The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-04-26
Coailess
Monday
~0
D MARCIA

"WW you please set on tho WireT
The voice, though young and feminine.
was moi entirely pleasant
Il believe I took my receiver on
nrat," came back good-naturediy. Il
am trying 20 get the ianitor. Are you
the janltor'p wifef'
How ridiculouni where IL the ele-
vator bog to answe the phonet I
want the janltor."
A laugh cnne back through tho
telephoue. Everybody wants the jani-
tor. The last 1 heard he had gone
out % try and buy soft coal ! dare
nay you're IN the same boat that I
am-froren 20 death In your apart
menL You know u won't DO any good
10 kick. but. Ike me. nothing else VIII
keep you warm"
There was no nswe Freda tn
sons receiver slammed back GA the
hook that held u, and n she had been
inclined TO talk 90 herself In her little
apartment she might have muttered
something about an impertincnt
creature who dared TO talk 10 a girl
when he did not know her. and that
she hadn't the most remote idea who
Il was. That would have been a nb.
however, for she really did know that
u was the young man who dwelt In
bachelor state In the somewhat more
spacious and luxurious apartment In
'front.' Of her own. the greater luxury
and higher rent Of his apartment be-
Ing due 10 The tact that while he
managed 70 draw 10 himself a weekly
check for $40 for writing "thrllers' for
n popular weekly, she pounded a type
writer somewhere In the downtown"
district to the tune Of sixty a month.
To her. having an apartment Of her
own. with a little place she could call
home, was a luxury that she had
earned BY much economy IN the way
OF amusement and pretty clothes.
HIS living there was put down 70 his
New England origin. for Victor Paige
was more OF a miser than a spend
thrift. and he would rather dine alone
on the simple fare that his visiting col
ored housekeeper made for him than
70 spend many ducnts In allurlng res
tauranta. Now Il happened that the
typewriter that Freda Tilson pounded
was located In the very once whittier
Victor Paige occasionally strolled 10
deliver his manuscript. and mayhap
chin with the editor. Perhaps she felt
q secret grievance. because. though
uhe had noticed the coincidence that
he frequented her once and also abode
under the same roof, he had sought
no excuse 20 speak 10 her m they
passed In the hnIls going home o. ven
turing forth. II does 20 strange
that Victor never sought the excuse,
for Freda would have been good 10
speak 20. And there wns nothing re-
polling IN her round blue eyes. But
then. Victor cnme from New England,
A. Freda performed the task OF
busting and Strengthening up her little
apartment clad 90 the chin In q
sweater and wearing gloves on her
hands as she worked. she listened In
tently for a ring At her doorbell that
would mean that the letter she wal
waiting for had come. When all
chance OF the delivery was over she
descended 20 the entrance 20 make
sure that the boy IN attendance ther'
had not failed TO deliver II 10 her.
Strange that Victor Paige should
have gone forth at the same time. III
waited while she made her complaint
~In the FIRST place." she said. 1T Il
perfectly ridiculous that on the on'
day In the week when we have 20 b
home, and when Il would really seen
that apartments and houses ought 4
have enough coal TO make them com
Portable. we should be made TO sune
In this way. How ! nm ever going 4
write on my typewriter, with hand
stin from cold. IA more than I can tell
II seems most extraordinary that m,
manuscripts did not como by the mai
this morning. My ONCE IA closed. AM
Il IN absolutely necessary for me b
typewrite some revised manuscrlp
that the editor was sending by specla
delivery. Are you quite sure nothinI
has come for met"
The dusky skinned attendant nodde'
IN the negative.
"And IL there no hope OF any heati
Again n negative nod.
-well. then. the only thing for m
10 do il 20 60 and get some oil. Than
goodness. I bought a stove"
Now Il wal vlctor's inning. Havln
heard Freda's plalnt and the unsatii
factory replies, he did not mention Ii
frind atmosphere hat prevailed In hi
apartment as well as la hers.
II say, Obadinh--beg pardon, l foI
got your name was Hannibal-yo
haven't seen anything Of q stray me
senger boy with a typewriter. hay
your OF course you haven't. Blu
Jon see, the place ! usually dictate m
copy Il closed. and ] was going I
= pound Il out for myself today. so
sent for a typewriter. But ] guess the
had too many orders before mine. We
n there's no hope for heat m have
! burn OIL"
's And he returned 20 his rooms. cal