Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-29

| Tommy Carstairs early in his career
made up his mind to keep level heat
and not let his heart run away with
him. Fate had been unkind ant
brought him to poor parents and the
lack of the silver spoon had caused
Tommy considerable discomfort. But
J as he grew older he consoled himself
. with the thought that "all things come
| to him who waits" Also, he argued
There are as big fish in the sea as
ever were caught" This was com
fort. He would watch his chance and
marry some girl who happened to be
an only daughter Of some rich old fel'
low with bad heart.
So he settled down to his ledger at
Smith & Dewey's, fairly we'll content
ed with life confident that time was
all that was needed to consummate his
plan
Therefore it was with keen annoy
ance that he awoke one morning realiz-
ing that he had made a fool Of himself
the night before and, quite before he
knew what he was doing, had propos-
ed to Clorinda Mowry, one of the steno'
graphers at the office.
Tommy had been afraid Of Clorinda
He had caught himself time and again
watching the outline of her head
a~ainst the big plate glass window and
h,r hair had a way of catchoing the
sun and rejecting it into his eyes that
was quite annoying. He had caught
up several mistakes in his rows Of t1g-
ures that he was sure were due to
Clorindas hair. Once in a while, IS
she put new paper into the machine or
stopped to pick out some complicated
dictation, she managed to fash smile
in his direction that gave his heart
alarming momentum.
And being fully aware that the girl
would wreck all his carefully laid plans
for a prosperous future If he were not
exceptionally cautious, 1t was ridicu-
lous that he had allowed his feelings
to get the better of him just because
a silly boat upset and he thought she
was dying. He had called her his darl-
ing And he had told her she must
live for him, thathe adored her and so
on.
Then light broke upon his gloom.
Had he really proposed to her? Tell
ing a girl you love her and that she Is
so-and-so and so-and-so doesn't mean
that you have offered her your heart
and hand. He bathed and dressed hur-
riedly, breakfasted and made for the
office He had plan.
"The vacation lists are out and I'll
sign up for mine right away. BY the
time get back perhaps Clorinda will
have forgotten what said. Besides if
go to Kenebunket or Menobscot,
where millionaires are at a discount, I
may be able to persuade some fair
maid to take me on for keeps. Why
not?"
And so, leaving Clorinda with no
more affectionate farewell than pres
sure of the hand and a look that he
tried to make full of meaning without
being too committal, and saying that
turned he packed up his bags, tennis
racket and golf sticks-the latter more
for impression than for utility-bought
his ticket and departed.
b He had chosen Kenebunket and he
had chosen we'll. The names on the
hotel register made his head swim and
the rates made him dizzy. But Tom.
my had planned his campaign long
enough ahead to be prepared for just
such an emergency. He had saved up.
Ten dollars a day for two weeks would
be one hundred and forty dollars.
Counting car fare, he had two hundred
to blow in. He signed his name with
flourish-"W Thomas Carstairs,
New York" Tommy had always been
a bit proud of his name.
And now for the girls!
Wall 4hsra issno use In relating that