The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-12-13
THE WRONG SIDE
By VINCENT c. PERRY.


Teddy Brent wasn't used 10 being
snubbed-before an the boys Of ,he
stan, too that was the rub. In the
city his breezy sunshlny air had won
him many friends and his ready vii
kept them around him IN droves. There
wasn't a girl IN the Office who wouldn't
jump at the chance Of going out to
lunch with hlm-that was before this
little girl from his home town came
to push In the plugs on the switch.
board.
He recognized her the first day-+-lit-
tie Madge Murray, whom he had
taught in the village school the first
year after he left the normal, the year
he found out he wasn't cut out for a
teacher and left for the city to try
his hand in the newspaper game. She
had written him such nice school-girlie
letters that first year IN the city, and
when he went home for the first WELL
earned vacation he spent most Of it
boatlng with her. Then after that he
forgot all about her, oR thought he did
IN the whlrl Of growing popularity and
gay times in the city. She had written
him once or twice. but he didn't find
time to answer with more than a pic
ture post card now and then. To his
"See who's here I'm awfully glad to
see you, Aladge" she puckered her
pretty lips into a stiff and formal,
'How-d0you-do" and turned to her
switchboard.
She had improved. he noticed, as he
passed through the Office on the way
back from the lunch he hadn't touched
improved not in her attitude toward
him but in appearance.
Madge answered the buzz Of Teddy's
telephone. When he asked for an ex-
PLANTATION of her coolness the only an
swer he got was: "What number did
you want" He hung up his receiver
with disgust and didn't try again for
days.
The other men on the staff were not
so coolly treated by the new girl on
the switchboard. Teddy noted with |
alarm her preference for Billy Gibbs.
Billy and his wife were not on speak! |
ing terms and Billy was trying to get
a divorce.
Teddy resolved to talk to Madge, but I
when she answered his telephone call,
she wouldn't listen to him. He wasn't
going to suffer the humiliation of per-
sonal Interview. He tried to talk to
her over the phone time and again, so
to get rid Of him Madge switched him
on the central line The girl at cen-
tral heard all that was intended for
Madge and made an appointment with
Teddy. He thought 1t was Madge.
While Madge was trying to get CEN
tral for the manager she heard over
the wire the telephone operator there
talking to one Of the other girls. "Yes.
just made date with one of those
reporters at the Times. He was the
cutest thing" the girl was saying.
'Hello, Times, give me the foreman
Of the composing room" the operator
broke in on Madge. Realizing the mis-
take she had been the cause of Madge
couldn't help listening to the next con-
versation.
"Hello, Dick, Flora speaking.
Dreadful headachel Tomorrow night
-good-by."
Madge worried about it all after
noon. She had been very foolish in
Ter treatment of Teddy, she thought.
But she couldn't blame herself for
reating him so coolly. She had cared :
% much for him that summer and :
hought he cared, too, but he had :
poiled It all by sending her post cards :
IS he would to his little sister. :
Late that afternoon Madge got a 5
all in a feminine voice for the fore :
nan Of the composing room. Probably :
e was as tickle as the girl at cen :
raj, she thought. 1t would ease her :
a little if he was, so she :
stened to find out
'This is Peg speaking, Dick. Thought :
d let you know Flora has made a :
ate with one Of those fresh reporters =
Or tonight, at WHY'S, I think"
'TT get him." Madge heard Dick :
iutter as he put up the receiver
Then she was in panic. She couldn't :
It Teddy go to that place. perhaps to- :
e murdered. =
Malge WIS at WHY'S first She :
)ok good care Of that at the expense
a hasty preparation. She would :
Ike to have "fussed" little more, but =
10 hoped Teddy would not notice that. =
erhaps he would be mean and treat :
er like a little girl, as he had done ::
sf0fe, she Thought, but when she saw ::
ie pleased look on his face VIXEN he ::
Iught sight Of her waiting for him, =
lie knew he wouldn't =
'Now, dear, since you told me how =
offended you and have accepted my -
lmblest apologies, and my promise =
'ver to send another post card to =
~ as long as I live, won't you tell =
e what made you change your mind -
ID manner toward me7n Teddy =
ked. =
Madge breathed a sigh of relief as =
e noted the departure Of the tall =
n in green who had been waiting Inn =
tiently for more than half an hour. -
ucf hncauco / xroc fonlfch Uoddry =.