Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-04
SECOND SECTION
Evening Star S
Daily Story
YOUNG MR.. GAY
ny DOROTHY BLAoKMoRE.
opyright, 1914, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.

WIS source or amusement 10 his
friends. especially to his fellow clerks
in the village bank Young Mr..
Gay" they called him, and as he was
the least young and the least gay of
them all there was hardly a day on
which some sort of fun was not made
of him.
But Mr.. Gay was not ill-natured;
on the contrary, he was patient and
never became angry with the con-
stant jests; and yet he often won
dered why he happened to have been
born Gay. The "Young Mr.. Gay
was easily explained, because his
father before him had been in the
bank, and after he had passed away
the name of the Junior member of
the family had become SO well es-
tablished with the young" prefixed
that the man himself firmly believed
that If he lived to be four-score-and-
ten he would still be known as Young
Mr.. Gay.
AT less than half that age Young
Mr.. Gay had occasion to take active
interest in village political ques-
ton, and when election day came and
he felt his pet appropriation almost
the polling booths with other villag-
ers and the usual election day
crowds. =
young Mr.. Gay almost deserves
his name today, boys!" laughed a
fellow bank clerk.
Does him good to get out and
hustle for the good of the village"
said another.
A third man stepped into the
nj MT a Rnharf
Gays shoulder. With the other hand
he pointed across the streets to a
small window in which hung a yellow
banner. "If Young Mr.. Gay feels SO
good. maybe he has the nerve to go
across the street there and tell those
fair ladies that 1t is unlawful for
them to have their club open today.
They are within 100 feet of the polls;
What of it?" asked Mr. Gay. rs
it political organization?"
"Woman Suffrage Club-see the
banner-Thirteenth Assembly Dis
trictl Read it,"
Mr. Gay did read the words. Him
self. he had never been interested in
whether or not women had the right
to vote. He had no women folks OF
his own and the few friends he had
were not interested in the question.
"Who wants the club closed?" he
asked, looking about.
"All of us, but-well, it's rather
delicate thing to have to do. And
yet women can vote on these par
ticular questions today-questions of
appropriations, school matters, etc..
and there is no reason why those
women cannot be electioneering in
side those rooms. Do you see?' The
man was growing a little. excited.
why don't you go-you seem to
have the courage of your convic-
tions?" asked Mr.. Gay, seriously.
"Oh--you'd do 1t so much better and
you don't know any Of the mem
bers."
do go, Mr.. Cay" urged another.
And finally, without the least
idea that he was doing what was
right. but because he was urged into
going. young Mr.. Gay crossed the
street and entered the little club
charmingly- room lay
before him. He could hear voices
behind a large screen at the far END.
Presently a well-dressed, handsome
woman stepped out.
1Who is in charge here?" asked Mr..
Gay.
The woman seemed to hesitate for
an instant. Then she smiled delight
fully and said: IT believe am-since
I'm president OF the club" She
stepped nearer to the stranger.
"Well-ah-that is, believe you
are violating the law by having these
rooms open today within 100 feet OF
the polls" Mr. Gay managed TO
stammer.
the woman and the conversation be-
hind the screen ceased. 1t was an
awkward moment for Robert Gay.
"I,m sure we didn't know II" the
woman began earnestly and without
a particle OF anger. "If that Ia the
case-why, of course, We'll close. II
she looked around her at the
dainty tea tables. at the percolators
steaming and emitting the fragrant
rybIffs Of brewing coffee-"it Is too
I'D we didn't know 1t before we made
3 nreparations. You see, we are open
every day as a tea room, and we pre-
nared extra things today because we
thought a number Of the men who
were In the village to vote might
want a cup of coffee and some or our
homemade dainues. I'm SO sorry,
but, of course, II were trying 10 see
a voice in the making of laws we
mustn't begin by breaking them,
must we?" She smiled again and
Young Mr. Gay smiled in return.
"Perhaps-that is, If you Will just
renove YOUR banner from the win
dow I can induce the men across the
street who have made the protest TO
withdraw It. I'm very sorry, =
'tOh," said the woman graciously,
s.fiaat would be so nice-but don't get
yourself into trouble over it,"
Robert Gay assured her that ne
would not. and as he bowed himseir
out he had feeling OF regret at
leaving. ,..,
When he returned to the little
group of men a lawyer had Joined
them and he had been explaining,
during the absence of Mr. Gay. that
no law could close those clubrooms;
that 1t was not yet recognized by the
State as a political organization.
''I really should apologize" Robert
Gay said when he had heard the de-
cision.
hurt them" his fellow clerk said.
13ut on the following afternoon at
4.30 Robert Gay entered the little
teeroom. and was disappointed not
70 find the president of the club there.
Srbe little maid said that she ex-
nected Miss Tracy at any moment
ana offered Mr.. Gay a cup of tea.
Mr.. Gay did not like tea, but he
ordered a small pot of 1t, together
with some muffins-and he never
was known to eat between meals.
In time he was rewarded by
sight of Miss Tracy entering the little
cllbroom. He arose and went toward
bsr. Miss Tracy, 1 have come to
apologize for my interference of yes
Miss Tracy waved away his trouble.
"Don't-I beg of you. You were so