The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-03-05

still was his, In fact, for his mother
kept the bed ready for his occupancy
and had never touched any Of his be-
even pile of read-from-cover-to
cover, out-of-date magazines.
In the afternoon Oliver went out for
a walk, DESTROYS of renewing acquaint-
anceships. He thought he knew every
body that lived In Plainwell, and con-
sequently was surprised at the num-
Der of new faces. However, the town
itself seemed to have undergone few
| changes.
! Hello, Oliver" he heard a voice
behind him call as he walked along
the main street. Don't you recognize
your friends?"
He turned and saw two girls stand
ing on the walk behind him. For
moment he surveyed them, or rather
one of them, who had wreaths of rich
red hair flowing down over a set Of
black furs. From behind black muff
the face peered, and it was rather
roguish face, albeit covered with frank
ness and freckles.
'Irene!" he exclaimed, going to her
and grasping a dainty little hand.
Irene, you certainly are looking fine."
She was one girl he was not afraid Of.
He talked with her several minutes,
and somehow the girl on the wall
seemed forgotten. 1t certainly did
seem good to see and converse with
Irene again. He had forgotten about
her. but he was sure she had not been
so attractive in the days when he used
to live in Plainwell and call her his
girl. He so far forgot the calendar
girl that he asked Irene if he could
call on her that evening, and she
agreed with alacrity.
While walking home after meeting
her on the street, Oliver suddenly
came to, as it were. He realized how
he had forsaken the calendar girl in
his thoughts. His first act, therefore,
on reaching his room was to take her
from his suitcase and hang her on a |
nail over the bed. Still he was not |
quite so enthusiastic as he had been |
about her.
The evening passed quickly-tOO |
quickly Irene made fudge and played |
the piano, and those were divers two |
weaknesses-fudge and piano music.
And how Irene could stir up sweet
tasting things with spoon, and how
she could stir up understanding things |
with the ivory keys.
1t was good old-fashioned eve
hing, at least it seemed old-fashioned
to Oliver, fresh from the city, and he
enjoyed every minute. He fell beneath
the spell of his "old girl" In the old
town, and he liked it. Before either
of them realized it they We're speak
Ing of things that were tinged with
the sentimental, and yet they did not
seem sentimental, because the two
had talked of them before and made
them sound matter of fact by their
repetition. OF course that was a
year and half ago.
There was no resisting the Fates,
and presently the conversation devel-
oped into discussion Of furniture
and bungalows, not a limpid, gushing
discussion, but sane and practical.
The situation did not develop into
an out-and-out proposal of marriage.
That would be trifle too sudden for
either of them, after this year and
half of separation but when Oliver
left Irenes home he was treading the
skies, and the moon was shining as 1t
had never shone before, and the stars
were exchanging mysterious winks.
Oliver entered his room and switched
on the light. The black eyes Of the
girl on the wall popped at him, some
what accusingly it seemed, and her
ruby lips smiled. II
He stood at the foot of the bed and
surveyed her critically with his eyes.
you're nice-looking GIRL" he OBJ
served, "but you can't make fudge, II
and you can't play the piano, and II
WELL really you're not of any use, ex-
cept to tell me the day Of the week, II
and the date of the month, and the
month of the year; and / can keep IL
track Of them without you"
He took her from the wall.
Boom Downstairs the old clock
got into action. The boom was re-
peated eleven times.
With care Oliver tore the girl from
the calendar. The date part he re-
turned to his suitcase while the girl
was put to repOse in the waste basket.
"Red hair beats black hair all to
pieces" Oliver observed as he crawled