The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-09-26
What's I'm a
Name
~ Martha Cobb SANFORD.


M%&4R%%*%as*'sFsF* sF*S%% %E*sSs-F%S's
Iust ahead Of her Barbara Klns
caught sight Of Bertram Mathews
Thanking her lucky stars that be hat
not caught sight Of her first, she dart
cd through the wide open doors of the
Mbrary building and rested for a few
minutes against one Of the large mar
HE columns in the lobby,
After she had given Mathews plenty
sf time to pass she ventured to the
aocr and reconnoitered cautiously
Heavensl He had turned around and
was coming straight toward the libra
NJ Barbara bounded up the stairs like
an antelope and disappeared.
With no apparent signs OF haste oil
purpose Bertram Mathews followed
her lead. At the top of the broad flight
II stairs, however, he came to stand
SfiIl and leisurely scanned the long
empty corridor.
As there was nothing to indicate
which way the golden haired vision
had fed. he started on lazy stroll
through the maze Of special reading
rooms, sure Of finding her somewhere,
II was clever Of him, he unused, to
have crossed Barbara's trail without
Aer knowing 1t. He smiled at the
thought of her blushlng surprise when
ne should Unexpectedly stumble upon
her. What would she have to say to
him?
He was aware that he was deliber-
ately forcing Barbara's answer after
yielding to her entreay for an inter
segnum Of courtship which would ter
INMATE only by strictly accidental
meeting. But it had been two whole
weeks since he last proposed to Bar
bara, and human restraint has its
limitations.
Barbara didn't blush, however, nor
was she the least surprised when Ber-
tram AT last discovered her In the Sc
Guided nook reserved for legal refer
euce So absorbed was she in reading
q popular fiction magazine that his
presence failed to establish that tele-
Pathic communication proverbially sup
posed to exist between lovers.
Bertram, his eyes dancing mischie
vously, tiptoed daringly near her and
then passed out to the catalogue files.
Lifting down the drawer labeled "Ba,"
he ran his fingers rapidly over the
cards until he found two titles that
evidently suited him.
With punctilious deliberation he cop
led these on little printed slip and
after filling In the blank spaces pre-
pared for the readers name and seat
number handed 1t in at the delivery
desk and waited developments.
Before long small, freckle faced
page in brass buttoned uniform tripped
by him toward the legal reference
room, one small book under his arm
Bertram followed at safe distance.
-0ne of EMS out, miss" announced
The page, indicating with grimy fin
ger cancelled title on the slip of pa
per which he handed Barbara.
why Men Remain Bachelors"
Dead Barbara aloud solemnly, and be-
meath ii, Bachelors Guide to Matri-
mony.'" "But | didn't order either of
them" she informed the page indiffer-
emily. There's some mistake"
"Ain't that your name and number,
miss?" he had the impertinence to ask
her.
Barbara examined the slip more close
u. "B. Mathews" it read, "seat 10,
legal reference room" She glanced
about suspiciously. There was only
Une other occupant, and that was not
AB. Mathews"
well, is it or amt itY' demanded
die page, bis tone suggestive of dan
gerously oyerwrought forbearance
us what" asked Barbara vaguely.
"Well, by thunderr' calculated the
dinlinutiye government official. Don't
cher know yer own name?'
''0f course do," Barbara answered
him with a childlike naivete, "but |
Efan't tell you, you little imp, SO run
away"
Then yer can't have the book"
brass buttons retaliated as he marched
Bff with the Bachelors Guide to Mat
kim0ny."
Barbara watched him out of sight
Knd then straightway forgot all about
him in the thrilling occupation of
Ecribbling in various styles of chirog
Faphy, Barbara Mathews, Mrs. Ber-
tram Mathews, Mr.. and Mrs. Bertram
Mathews" ETC., on the page margins
sf her magazine.
Whats in a nameY commented
masculine voice suddenly over her
shoulder
Barbara, blushing pink to the tips
Of her ears, closed the magazine with
bang, tucked it under her arm and
started to beat an indignant retreat.
Bertram, however, observing that
there were only empty chairs for wit
nesses, playfully barred her exit.
Around the table he chased her in a
scandalously undignifed scramble. If
walls have eyes as well as ears, surely
the forbidding legal tones on the sur
rounding "bleachers" had never be-
fore been spectators to anything SO