The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-09-16
YElE DAILY
Isl HORT STORY
An Automatic Romance
D MARE MORRISON

) aCeYOiV1nE doors VI LAdt VI
entranced lunch room, the auto
Masie Gallagher, romantically
munch1ng sandwich, looked up
suddenly and caught the eye OF
young man seated across the ia.
BILE separated from her by two feet
Of mission furniture, vinegar
aTnet, sugar bowl, a bottle OF to-
i6ato catsup and q salt cellar.
Something told Masie that this
man was not an habitue OF the au-
tomAt. His well.cut clothes, MS
deliberately turned mustache and
his nicaly manicured hands pro
claimed him different"
All OF a sudden she was glad
her new straw hat was so becoming
aud that the loOrwalker at Tup-
i en's had given her All extra half
hour for lunch. And because 1t
was June abe smiled family at the
young man.
al say" he removed the bottle
OF catsdp from between them and
LEANED eagerly Forward. You don. l
tooE as if you belonged In this D.
cent place; III wager the head
waiter ats the Plaza Is reserving u
table by the window for you at
this mfnuteS What's the answer
Out for experience-to see how
the other half lyes?"
Temptation hudged Maisle Gal
= 1agher's elbow and came and Ell.
Rconced itself IN her bosom, aided
and abetted by her vivid imagi.
nation and an assidious reading OF
the novels OF one Robert Cham
berA. She succumbed.
I'm sorry l show 1t so plainly"
she said to the young man with
2 81
ing few days at Newport" Ana
4lth her elbows on the table, rath.
confidentially, I've alway S
wanted to see the inside Of this
pIAce. you know. The cakes ana
omelettes they have in the window
ook so perfectly enhancing as l
10 by in the motor. II / hadn't
been afraid OF shocking the chaur
& DIR I'd have stopped long ago. But
;v7esyek packed him off TO the coun.
tFys 10 seized today's opportun.
Thsy smiled delightsdly int,
each 9TH er's eyes. and then Maisie
'.But what about you? What are
sThe same thing" he replied,
giving HIST mustache a deliberate
caress With his beautiful hands.
ilpm stopping at the club over on
b1st street, seeing the same fell
lows, eattntS the same rich food
day after diay, until am sick to
death OF t4 Beastly bore-livtng
4 az the club but the mater is OUT
of town, of on a motor trip, and
the house, is shut up tight as a
drum-so there was nothing else
to be done. I'm mighty glad de-
cIded to(gtve myself contrast al
the automat today-mighty glad! !"
The young mans compliment was
50 unmtstaKable and the admtra-
tion In his eyes so evident that a
Smost becoming blush mounted to
}iAdasie Gallagher's pretty face.
Isn't 1t funny we've never met
i before" he continued, making a
mental note Of the blush
ssWell-not really" replied Mas
te shamelessly. You see we don't
go out socially at all. My father
Is the most terrific old autocrat In
New York and he says that Paris
and Rome are the only places he
will allow me to go out In. So, of
course, have missed all the nice
things here" This was rather
dRshing OF Masie, as she was not
quite sure whether Paris and
Rome were really places where one
did Ego out" or not but the admir-.
ing and respectful manner in which
the young man looked at her was
And then because life always
mikes the bitter with the sweet.
the big white clock on the wall OF
the Automat forced itself into
Masie's line Of vision. One thirty!
Gracious, in fifteen minutes she
would be due behind the ribbon
counter at Tuppen's. She rose.
~ had no idea 1t was so late,
she said. II have a fitting at Tup-
pens which must not miss. New.
port means 50 many stupid
clothes" and che shrugged her
y shoulders YEARLY, as did all the
bRroines Of Robert Chambers. She
Rs1d out her hand.
$50 glad to have met you" she
purred.
"But you haven't told me your
name" exclaimed the young man
holding on to the little hand, de-
termination In his admdring eyes.
u must see you again, you know.
can't go to the plaza and nsk for
the prettiest, most unusual and
most attractive daughter OF an alb.
pminable old autocrat, can 1? They
would recognize whom / meant, OF
course, but they might think l had
Just escaped from an asylum.
Pleased" he pleaded.
"I'm sorry" said Masie Gala.
, CHER, daughter Of Tim Gallagher,
OF the New York police force. but
it's better not. Father would In.
Hist on knowing where / had met
you and there would be an awful
row. Good.bye"-and with heart.
felt resentment at the station IN
{ life to which 1t had pleased Goo
to call her, Masie made her way
1beck TO the ribbon counter. That
delicate, ariBtocratic mustache
burned her memory and her heart.
She sold five yards of blue rib.
3 bon TO u plump old lady who want.
ed Il Charged and taken"
HJust a minute, please" request.
ed Masie lIsuessly, her mind far
away, "the aoorwalker must sign
for It." and she cried shrill and
SMr. Foster! Mr.. Foster!"
q for Pete's sake, Masie," said
Clara oppenheim, who also sold
ribbons at Tuppen's department
store. Don't you know Fosters
gone. There's q new man-Mr.
aoh, well, keep your hat on,
CLARA ] didn't know IT," replied
Maate indignantly. She couldn't
be Q Robert Chambers heroine all
liE: Si;id:soong Mr.. PId-geon!"
SRssbt here" said familiar.