Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-11-20
A Short-Lived
Romance
is DWIGHT TINGLE SCOTT

Copyright. 1919, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)
Take as dramatiS personae. man
who INDUCES in cold bath every
morning and who has to shave close
every day and who falls hard for that
W g lI-can't-beieve-it -yOu-don' t-look-a-
day-over-forty-stuff; a wife who IS
matronly and jolly plump and growing
frankly gray; and stenographer with
very tall blonde pomp, very high
heels and a passion for Robert w.
Chambers novels and ten dollars an
ounce perfume.
Put the man and the stenographer
into small office With the scent of
the perfume; and have the days work
consist of writing about half-dozen
business letters, answering few
phone calls and going down to the
bank frequently TO deposit Il fat COM
mission check upon a cargo of crude
rubber; and you have situation
where the devil is to pay-usually.
"-and he had the incest eyes and
hair and when he smiled il Just made
YOU sort of like him, yknow.'
where did you get to know him,
Kitty
"Well,' said Kitty Tulane, taking
off her hat and patting her hair as
she left the elevator, 81 hardly got to
know him Mt ALL Yesterday Mr..
Sterling sent me over with some pa
pers to his father-in-law's office in
the Imperial building. When l got
back down that shower came up, and
| had to wait In the lobby. He came
along and took me out under his
umbrella and helped me on the Brigh-
tonyille car. We had to run TO catch
1t. ! wouldn't even have known his
name but ii was written In white Ink
inside his umbrella. 1t was a pretty
name. too, Thomas c. Slater, but
pshaw, | suppose he is just a little
nobody"
Kitty Tulane, you make me tired,
A little nobody You think YOU can
get 'em with nice eyes and hair and
~ the same time have limousines and
country homes like your boss? I'll shy
you can't. l believe you're in love with
your boss anyhow the way you go on
about him"
"Why Gertie, aren't you ashamed TO
say that to me?" And Kitty Tulane's
pretty face went red with a mixture of
confusion and anger.
In the hall of the great building. the
two girls parted and went to their re-
spective offices.
Kitty Tulane put up her hat, raised
the windows, opened the typewriter
desk and then sat in her chair quite
still, her hands resting in her lap.
1t would be half hour before he
got in. She yet colored as she thought
Of Gerties remark. Never had she con
sciously thought Of Mr.. Sterling except
rs thoughtful employer and good
friend. Besides, he worshiped his
wife-everybody loved Mrs Sterling
she was that kind, Still, wives did die
sometimes. and men married again
very young women too. Kitty Won
dered vaguely If such girls were really
ever happy At this point her dreams
became strangely confused, for she
began to picture young man with
nice hair and eyes and a wonderful
smile, riding in Mr.. Sterling's limou-
sine and talking over the phone in Mr.
Sterllng's clear, confident manner.
Dreamily she took up her note book
and began TO write Katherine Tulane
Slater" then katherine Tulane Ster-
ling"
With her head set prettily to one
side, she studied these two lines crit
ically, Finally, she erased the first
line.
1t was this occupation which Mr..
Sterling's arrival interrupted
His brisk, CHEEKY Good morning,
Miss Katherine startled her. She
stammered and blushed guilty and
hurriedly hid the note book in her
drawer.
'That viii be al this morning. Miss
Tulane. Just read that last letter back
TO me-"
Il have your favor of the sixteenth
The cargo referred to should be at the
dock in Baltimore" She had ever
SO slight a lisp; he noticed It quite
suddenly, She had made that chiffon
waist herself. Her teeth were very
white. And those high-heeled shoes
they were just bit shabby. for all
their neat bright polish. She was 90
ing to get another pair, but she must
wait until pay day after next because
this much he had overheard In an
exchange Of girl condolences in the hall
outside his door Her hands were very
shapely-how shiny pink she always
kept her nails. Poor little thing. pret-
~ hard lines, having to struggle along
on SIS week. Not much in life for
her perhaps. He put his hand over
the one that rested on the note book
For just moment she seemed con
fused, then she continued reading. He
allowed 1t to rest there for lust a mo.
ment, and gave fatherly little pat
as he removed II.
In fash, Kitty knew. She had
written those telltalp nap,a., nv, tbo -,