Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-21
CHAPTER CCLXXIX.
Copyright, 1919. King Feature SH


OlCaIe, 1uC'
Hello Barbara Anne! This GER
tainly is my four-leaf clover day!
cried Carl Booth, as he strode up
to where 1 stood waiting after he
had hailed me on the avenue. Come
on into one of these cute little boxes
where they pour ice cream sodas
and sich for the starving
Il haven't trme," l began, put
Carls downcast face made me
ashamed of myself. When had ne
ever been too busy to find time for
me back in the days when 1 needed
"a friend like this big pink and
white innocent of man? But I'll
make it," l smiled.
Carl beamed and We marched into
a little tea room whose delightful
front tables overlook the avenue
from behind great outtiung case
ment windows. There we sat lux
urously slipping frosted chocolates
and nibbling hermits, those deli
cious little cakes with raisins ana
nuts and citron and all sorts OF
Jolly surprises hidden behind their
demure yet bulging BROWNIES.
And as we ate like happy children
and chatted of the old days at Hal
danes, l poked out my pretty new
pumps and told Carl the story of
my shoe-shop spree.
They're scrumptious!" declared
Carl, cycling my slippers with favor.
And perfectly right you were to
buy while the buying is good. l
used to buy insoles and wear shoes
that were too wide because the AS
didn't come in the cheaper makes.
"Oh, Carl, was there ever an old
dear like you?" l cried. ITO think
of your remembering that-and the
width of my shoes. You have the
most wonderful memory"
About some things" said Carl
dryly. But l was almost forget
ting the thing l had on my mind.
Won't you and Mr.. Harrison come
night next week? I've a little two
by-four apartment with very
young kitchennette, and though l
hate to boast about myself, l sure
can broil steak. Ii ever l lose
my knack as a go-getter of ads,
I'm thinking of becoming a steak
chef. Name the night, Barbara
Anne"
oh you mustn't bother" I pro-
tested, knowing Jim probably
wouldn't want to accept.
Carl. Name your night"
Since there was no way out but
the ugly one of fibS, l suggested
Thursday, and added:
IF that's all right for Daisy
"Daisy?" repeated Carl. "Oh,
yes, TO be sure-Daisy. l al q o.
ciaI dub. Didn't realize that s.nce
she was at the first party 1t would
he a slight to leave her out of this.
IN.,fl
folks are likely to forget her. But
you wouldn't Barbara Anne. You'd
never hurt anyons."
Suddenly a clock doomed the hour.
"SiX!"' 1 cried in chagrin and as
tonishment. "Oh, Carl, you've up
set all my plans! I was going over
to the garage for = car and then
call for my husb4pu. l hardly ever
miss driving him home on pleas
ant afternoon"
Want TO phone you'll be right
along?" asked Carl.
l acted on the suggestion, but
Jim's line was busy. So l thought
it best to hurry over to the garage
and 'phc.Ie from there. At the gar
age entrance / bade Carl a hasty
farewell and hurried to the tele-
phone. Jim's line was still reported
busy, so without more ado l drove
over to the office. When l started
into the elevator the boy stopped
me.
Looking for Mr.. Harrison?" he
said. Him and Mr.. Hyland and his
young lady left not five minutes
ago"
So there was nothing for me
to do but to get back into the car
and drive home. L felt annoyed
with Jim. and yet-since l hadn't
said | would call for him-there
w 1t any reason why he should
Il waited l knew 1 had only
! yself to blame. Still-stubbornly
enough persisted in feeling hurt.
Jim might have guessed 1 would
come.
l had a bad time getting the little
car to start. One cylinder insisted
on missing. 1t was fifteen or twenty
minutes before l cleaned a con-
nection and got away. Then, at a
crowded corner, a traffic cop held
me up and delivered an angry ora
tion because l hadn't observed his
upfiung hand and had driven along
when he was halting traffic. 1t took
me twice as long as it should have
taken to drive home.
And when 1 got to our apartment
the little car wouldn't run neatly
alongside the curb, but had to be
backed and driven out into the
street before I could park decently.
So 1 arrived at my own door in a
state of nerves-jumpy and uncom-
Portable. The final insult to my
happiness and intelligence took
place when a third search of purse
failed to reveal my latchkey.
Bertha opened the door in re-
sponse to my ring, and her smiling
face sobered Immediately on see
ing me.