Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-07-06

fortune which she couldn't spend IL
she was to take all her time to It,"
He remembered how he had pic
tured her ecstasy over the tea-set--
she, who could have bought out Kit
ties with little of her loose changei
She'll think she's dreaming fairy
stories!" he quoted himself bitterly.
None of these excuses did he make
even in his own heart.
With dull apathy he remembered
the gilt mirror and the work. box and
the tea-kettle.
He remembered, too, the veneered
mahogany rocker at Kittles's-the one
that was to have stood by the window,
That night after supper he walked
wearily around to Kittles's to tell him
not to save the rocker.
So immersed was he in his heart
achy gloom that he didn't hear his
landlady from her doorway call, Hi,
Mr.. Chapwell!"
Nor, of course, her subsequent as
surance to the slim young girl in dark
blue who stood on her doorstep,
Hurry on, miss! You'll catch him
easy"
But it was not easy to catch him,
| though the girl in dark blue hurried
| and hurried and hurried.
Now and then, when the passers-by
were not noticing too much, she took
little running steps, but even then she
did not overtake him until he had
| actually turned in Kittles's door.
T.
stood within, ieaning against it, too
breathless for the moment to speak.
II thought I'd never catch up" she
| gasped, her boyish eyes smiling into
| his.
| Speechless, he stared back at her.
| She went on.
Il wanted to apologize for yester-
day-that trick ! played - but I
couldn't do it in the store in front of
every one. Could l? So got your
address from the manager, but when
i got there you'd just left, and you
wouldn't turn once to look back, or
slow down. or anything. l thought
I'd never catch up!"
| Then Kittles, displaying chairs to q
woman customer in the rear Of the
store, turned and saw them.
| "Blest IL there he amt nowi" he
exclaimed in delighted surprise.
He left his customer and came for
ward, nodded with businesslike po-
likeness to the girl, and then spoke
eonfdentially to young Chapwell.
Nov, look here" he said, you
know that chair you're going to buy
for your young lady7 Well, / got .
customer back here that wants it bad.
Wouldn't care to give it up, would
your"
"She can have it."
Khtles's face dropped with disap-
pointment.
But ! told her she Couldn't"
"She can have it," young Chapweu
repeated. 1--WE decided not to get it."
"But I want you to have it," Kit
ties persisted. Even If you amt got
the money now, it's all right"
No" young Chapwell began to
object, but Kittles wouldn't let him
do 1t. He returned back to his wom-
an customer.
I'm goin' to hold 1t for you," he
warned young Chapwell.
The young girl drew bit nearer to
the dusty onyx table and to young
Chapwell, a little of the gay daring
and the brightness gone now from her
eyes.
Il wish you'd let me buy it for
her." she begged
DON'T" he stopped her sharply.
The girls mouth dropped with her
hurt.
Il know" she said, that you're
awfully put out about yesterday, and
I'd like the chair to be a peace offer
ins and "a sort of thank you for the
awfully nice time l had yesterday"
She looked at him anxiously. You
ARE cross, aren't you?" she said.
He shook his head. No. he wasn't
cross.
He would have answered il he could
"Of course, i shouldn't have done.
that yesterday" she admitted. But
1t WAS fun. selling things. and I've
always wanted to. / think it's in my
blood. You see," she explained sim.
ply, her boyishly frank eyes upon hiss
until they gave back to him for the
moment the strange illusion that she
was again Forty-One, some one of
whom he might take care and make
happy with pink and gold tea-sets and
mahogany rockers
you see," she was continuing
when my father met my mother she
was clerk in dry-goods store and he
was in a grocery. ] was born above
a little five and ten, the first store my
father owned. And we'd never in this
world be where we are now if MOTH
er's brother hadn't died In Alaska and
left us some gold-that and father =
nerve and luck.
|