Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-12-10
MISS MERvYN's BANK CLERK


Alice ?n
"Alice as ever was!'
Poor Lady Neryyn," sighed she.
Now. if Elsie were to do such
thing
ooh. Elsie wouldn't he treasured her.
Indeed, hope you're right. I've al
ways thought that Alice was a strange
girl-full OF very extraordinary faneies.
And this appalling engagement proves
| it."
Jarvis, disagreeing, rose to 90. He
was due at the Mervyns' for lunch, and
had looked in on his aunt to tell the
news.
He found Lady Mervyn looking very
woebegone and dispirited. Pm 50 glad
to see you, dear Kenneth. Isn't this
dreadful? 1t has made me quite ill
and I'm sure she's not happy Nobody
| knows what to say. And I'm not at all
surprised ! don't myself"
He sat by sufficiently dispirited,
at a loss himself-and tried to comfort
her. Il honestly believe she's happy,
Lady Mervyn. She's not a child, you
| know | think she should decide what's
But walled Alice's outraged mother,
| this proves she doesn't! A bank clerk!
Of course, they're very worthy people
sometimes, and it may be just bad luck
but this one! It's very hard for u.s."
why not wait Bit" he advised
Don't be so miserable yet Things
may turn out better than you expect.
Is he's he really awful?"
Il don't know what you call really
awful-to me he's terrible. He's coming
today, Kenneth. Please-please stay
and see him."
Jarvis groaned inwardly, "Of course,
I'll stay" he said obligingly.
Kenneth. watching the color grow
fainter in Alice's cheeks, her tightening
lips, writhed in helpless anger Lady
Mervyn, mouth drooped--no sally of her
iovial husband lifting its corners for an
instant-hardly spoke at all, and Con-
stance, the younger sister suppressed
her giggles, and looked on in the keen
est interest
Kenneth escaped from Sir Peter Mer-
yyn as soon as possible after lunch. and
sought Alice.
He smoked in silence on the further
side of the hearth for a time.
"Other girls" said he, moodily, don't
cut their own threats like this. It's so
hopeless, Alice, for a woman to marry
beneath her"
Beneath me"
"Of course, beneath you. I'm sorry,
Alice. Pm brute But Pm so
Jolly sore about it all. | ought to take
my beating decently | know But to
lose you to a bounder'
Kenneth"
Pm sorry, again But everyone says
so, Let's hope,' he said, acidly angry
at won't be out of the frying pan into
the fire.
IF it is. I'm quite certain I shall like
the fire best"
OF course, | understand this much,
Alice. Whatever he is, or isn't, you
think he's all right l suppose that's
all anyone has to 90 on"
Il wish you'd marry a barmaid!" said
Alice suddenly. YOU'D certainly think
she was all right"
Il daresay | shall" he smiled
There's no knowing where | shall end.
My anchors gone, hooked itself on to
another ship. Alice, you very foolish
woman. why wouldn't you marry me?'
"Incomprehensible though it may
seem" she retorted. Il prefer my bank
clerk Kenneth. do love you VERY
much, really. but differently"
If | change my manner of dressing
and drop an aitch here and there, shall |
be more suceessful?"
''Ele doesn't! Did mother say he did 2"
Drop his aitehes? / don't think so.
Her complaints bordered on the ineo-
| I s,,J-
self today [ shall sit close by, ready
to snatch up any that fall before they
reach the ground
But later on he found there was no
occasion. Gerald Walkers aitches were
abundant enough, ultra-ab abundant, in
Jarvis private opinion. There is a
| happy medium in the use of aitches only
achieved by the upper classes.
But try as he would for the sake of
Alice, Jarvis failed to understand. The
man was a bounder, as he had been told.
rather good looking and dressed lust not
quite rightly He was shy, moreover
which Kenneth considered point in his
taNor-and hls conversational powers
seemed limited. There was none of the
humble alteration that Kenneth had an
tclpated in the bank clerks attitude to
Alice. He treated her on the contrary
with an amount Of brIsQueness that did
not prejudice the critic in his favor. 1t
was not till he consented to sing that
Kenneth could summon the slightest
kindly feeling toward him. But there
he could admire without stint, and
Aliee's face, as she listened. gave him
some clue to her state of mind. But
good Lord. what's voice." he reflected
rritably. These women"
When Mr.. Walker had departed. Ken
meth rose rather hurriedly to follow. but
Alice went with him to the head of the
stairs and laid firm hold of his coat
sleeve. Kenneth, You must tell me-"
Hes got glorious voice, Alice"
Her eyes glowed you do like it,
To me it's wonderful, And-and him?
Kenneth dropped his eyes, and looked
uneomfortah at her pretty hand ON
his arm.
IL, hesitation told her, and she moved