Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1919-05-01


The green baseball diamond was
winning the fight from the green gam
bling table. Mary was puzzling her
brain every few moments, wondering
how she would break the news to
Terry that she had promised to marry
Mr.. Kelley.
In place Of Terry's diamond, Mary
was wearing an engagement ring set
with q topaz which Mr.. Kelley said
was her birthstone, and therefore
much more appropriate than a dia-
mOnd.
One afternoon, Just after she had
returned from a ball game In which
Kelley had struck out twice when
men were on bases, in came Mr..
Davenport, one of Mary's regular Gus
toners.
Then came surprise.
"T'm shy a shirt" Mr.. Davenport
said.
ut can't be, Mr.. Davenport" Mary
replied, declsively. IAN the parties
that bring laundry in here get all OF
1t back. check it myself"
Mr.. Davenport insisted, and Mary
became angry.
you might have put 1t in another
package" he suggested.
"All my customers are honest men,
Mr.. Davenport" she replied with a
toss of her big pompadour, which
Twelfth street said was all her OWE
land If they had got shirt that wasn''
theirs they would have returned it
What kind of q shirt was It'll"
Mr.. Davenport explained that 1t was
soft silk shirt for which he had paid
three dollars. He had had 1t laun-
dered twice, he said and it was blue,
with little white horseshoes In it.
Mary remembered 1t. Did 1t have
red stain Just below the second but
ton?
He considered for a moment.
It did. Mr.. Davenport had bought
It for half price because of that stain
"Well, it hasn't been lost here
Mary assured him with finality that
meant just what she said.
There was no chance for argument
so Mr.. Davenport departed.
Mary told herself that she was an
abused girl and that no gentleman ever
would have come in and accused hel
of making a mistake in returning ones
laundry. She worked herself into such
Il temper that she decided that now
was the time to write to Terry and tel
him that she loved another, but thu
she always would be Terry's, very Dest
friend. Her ending was:
"Remember it's best for us both,
always,
"Mary.
"p. S.-The police are still on tht
lookout. NJ"
She regarded the letter long time
Finally she sealed it and laid it on thu
cash register so she would be sure t.
remember to mail it, She sat dowr
and regarded it intently and question
ingly.
The atmosphere cleared when Mr.
Kelley came in.
"Hi, Mary" he said.
iii, Spike" she smiled,
lie slipped an arm round her, drew
her back where they couldn't be seel
from the street and kissed her. He
head nestled on his big chest a mo
ment and then she pushed him bacl
with cry.
Her face had rested on blue sill
shirt with white horseshoes on It, ant
one of her eyes almost had touched |
red stain below the second button.
Get out of here, you-you," he
voice choked and she beat him witt
her fists.
whats the matter?" said Mr.. Kel
ley.
Mary dragged the topaz ring off he
finger and threw the circlet of gold a
him. Then she pushed the wondering
startled Mr.. Kelley, who was too sur
prised to resist, out onto the sidewall,
slammed the door and locked it. Gov
ering her face with her hands sh
dropped into chair Just for me
ment she sat there. Suddenly sh
looked up at the letter on the casl
register, and, as if in fear the lette
might elude her, she jumped ur
graspcd ii in both hands and tore
to pieces.
From the cash drawer she took tn
two and one-siXteenth carat ring, an
with little joyous laugh, kissed 1t an
slipped it on the third finger of he
left hand.
Hurriedly she found the Telegram
companys number in the telephon
book.
Send a boy for a telegram. Hurry !
she commanded.
Then she sat down and wrote mel
sage:
THE cops are off watch for goot
Come back quick. Mary"
She wiped her eyes, looked in tn
mirror and brushed her face with
powder-rag.
Think I'm going to marry crook I
she said to her pretty reflection. "NC
| on your life"