The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-18
copyright, 1919 by Associated Lit


y lARp}flSTts ASiH, ug AssoSteStA LA
erary Press,
Stanley Pierce, at his desk in the
8 middle Office, bent his head over his
bookkeeping and wished TO goodness
that when he stayed to work overtime
the girls in the outer Office would go
home ana stop their chatter. He was
at the head of his department, and was
anxious that there should be no errors
be was always coming to the oihce
early and leaving late. His fine shctl-
ders were stopped little. and his dark
hair was thinning on top He vas
probably thirty--he looked forty His
face WAS weary and passive Then.
hearing has name spoken In lueenie
Dawsons clear young voice. he looked
zap quickly, showing a pair of dark
eyes. alert and been.
..N-las STANLEY Pierce - she asked,
and Rutite Carter replied.
Lets ask him anyhow. He belongs
to the force as much as We
More" snapped Queeuie; hes been
here q hundred years, and he's thou
sand years old"
Ruth interrupted her And it's tho
first free saturday afternoon OF the
summer tomorrow, and We need
another man for the picnic anyway,
He may not go, but let's ask him.
e4a-....t4 he'd e4.4ss 4tr-44s AAs.s
WAY out somewhere with an old maid
sister. Its no wonder he's drying up!
I'm not a missionary" retorted
Queeraie He'll think it his duty to 20
and will be wet blanket on the fun.
imagine him trying 10 firt' Do leave
hifn in peace. girls. and ask reat,
I'VE IT 'ttc't y sfft'+
column of figures"
40 declared Rutfi' ana |assie set
onaso her. -.
49, saseu 10 loai ahs 49, -
il4-1s. -. - M .
s AZ, s's !, 49,. 49, o. s,,,,,,.n nm hin,
H.,sh ,,a.r, wal,, only vo,,'i nave
.na sni,as, aax, ., vonr, ufs far vo,ij
y have "a annex bin,--I won't,"
Then. some one seemed suddenly
TO be aware that the door was ajar:
frightened little %sileuce followed
Pierce heard a auunr@ssed gigole! and
fhen he rememherea II was shameful
10 listen. and steppea softly through
tha oman door hack into the private
K s.ffirc. now deserted. He was safely
inside when one of the girls looked
into the middle room. and marked
rplfh reti.f thar nrnhablv ne had been
os,t ~ hearing distance
Ffve minutes later searnfnr1v ante
IL ,.pccnxr,o,,s or ,ha o,hers he came
o,,t and urenarea To leave The girls
gathered nanitent,v ahont h.,n-aave
3 faaAs.aia ash., hsia her. head etsh aud
watched him Prom corner as So.
asltnx.ad her han
Game 10 a nark nicp,e with ,,s TO-
xrorraw Mr p,erca do,s heyyat
Rs,thte In her s,veat Sashion lei
yn,tr garden go ~ weeds and have !,
Hff1a fonf watra !. mar short---e, nd
yns, reat a charya aryhou
ia cnns,aerea the rirl with amused
ev.4. ,h.y ,a1l..a ~, -, encounter ~ a
fsamsa ana hsr cfaar hin. sv.s fet,
& II rar,fnsis,,, 7, vas d,sturh,re
gave far chem hoth but tna man xras
enc, eransr
- shaIi he chad "a cop,a" ,a saia
casven,tnnaffv u baa atr,oat forgot.
ION there were sueh Thing. as n,cn,cs
M We s,art Sror, hsre 81
After disc,,asinp details for "a mo-
ment. they separated And stanley
pierce went home 10 think Had the
I .ira a,aan r,~htp was no wa, hlar~
kat IL inooren, fun9 oueania,s r,.,,,.
liant yc,,nm vofea nar Artxh+~ eann
haunted his memory
The next sfternoon M Piarca,a sug-
restion. the little basket laden Marty
n. tha fr+ar,,rba,, ,,a ,, ,,as.sd me rsrs
& are hs xot osy a, s.r,n ~ nnar
uflaunaa All ynn. hIoasaraa and
s.,yr aba,,, ,har, ora ,nar. ~. r,,,,.,,
rearr., aastos~ ~ anu,a~. xyaraa,tn.
.asr,,,t az .rass,, h,ustsas x,,,,a,, 80
taIl,n~ ars lam,h,ar r,.rr s,,,.x
1890 go p,,,,, "a 49, ~
..,,,.,r .,t,.,s h.s 49, .ai,,.e '..s.
ss...ss.,,s...-s -. ,,.ss.a.s...Is. = y.
80. So. p,ar.sn sssssss .si1
- 9..,aa.st. X .as.sua nnnss ~
49, - o.ss .n NV. W
A.a Z. eH ~ ~ no Ies.'
$500 - nis.' lhe slri WIS soon
-. 800 y. nnas pIaassu. Ing oacS
- va " la1nihk that 81
t'.A sno mho,c sIoup came uhoef
80 spsn. Why nag tney NOT sen pc
that ne was an out-oi &ooors
wig hau ne hiuoeh nls hho"i-
Z ease Oh MOWERS anu plants humorous
euse 81 movers ana pants OF Wild
nooa creatures ms QUICK humorous
opse.s atiohs on me in general.
icFaIa evening they began TO
mink OF a place TO spread the supper.
hut ne said ne knew the loveliest
spot Imaginable, and not 80 far away.
n they would come with him I'M
Inediately the band was on the march.
Pierce. still with Queenie beside him.
4 led the way, plucksng flower for
F her here. helping her under q fence
there. once cutting a willow twfg ana
making her a whistle that would have
delighted the heart OF small boy.
And he lifted her like child over a
little brook. Looking up at him. she