Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-01-27
Rather
Unconventional


Her big brown eyes made Farley
gasp.
It's a common oversight" said Fair
ley, affably. I've known business
men to do the same thing"
Farley noted the slender beauty of
the hand, which trembled a little as
it took up the pen to indorse the
check. He also noted the odd, child
ish signature. which ran uphill in a
series of spasmodic, waving strokes
and then suddenly ended in a long,
dashing curve like a childs valiant
attempt to make its importance felt
I'm sorry gave you so much trou-
BILE" she said, softly. IL think I'll re-
member next time"
mo trouble at all" said Farley.
He was accustomed to looking at all
sorts of girls through his grated win
dow-big ones and little ones, blondes
and brunettes, brave little business
women who could talk learnedly about
the difference between certified and
cashiers checks and women who in
dorsed checks on the wrong end and
NAA ONhSl d<Alh uCCubs Dul hO Du6 Vi I'll
these had caused him flutter of the
heart. Why, then, he wondered,
should that soft voice echo n his ears
long after the owner had gone? Why
should he still see that little three
cornered brown face, with the big
eyes, an hour afterward?
1t was some weeks later that one
day in a crowded lunchroom he found
himself being apologized to profusely
by a young woman who, with dis
heveled and detected look, was wan
dering about helplessly with an empty
tray, occasionally coming near enough
to the counter to be waited upon, but
always being pushed aside by the
more accustomed and successfully pu-
gtlistic seekers after provender.
I'm so sorry" said the young WON.
an. I'm afraid l gave you an awful
punch in the back, but couldn't help
it. I'm having perfectly terrible
time. l don't believe I'm ever going
to get anything to eat"
Farley laughed with pleasure on
recognizing the girl of the unindorsed
check. Come with me-" he said. 81
think I'm more accustomed to this
sort of place than you are"
She hesitated. Il don't know wheth-
er my brother Tom would like It," she
said. Still, l think he'll understand
when tell him. Surely he wouldn't
want me to starve to death"
With some difficulty he managed to
keep her to the business in hand I'M
til she had her tray filed, in spite of
the delay caused by her tendency to
ask advice of the serving women, who
were too busy Shaping portions Of
food on the plates as they were pre-
sented in kaleidoscope succession to
take more than a minute to gaze at
her In supreme contempt. After awhile,
however, they were headed toward the
tables and with some difficulty Fair
ley found two places at the same
table.
Perhaps you would rather would
sit somewhere else?" he questioned.
mo, | wouldn't" she replied, "but
my brother Tom would think it was
awful for us to sit together. ~
don't know what's the matter with
bAONASA AOLhs 1lO lutuhb II IeTTlDlG
to talk to people unless they've been
introduced. don't see what differ
ence it makes if you like people"
Your brothers right" said Farley,
reluctantly. II hope we shall meet
some day in properly conventional
way"
Seated on the other side of the
room, he watched her consuming her
luncheon in a dainty way that filed
Farley with secret joy, nauseated as
he was by the awful sight of famished
women's daily stocking"
! Farley haunted that particular
lunchroom many times during the sue
ceeding weeks, but in vain. Neither
did the girl appear at the bank win.
dow. He had almost given up hope
Of seeing her again, when one morn
ing on his way down town he suddenly
heard her voice.
Il don't mind standing, Brother
Tom" she was saying. Really and
truly don't, but I'm going up here
by the door so can brace myself"
She stumbled over Fairley's foot as
she passed him, walking not very
steadily, He made an attempt to
rise ana at the same moment she gave
a little clutch at the strap above his
head. The car lurched, she missed the
strap, planted her little hand on Fair.
ley's chest, and then tumbled down
upon him.
She gave little scream of terrified
laughter, put out her hands Ike a
baby and tried to struggle to ner feet
An angry Brother Tom could be seen
looming up at little distance when
the car swung about In the other di
rection and in a moment she and Fair
ley were both swaying dizzily about in
the aisle.
When they were finally dlsentangle6
and she was seated. she looked up into
his face, her cheeks glowing, and
! gave a cry OF recognition