Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1918-12-14

bowls into his dictaphone. No stenog-
rapher could keep up with him.
Now, temperamentally Tom was not a
fast talker. 1t was an acquired habit,
and his Idea of happy home to go to
after working hours was home where
there were not five sisters and aunts
and things, and where one could talk
as slowly or as little as one chose. 1t
was because he had so often thought
how restful such home would be that
he began to think about matrimony.
and with matrimony on his mind and
SO thoroughly delightful young wom-
an as the new telephone operator In
ones Office, no one with Toms prefer
ence for round blue eyes and smooth
feminine voice could long stay out Of
love. But though Tom could talk
chopping bowls and other business
matters fluently enough, when it came
to telling this young lady of his state
Of mind and heart his lingual talents
forsook him. But he went on dream
ing and even priced household furni-
ture and consulted real estate agent.
lor so regarding small apartments.
Sometimes he got some small cOnsO-
lation in telling other people what a
wonderful telephone operator he had,
and expounding his theory that it paid
to have a really first-class girl on that
presidents son, Mr.. Dawson, of this
theory.
But you know" began Mr.. Dawson,
'that young woman didn't come from
the agency; you see"
"She didn't come from the agency"
mo-" said Dawson; "you didn't give
me chance to explain, and you didn't
give her chance, either. You see,
Mrs. Dawson
Tom swallowed hard, and it seemed
as if the sun went into temporary
eclipse. 81 congratulate you on rare
treasure" he gulped. "She is wonder
full"
"She has high opinion of you, too"
said Mr.. Dawson, and somehow Tom
thought this was an especially inappro-
pirate remark. He didn't want to be
thought well of by the woman he had
loved in vain. He would rather have
her detest him, now that he knew she
was married.
''We'd like to have you come to din
ner some time-make up little fam
lily party" said young Dawson, and
somehow the conversation closed here,
and Tom went back to his office to
talk chopping bowls to his dictaphone,
but the words would not come. In fact
for days and even weeks Tom lost his
and business began to slump. He was
working his ingenuity overtime trying
to think of way to get the charming
Mrs. Dawson out of his office. Instead
Of seeming like a nice, straightfor-
ward, round, blue-eyed girl as she had
seemed, she was vampire in dis
guise to him now, and every time she
beamed on him as he came and went,
he imagined cruel thoughts lurking be-
meath the sweet charm of the smile.
"Billy wants me to get you to come
home for dinner some time with u.s."
she said to him one day. "You have
been so cross lately / wouldn't ask
to begin with before you knew l was
a Dawson, and don't approve of let
ting misunderstanding creep up be-
tween friends in that way"
And poor Tom accepted for dinner
that very night and the blue-eyed
young woman telephoned home to
some one named Nora-the cook, of
course-that she would bring him
home for dinner and please have mush-
rooms and beefsteak, for she had heard
him say once that he liked them.
When 80 came and it was time to go
Tom waited for young Bill Dawson.
won't your husband call for us
here?" he said, and then as the blue
eyes drew up In quicker of question
ing-"Yes, Mr.. Bill Dawson, your hus-
band"
"Why, Bills my brother" said the
girl, and though it was late on dull
afternoon, the sun. came out of cloud
and the whole world was suffused with
happiness for Tom.
"You see, you didn't give me a
chance to explain. Nora, Bills wife,
backed out, and took the job instead.
I came that day to ask if I'd do, but
you didn't give me chance to say
word" She looked him frankly out
of those round eyes. 'Tom, you've
been so blue and miserable lately"
and she actually took his hand in her
two and he had to hold on to the desk
with the other to keep from floating
into the seventh heaven. tom, has it
been because you thought l was mar
ried-has it been because you cared?'
And Tom, the man with the tongue
that was hung in the middle, couldn't
do more than gasp meager "yes."
How 1t Came About.
''The worst winter remember was