Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-02-20
CHAPTER l.

As usual nowadays, instead OF
GndeEing at the door Fate called up
an tne telephone.
Enough the bell Shrilled almost in
Mrs. Kip's ear she would not answer
& She WINGED, shook her head, agi-
sbed her rocking chair with p~etuIance,
embroidered vindictively, and hardly
@ much called out as sighed very
@1udly toward the hallway:
Daphne! Ooh, Daphne! the tele-
shene againI"
On the stairs there sounded a
aHuGaed scurry like the rush of an
Aprfl shower chased down a hillside
by the sun. An allegory of April dart
sd across the room and raised the tel
e9llsne to her lips as if it were a
1eaker of good cheer.
Her mother was used to this humor
MI Daphne's and paid no heed till a
ssRztden frost chilled the warm tone of
Cine girls voice. The smile of hospi-
GA3ity wasted on the telephone had
given place to a look of embarrass-
szEsz1t.
Mrs Kip whispered anxiously, "Who
&s ltg"
Daphne motioned her not to inter
CHEpt. and her voice grew deep and
famportant. 1t became what her brother
Ssayard called her reception voice."
En- her grandest contralto she said:
~sThis is Miss Kip. Yes, I have. Yes,
Ge does. / beg pardon? Oh!-Oh! Oh!
Glow do you do, Mr.. Wmbwm."
~Mr. WhO?' her mother keened.
Daphne whispered to quiet her, "a
Es7ung man from New York-friend of
8ayard's-same Office. 1 haven't got
aiS name yet"
Into the telephone she was saying,
Rnd bowing and nodding the while
cx7fh her politest face. Indeed I'll try
On be- OF course Cleveland's not New
Fork. but By the way, do you
lance? That's good. That's right;
hTazght as well be deaf if you don't!
Rxaw long will you be in Cleveland?
Oh. is that all? Well, then, you must
Gc1ate out here and have tea with us
Gasis very afternoon. I'll call for you
AFT the hotel in my little car. No; it's
GssE ona of those; it's an electric. 1
a1Rn it myself. Afraid to risk it?
Brave man! I'll be there in fifteen
CAanutes, and you might be on the
stcps- Goodby, Mr.. Wmbwm."
This last was said in the fond tone
7sf ancient friendship, and she hung
'GN the receiver with a gesture like
shaking hands.
she turned to find her mother thin
SEsng her lips in a long, tight line; her
checks bulged ~explosively. Daphne
Agrestalled her:
Hes q young fellow in the same
Firm as Bayard. Says he's here on
business for ten days. Bayard told
afEGs call me up and tell me to be
nice ito him. That sounds like BY.
All said he hadn't time to write. That
sxso1pds liker still. Bayard told him
~ KISS you for him, so he must be all
night I was going to take him to
aase Aastel to a tea-dance, but I thought
ia setter give him a look-over first.
80 I'll roll him out here. Get out the
ASce china and the napkins I mono
@rammed, and
ABnt, Daphnei Waltz I can't"
-sT haven't time to argue with you,
mamma. Please do as l tell you for
sBce, and don't fuss. Mr.. Wmbwm
-ufM probably have a lot Of news to
azM you about your prodigal son.
Gxbyf'
She popped a kiss on the forehead
tamf anxiety had turned to corduroy
aan ran upstairs like another April
aaDwer chasing the sun uphill. She
dashed down again with hat and
aAsves, and, with nose repowdered,
slammed the front door gayly,
r9hrummed the steps, and strobe across
40 long lawn to the little electric CO..