The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-10-25
What Could You
Expect9
BY DORA NOLAN
ANeAeNANAaNeNNNNeNNeNeNeNeNeNNee1

1t occurred to Potter Lamb, as ne
rearranged his brand-new furniture,
that one more chair, making four in
stead Of three, would bridge the chasm
between penury and prosperity In the
aspect of his law Office.
Putting the telephone receiver to
his ear, with the number Of the towns
one furniture emporium on the tip OF
his tongue, the fledgling attorney
heard a shrill voice calculate: "But
what can you expect of girl who was
named after pocket handkerchief
What-you didn't know? Yes, her
mother picked it up at an auction
had belonged to German countess,
she said. The name was embroidered
on it-and she went and wished it on
the kid. Ever hear Of such thing"
Realizing that he was listening in
on a telephone visit, Lamb automat-
icaIly hung up the receiver. Then he
wished he hadn't-for he'd rather
like to know what sort Of thing 1t
could be that you should expect Of q
girl who had been named after
pocket handkerchief. He might meet
one some day. If he did, would she
be square and substantially built, like
man, dependable in emergency, or
a mere froth of lace and f1lmy muslin,
as much real use as cobweb over
coat?
The clock in the town hall spire
struck Il. The expansive grin that
had spread over Lambs countenance
during his rumination faded. 1t
wouldn't do to be late to one OF Mrs.
Noyes' excellent dinners.
He grabbed the receiver. This time
the line was clear. He placed the Or
der for the chair, seized his hat ana
rushed off to Mrs. NOyes, girls and
handkerchief quite forgotten.
Potter put in the early part of the
afternoon fitting the new chair Into the
equipment of the Office. Then, when
he had exhausted all possible combina-
tons, and stood in the corner each
time to "see how the effect looked" as
the old lady said, and had finally de-
cided upon one Of the arrangements
as beyond improvement, there was
nothing left to do but sit down and
await the coming Of clients. he
prayed that they might come soon; he
had his living to get. Living! What
! an indefinite word 1t might mean
anything from a butler-siZed establish
ment and steam yacht to carrots the
neighbors brought in. The brief1ess
attorney stood a long time at the win
dow watching the trickle Of traffic in
the street below and rolling innumera-
BILE cigarettes.
At dusk the happy thought came
that a brisk walk before supper might
add even more zest to his enjoyment
of Mrs. Noyes' culinary achievements.
He took his hat down--then hung it
up again and flung himself down at
his desk where book of Ohio reports
lay open.
There were steps on the stairway.
Came a tap at his door. Potter Lamb
opened it and a girl walked In. Mo
mentarily she gazed about the room
with frank show of curiosity. Mo-
mentarily, also, the lawyer gazed at
his caller. His first client!
A slim young girl, CARRIED in blue
serge with a gray tam perched at q
fetching angle. With calm self
possession she finished her scrutiny OF
the room and turned her eyes upon
him. They were unusually fine eyes,
Potter thought.
"You are Attorney Lamb?'
Guilty" admitted Potter, just the
least fiustered and 1t was not every
girl who could upset Mr.. Lambs law
yerly pose, even a mere trife.
ST have $1,000 here" the girl said
patting bag, land / wish to put 1t In
your hands to do with as direct"
az shall be most happy" said Lamb
and there was inquiry in his tone.
''You have been in town two days
so you have probably heard how &C
CURED it."
The young man shook his head.
"Can it be possible! Well, I'll tel
you. It's breach-of-promise money"
"You-that is-do l understand
Potter, to whom this information ha6
come from this extremely interesting
girl. like shrapnel shell out Of 9
Christmas cornucopia, was f1oundering
Exactly. / deliberately shared ar
honored and wealthy citizen Of thi:
town into proposing marriage to mt
got 1t In writing. Then with malice
aforethought I scared him off-ant
brought a suit that netted me this
by way of settlement" The girl drew
from the bag roll of bills and placed
them on the table. 'I've come to yot
! because you're stranger here-ant
nobody in this town must have the
satisfaction Of knowing what / d.
with it."
"How did you get rid of him?
don't see how any" Potter, deter
mined to be utterly professional, didn'
mean to say that at all; but it popped
out.