint clerk was 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 ax?" asked Caverly.
ITS the only way to get the best or
that meter"
THE gas was turned on in the oven
of the stove" she said smilingly. 1t
must have been flowing for weeks"
But l don't use the oven,' he pro-
tested. I'm bachelor, and L just
get my breakfasts there"
PERHAPS when you were cooking the
modest egg" she laughed. you brushed
aaainst 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 n family
of six, which, thank heaven, l do not
possess" Now he thought it sounded
very silly.
II must have smelled it, if it was" he
argued. The girl shook her head.
There is pipe connection with the
chimney" she reminded. ut never got
into the ROOM"
Then l guess it's up to me-" he said
slowly.
Yes" she assented, "$7 30 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; 1 understand" she
said. Il hope you will have no more
trouble
Il hope l do" he announced. ambiS-
uously, as he raised his hat and went
Il,
1 won't write letters
After that Caverly's meter seemed
suddenly to have become the most
troublesome in town. Two and three
times Il week he called with some COM
plant that somehow never seemed TO
need more than Il word of advice.
Meantime hg 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 |
IL 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
"Pve had very little since L met you"
he declared, land / 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. 1 haven't asked
her yet, but 1 mean to SOON
1T is very good idea" she said
coldly. with Il wife you would be
more settled down and not have to de-
pend upon restaurants
"Oh, don't know about that he de-
INJURED. II should want to have our
little dinner occasionally even after L
am married.
81 think you have rather poor opin-
ion of me-" she said.
by our little dinners l meant my
wife's and mine" he said explicitly.
The girl flushed. II beg your par
DON she said.
Caverly yelled his amusement and
satisfaction. You see,'' he added, Il
shall have plenty of time then. 1
shan't have to watch the gas meter 50
mop"
mo; there won't be so attractive
complaint clerk at the gas company's
office then" he said pointedly.
|
A month afterward the same two sat
at opposite sides of the same table.
You see, we are having our little
after ALL Caverly leased. !,
Yes; and the gas bills are only half
as big; but 1 am careful to do the
myself, if there is any to
be done. It's dangerous thing to let
a man do.s HARRY WINTHROP.