The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-08-07
NO ANSWER REQUIRED
BY HELEN DERBY

sad 10 the architects assistant
have to consult-another perso,
When he was alone Philin tool
the plans and gloated over them h
and Rosamund had pOred over ~
all winter, and they had agreed 4,
the house would be perfect Na,-r
the architect, had almost lost hi, !,
thence as the young lovers ordered a,
one change and then another in M
plans of the house
And now the worm had turned N
temperamental Mr.. Nelson had 4
clared that it was an utter impossjNu
ity 10 build a flight OF stairs in M
manner directed by the future Nm
| Corning.
Now, Rosamund Delway was "a.
peramental as we'll as Oscar Nelsm]
therefore. when Philip broke the psv,
to her over the telephone and hipts1
that they must sit tight and acceo|
the plans as they were without fwy
Their changes. Rosamund PROMPTLY hi
formed him that she simply must mi
sist upon changing the pantry to th.k
other side of the kitchen because sin
had decided that the pantry spas
would be larger and, facing the ea,t|
end of the house. she could have WIN
she had always desired-a pantry win
dow overrun with morning glories.
1T would be so cute TO see them
every morning" she purred over the
wire.
1T will be cute to see Nelson's fac
when you offer him that arguments
he chuckled.
Il don't intend to see him-you must
tell him. Phil"
Il? Not on your life, darling" Ana
he had followed this inelegant remark |
with such wise reasoning that Rosa.
mund few into a pretty temper and
told him he could live alone in his old
house.
Thereupon she had hung up the re-
ceiver and Philip had continued to
stare at the space ahead of him with
blank incredulity in his eyes until cen
trails acid voice had twice demanded
Number"
That is how it happened that Philip
was alone when a messenger boy
brought him a small, square, white
package sealed with red wax bearing
Rosamund's monogram.
Wait, boy" ordered Philip, break.
ing the seals, but the lad was half
way down the outer Office.
mo answer required, sir!" he shout
ed back and presently the outer door
slammed
Philip glared at the sight Of the en-.
gagement ring he had given Rosa
mund. So the engagement was broken
and she wouldn't listen to reason
She had said, mo answer required"
He locked the ring in his safe and
sat down and wrote a note to Oscar
Nelson, architect.
Dear sir" Philip licked out on the
Their consideration l have decided 10
suspend operations upon my new houss
on Elm highway. Please send me an
accounting to date and will forward
check by return mail.
Faithfully yours, i
PHILIP CORNING"
And on the outside of the envelope
he wrote a line under the address
mo answer required" At least be
would be spared Nelson's hotheaded
protests.
Then he rang for a messenger boy.
Out on Elm highway, where charm
ing suburb was forming, little brown
shingled house had its eyes shattered
and its doors padlocked
People who knew all about the build
ers wondered what had happened to
stop operations, until the news filtered
through various sources that the en-
gagement was broken and the little
brown house would not be occupied
this summer. So the neighbors on
Elm highway ceased to watch for the
happy lovers, although Mrs. Bruce
Wade declared she had seen Philip
Corning stalking around the uni1n'
ished house in the moonlight.
One rainy day Philip slammed bis
desk cover and, struggling on q rain
coat, went for a tramp along Elm
highway. The steady downpour
soothed his restless spirit, and the
fresh, damp air was grateful after the
close atmosphere Of the office.
He turned into the gate and went
around to the back door. The sound
Of his coming was drowned in the falI /,
ing shower
Someone was standing on the back
porch, peering through the glass pan
els of the kitchen door-a forlorn III
tie figure In a raincoat, with the hood
drawn tightly over its head.
Philip recognized the figure-that
raincoat and that head he would have
known among a thousand. even mao
they been concealed under a busnei
basket, so keen are the eyes OF love.
He placed his hands on her shout
ders and turned her right about, her
face close to his own-a pale, thin IT.
tie face it was with wistful blue eyes
that frightened and then dimmed with
tears at sight Of him.
Il was-only--looking." she raj
tered.
AT our house?" asked Philip softly.
She trembled beneath his touch.