The Lamar register., 1913-03-12
ONCE KEPT A DAIRY
sy KENNETH JONES.


1ookng" inquired the little stenogra
phsr ~ she turned toward the book
hooper and scrutinized him carefully
Defore opening her desk for the day
did you ever keep q daryl" asked
he bookkeeper by way of reply.
"Oh, you poor mani" exclaimed the
little stenographer, understandingly.
Bone one found 1t, of course"
He nodded and sighed.
"Of course. I might try to comfort
you BY saying we all learn by expert,
encs and there's nothing that time
Doesn't heal and such things. but l
won't. It's all just 30 much rubbish
70 the person you try to comfort. So
I'll Just admit that it's . perfectly aw-
eul scrape. I can see that some one
has found 1t who oughtn't to know"
my kid brother" explained the
bookkeeper, laconically.
What As bad as thatr' exclaim-
ID the little stenographer. Mortified.
Its one kept quite 4 while ago
keeper. Frightening up At the prospect
Of unburdening his mind and gaining
bympathy. II noticed for two or three
days that Bill was grinning at me in
. mysterious way and this morning he
made known the secret. He found
It In an old coat pocket up in my
closet used the pocket as a hiding
place. and haven't had that coat out
In ages to go through the pockets.
you see." he went on, 81 kept that
diary when had an awful case of un-
dying love for = girl. and. of course.
It's all about her. When I see her
coming now make a bee line for the
next corner and turn the other way.
Why. I never even want to meet any
one with her first name. But my
present feelings didn't influence what
I wrote in that diary-not a bit!
when It happened was ashamed
Of going with any girl and I kept It
all . secret. telling the folks at home
that was going to be out with some
Of the fellows when I went to see her.
And a. the diary wasn't dated-for I
considered that unnecessary-there's
no proof that the whole thing isn't of
present standing!
"Bill called me aside today and
whispered audibly. 80 the whole fam
lily heard: Have you written in
your diary this morningr When l
looked my surprise-for. of course, the
truth didn't dawn on me for q sec
ond-he laughed and pulled out the lit
tie red leather book! That brought
1t all back with lightning speed. Then
he darted out Of the door before I
could get hold Of him.
The family began to make inquir-
les. Soon Bill put his head in at the
window and said he wanted to speak
to me . minute. When 1 refused he
called out: oh. well. I'll just read
a page from this little red book to
amuse the family SO he began to
shout some silly trash about Mildred.
I rushed out hurriedly to buy him on.
But he won't be bought on. That
is. not once for all He demanded 81
this morning. because his roller skates
need to be put into condition. I've
always thought 10 cents too much for
fim. SO you can imagine that the dol
lar came hard! But he wouldn't part
with the book. and although I begged
him all morning until I left to give It
to me he simply thought up schemes
for levying blackmail.
Il don't dare thrash him and take
away the book. because he's quoted
SO much of II from memory that I
know he's got It all by heart. and he'd
repeat It with interest II given half .
chance. II he did. Of course. couldn't
disprove II. without showing the orig
inal!
And to think It was about Mildred!
Why. she's putty-faced and has the
disposition Of . poodle. and she hasn't
any more style than q bag Of pota-
toes. and-oh. she's absolutely the
limit! Bill would 90 and read the
whole thing to her in . minute II he
took the notion. I don't know how
I'm going to existi I'm totally in his
power. and It means ball games even
when I have pesvious engagements!
1t means taking him along in the eve
nings II he wants to 60! It means .
thousand trials that will make death
blessed thing 70 contemplate!
why ON earth do people make
such fools Of themselves? What good
did It do me - keep that horrible
diary. anyway I never read 1t over.
and 1t makes me hot to think of the
good summer hours I wasted writing
the stun Just 70 amuse Bill"
But why don't you let him do his
vnrQf Sss <h~ Ntk1n