South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-12

To VAS monotOnous work Ina
Walker was doius. making nj ac-
counts for the month. She had
made it "a practice 20 find some
thing interesting In an her work and
as she typed each statement sho
broke the monotony by trying 70
draw "a mind picture of each per-
son for whom she was making out
q bin. Mrs. Urban was a fussy
widow who owned a dozen cats and
lived all alone. Mr.. Little was a tall
man with a great mOustache. Mrs.
Tibbett was very methodical. And as
she imaged what they all were like.
She had seen anv OF them and
never expected 20 have the pleas
ure OF finding out if her deductions
were correct. She stopped her ma
chine as she came 10 a familiar
name or the list-Alr. Lawrence
Wrisht.
Hasn't this Lawrence wright
paid his bin yet9" she asked Mr..
Armstroue. the OFFICER MANAGER.
His subscription is nearly three
years in arrears and j have billed
aim every moath for at least two
years"
40. ne hasn't. and / don't see
any way OF collecting it.. We have
sent "a collector there half a dozen
times. and the last time ne was
nearly thrown out. There is moth
ing for it but 20 keep rendering the
account. That's the way with these
gouue fellows with more money
tina brains-thcy don't think they
have 90 pay or anything. and III by
some miracle they do start paying
bills they leave a newspaper sub
scription 20 the last. I wish we
could cut him of the list and see
10 that would bring him 10 time. but
we can't. for ne is a friend of MIR.
Janes-a prospect for his daughter.
likely"
"Our collectors can't be Of much
use or they could collec, from a
man with lots of money" Ina said.
just loud enough for the head col
lcctor 90 hear.
Just try it Yourself. Miss walk
err" the head collector flashed.
II Will. and collect il. too. if Mr..
Armstrong viii consent" she laugh
ed. delighted at being able 10 ruffle
the calm of the collector.
Il am willing" the manager con
sented. You can start out now if
you like"
Ina had not been quite i'm earnest,
but she would not withdraw after
making the boast. she went back 10
her typewriter and worked me-
chanically until she finished the ac-
counts and then uncOncernedly put
ON her hat and started out TO col
lect the bill. on the car she tried
10 remember how she had pictured
Mr.. Lawrence Wright. but she had
pictured him so often. and each
time differently. She would have to
start picturing him all over again,
she decided. He would be pompOus
and Overbearins. short and fat. with
a long red nose, and would look her
up and down S III she were far be-
meath him socially. she would show
him that she could hold her own
with any man. and tell him just
what she thought of him IL n
didn't get a check TO cover the
amount of the bill.
He lived In q fashionable apart
MtNL mousse she thAleu MN lndls
even though he were fat and pomp-
@ she rang the bell at the door
bearing his name plate. The door
opened and the man before her was
fat and pompous. 4 second glance
told her 10 wasn't Mr.. Wright; il
was a butler i'm livery.
What Nance asked the butler.
II am from Mr.. James, she said
after q moments hesitation. 1t was
a bold step. but she felt it was nee
essary 20 gain an entrance. After all
she was rept esenting the president
of the Times indirectly.
The butler ushered her into the
reception room. She waited uneas-
i1y her eyes taking i'm the room. It
was very ta|stefully arranged and
decorated. she hoped Wright would
not appear i'm "a bathrObe-men i'm
bathrobes we're one of her aversions.
She was examining "a beautiful re-
production Of a masterpiece on the
wall when a slight sound told her
someone else was i'm the oom She
tried 10 sink back i'm her chair
quickly. but realized i'm time il
would be a clumsy move, and
straightened up TO face a tall. hand