The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-13
Shorn Locks
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BY BARBARA KERR


man of the whole force, came jauntily
into the room. smiled patronizingly at
the stenographer and proceeded to the
desk of his chief to see whether any
collections had come for his depart
ment. His chief was out, but lying
open and spread out on his desk was
the following remarkable, but self-ex-
planatory telegram:
"Don't let Grosscup go pay five
thousand worth it appearance as
set of Office"
AS his eyes devoured it and the sense
of it soaked in he could hardly hold
himself together. ssWhy, why-fve
thousand is twice what asked for
They have at last realized what am
worth to them. All. Percy, you hand
Some dog-this means" and chuck.
ling to himself, he ran his hand through
spread him and, glancing slyly at the
stenographer, he hurried out.
Getting into his coat, hastily catch
ing up his hat and swagger stick, he
hailed the down elevator. Smiling at
his eXultant countenance in it's little
mirror, he threw back his head to get
a refractory curl out of his eyes,
Strengthened his hat, and half audibly
chuckled to his reflection cap
pearances asset of Office"
Jaw. wot's eatin' We? Pretty Percy.
Must be kissin'-bug, the way ye're
lookin' at yerself!' sneered the eleva-
tor boy.
A blush spread over Percy's face at
the howl of derisive laughter from the
boy At another time he probably
would have given him a good shaking.
but now he was busy formulating his
plans which must be executed quickly,
so he had no time to teach the boy
manners to his betters. That could be
attended to later: there was other and
pleasanter business on hand.
The telegram was as good as actual
money. The firm was never known to
go back on pledge. He would go.
and bind the bargain with a little down
payment on a certain bungalow that
then he could speak of it as his; also
he would have set aside for him Ger
tain suite of living-room furniture in
a downtown window that he had had
his eye on; then he would go and tell
the girl and ask her to name the day.
It is quite wonderful how smoothly
business runs when the man who has
the price sets out to buy. He was so
iubilant that he was almost beside
himself, but he managed either to sup
press the outward signs, or to grin be-
hind his hand, so as not to provoke
any more such coarse and unfeeling
remarks as those INDUCED in by the
elevator-hop.
Millicent Beauchamp lived with q
widowed mother in a little cottage at
the edge of town and helped out a
small income by teaching primary
music classes. She was a wholesome,
modest girl with sterling womanly
qualities. So when she saw Percy
coming, she wisely decided that she
would not run away to change her
dress, but would meet him as she would
any other caller at that hour in the
morning. Very sweet and winsome she
looked as she swung the door open and
asked
"And what brings Mr.. Grosscup out
so early? Do we owe that firm of
yours anything? And were you afraid
we'd move?
Be it said to the credit of Percy
hat, despite arrogant egotism, he ap-
oreciated her worth, and for just a
minute the question almost formed it
self in his mind as to whether he was
really good enough for her. He an
swered her laughing question
eff you do owe us anything he re-
turned joyously, that. pink Bingham
1ress would just about settle it." Then
almost before he realized it, he was
asking her to throw herself into the
bargain.
| "Are-are you proposing to me?"
breathlessly asked Millicent. And
| Percy swept her into his arms to as.
sure her at closer range that he was.
! The. patter of staccato steps in the
| 1all brought the people down to earth.
| 0isengaging herself, AIillicent In a
| 1ushed little voice half whispered ::
It's mother"
| But Percy was in one of those ex-
lltant, impetuous moods that carries
all before it, and turning hastily, he
| caught Millicent's rather chubby little
mother in an ecsfatic embrace and,
| kissing her on the cheek with all the
air of a. happy, teasing son, repeated:
it's motheri" Then releasing her a
little ruefully, he begged pardon, neatly
apologized and blamed his .impetuos-
| ity, and the fact that he had not asked
her consent at first, all to the pink
Bingham dress.
Mrs. Beauchamp, very much per-
turbed, and with two tears that threat
ered to overflow their hanks in spite
of much winking to force them back,
smiled little tremulous consent to
everything. then. fastened out to. take
care of the. rebellious tears and left
the young people to their wonderful
occupation of planning a speedy mar
riage.
~ Well, now that's settled, and 1 must
/ get back to work or / might lose my