The Parker post., 1914-12-26
!; ROMANCE EVERYWHERE
BY CORA PILSNER.
sssssessssssssssssssesssse

The little stenographer shuff1ed a
pile Of filing cards with languid air
and looked dreamily at the bookkeper.
what lot of romance there isl" she
said. Il mean what a lot of possibili-
ties for romance! Now suppose gust
of wind should come in and carry one
Of these cards down to the street, and
girl should pick it up and see the
name! Here's a card with the name
and address of Thomas Carlyle, a fas-
cinating name, l think. | seem to have
heard it somewhere, but no matter.
What if this card should be blown out
through the window?
"Why, that little girl down there
would find it, and she'd say, It's surely
fate!' And she'd take it home to her
bedroom and dream over it! Yes,
guess she'd carry it around in her
purse and snatch it out whenever she
was alone, fancying how he looks and
wondering what he'd say if she should
write him.
"Then, maybe, she'd actually de.
FC1Op LILO SOuI ago W w WudL uGI A0dll
dictated, and she would write him!
"And when he got the note way off
there in his little western town, he'd
sit down and picture to himself what
the girl who wrote it could be like!"
The little stenographer spoke dream
lily and the bookkeeper smiled with
patient condescension as he listened.
Then what did this Thomas Car
lyle, ranchman, do?" said the book
keeper, as the little stenographer
paused.
why" said the little stenographer,
he went up to his little shack and
sat down and wrote her q delightfully."-
breezy western letter, telling how glo-
rious 1t was out there! How his
ranch was paying, and how he needed
some one to share the enjoyment of it
all with him! He told how the fruit
was ripening and the flowers growing,
and how the bungalow was progress
ing up on the hill! Even as he wrote
he could feel her sympathy, and knew
| that she was counting on his letter!
"And then she would get it! And
| Immediately she would begin to feel
! that life was entirely worth while
again, because somebody needed her!"
She sighed gently with degree Of
sentimentality that irritated the book
keeper.
"Oh-no intermissions for fearful
music!" he commanded. eff you want
me to sit through it, hustle along the
next reel!"
We'll" obediently continued the
little stenographer, they'd correspond
of course, and they'd learn all about
each other. He would find that she
was getting only SIS a week, and
hadn't any home. Immediately he'd
write that she had lived this way long
enough, and he was coming right up
after her
"And when she'd write back she
would not tell him that she wasn't
ready or anything so silly, but she
would be frank and say that she'd
be waiting for him! And" Again
the little stenographer paused, over
come by the affecting vision.
well, well!" the bookkeeper delib-
erately descended from his stool. He
strobe over to where she sat- He
put a paternal hand on the head that
was held restfully on her hand. And
he smoothed her hair, as he spoke
did she have it so bad!" he said
soothingly. We'll, and why didn't she
just write to her Tommy Carlyle, and
begin things? Why doesn't she sit
her right down and prepare for ranch
life! Think Of the romance yoa're
missing, my child, while you pine away
here. when here's Tommy's address
plain as ink!" He lifted the card until
it was at a level with her eyes, but
she shook her head.
NO." she sighed. cit cannot be.
You see, I'm just sorting out the cards
Of the nand-outs-those who can't
pay their bills even if we go to law.
This name Carlyle heads the list!
This romance I've been spinning
wouldn't do for me, because l know
all about the names. I'll have to get
mine some other way!' Signing, she
shuff1ed the cards. = Chicago Daily
News.