The Carlisle independent., 1918-01-24

door of Mrs. Greens room there issued sounds of an argument supplemented by weeping.
 Eventually Lucille came to the top of the stairs and called, "Montyw
 How different that name sounded when she used it I bounded up the stairs. When I say "bounded' I mean it. It was the first time that I had done anything like that in years.
 Lucille stood leaning over the banis ter. perplexed and troubled, her face flushed and her hair becomingly dis arranged. as if she had been engaged in a physical contest of some sort. stopped on the stairs below her.
 ''The blessed damosel leaned out
 From the gold bar of heayen," I quoted
 Don't be silly" she said in tone of voice that told me she liked it. T have to ask you dreadfully embar rassing question:"
 "All right" l commanded. 'Shoot.'
 "Would you mind very much kissing a lady who is not as young as she was once?"
 "Would I mind?" I said. taking her hands. i've been thinking of nothing else for two years"
 q meant" disengag ging her hands gently, would you mind kissing moth CT good night? She is acting very pc euliarly this evening, as you know. and she says she won't go to sleep until you kiss her.
 was touched at the old lady's fond ness for me. We went in. She was lying tucked up in bed with a night cap tied firmly under her chin.
 Lucille made me come to bed.' Mrs. 1 Green volunteered. her bright eyes snapping with wakefulness. Its all nonsense. Don wanna be in bed. wanna get up and go somewhere with you and eat
 "There. there" said Lucille, the doc tor says not to eat anything"
 Yes" snapped her mother. and I'll bet he had just had his dinner when he said it. 1 know a place to eat over in town beautiful Blainey-lots of fine steaks, chops and roas' beef. Guess I'll get up.'
 She started to throw back the cov- CTS, but Lucille forcibly restrained her.
 You said you would go to sleep if 1 brought Mir. Blainey in to see you, she said.
 The old lady eyed me with evident suspicion "Is he going to kiss he good nightf" she demanded.
 I assured her that was there for no other purpose.
 A right" she sighed; then I'll go to sleep"
 And she did, or at leest we didn't hear another sound from her that evening.
 When we left the room and closed the door softly Lucille put her hand on my arm and said: Thanks, Monty. It was awfully silly, but l didn't know how else to quiet her. You won't think anything of it. will youE
 "Of course not. It's all in the family anyhow. or if it isn't I wish it were I hazarded. emboldened by the pres sure on my arm. For the moment I could not have been any happier if had been fed.
 After awhile the telephone man came downstairs in a suit of Bopp's clothes light flannel trousers, outing shoes, fancy shirt, soft collar, tie and blue serge coat The togs fitted him re markably well. and except for a yer nacular line of conversation the man diG not seem i'll suited to the clothes. la 1 did Bopp.
 What to do with him seemed to be puzzling Lucille. It didn't seem right to ask him to go out in the kitchen and drink water all by himself. and there was no other place to put him unless he stayed in the living room with us. Before she could decide one way or the other he seated himself comfortably and proceeded to entertain us with considerable conversation about him. self.
 "I ain't Rube." he volunteered. i've been near enough Fifth avenue to know good clothes when I see 'em. and I have to admit that Mr. Bopp is a swell dresser. l only work here in the summer time In the winter 1 stick around within sight of the statue of Liberty. I'm a wire tapper."
 "A wire tapper?" repeated Bopp. Isn't wire tapper a sort of crook?"
 Not compared to a burglar. Wire tapping is just high finance"
 His name. it appeared, was Harold Kent He was married, was a Social ist in feeling if not in theory, had been jockey, a tout. a telegraph operator, and hoped to learn to fly an aeropiane Otherwise his was an uLeyentful his- tory.
 CTo BE CONrINUED)