Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-06-24
ONE ROMANCE
TO ORDER
Copyright
By EvERALD >. APPLETON

noon lunchers; behind her were more.
Presently she reached the counte
on which were piled black and bat
tered tin trays.
Her small. perspiring palm held an
unpunched lunch-check, and Mary
Eleanor Edith's eyes scanned automat-
ically the familiar bill of fare print
ed on the wall.
Day after day she waited for a tray,
named the food she could afford, but
did not want.
Automatically she ate; automatical-
iy she would return to the factory.
Her whole life was as m~ethodical and
automatic as a folding machine! Moth
ing ever really happened. Mary Flea
nor Edith lOnged for unreal adven-
lures, and she expressed it thus:
Gee. don't this job give a girl the
willies?"
Suddenly the man in front of her
lurched forward. Mary Eleanor Edith
caught at his arm. He regained his
balance, looked accusingly at the bit
of potato on which he had slipped, and
turned a reddening but smiling face
upon her.
Thanks" said he, though she had
merely pinched his arm when she
grabbed at him.
"How's the veal today, BELIEF
"Feugh," mumbled Belle, CHANGING
covertly in the cashiers direction.
Same old thing, then" Mary Flea
nor Edith sighed; "but gimme a piece
of coconut pie for a vacation !"
Not until she had ficked a napkin
off the pile in the center of the table
and on it wiped the knife, fork and
spoon, did she look up-and into the
frank blue eyes of the man who had
slipped.
"Kinder drift together, don't WEI"
ne commented easily, stirring his cof-
fee industriously. "Come here reg
lar?"
Mary Eleanor sawed at her sand
witch. "Don't get new" she advised
crisply.
He bristled. "You should worry !!
I'm no chicken-thief. Can't I thank
you for saving me from busting my
head, thought" Mary Eleanor Edith
crowned.
Maybe it ought to "a been busted"
she offered.
They ate in strained silence for five
minutes. Then putting both hands on
the edge Of the table. he pushed back
and spoke.
"Say"-and there was honesty in
his tones as well as in his eyes-"you
look tired. I bet you are tired. Sick
to death of your job, whatever 1t is.
Would give a weeks wages for a
re-'nough adventure. Sod l. There
wasn't any run for me at the car-barn
today-Tm a sub-conductor-so l gor
my day off without pay. I'm goin' to
a movie show, and maybe to the White
City afterward. I gotter report again
at seven o'clock this evening. What
do you say?"
"YOu don't have to report to
mep retorted Mary Eleanor Edith
~what've I gotta do with it?"
IT wondered" he returned, "if you
wouldn't go with met"
ION the level?"
"Surel Come on and pretend we
know each other, anyway. It'll be a
change"
tI'll 60" said she. Then the three
of them-Mary Eleanor Edith, Ro-
nance, and the frank-faced young
man-passed out into the crowded
street and the smoke-impregnated sun.
shine and heat Of the city.
Mary Eleanor Edith, clinging des'
perately to the hand Of Romance, muir
INJURED: "Wonder what tn bunch al
the bindery'n think"
Twill they fire your" he asked. She
nodded.
81 guess so, but I don't care"
II know how you feel" he com
forted her. "And there's other jobs
They had reached the picture thea
ter, and he caught her elbow respect.
fully. Here's where we start" he
whispered. laying down his money fol
the tickets. "Two!"
Two Of the three reels-all "frst
runs" and "real thrillers"-had flick
cred their way through, when a com
motion down the aisle drew their at
tenti0n away.
"Firei' shrilled a voice, and Mary
Eleanor Edith stood up. The sui
pulled her down again. "Sit still
its only a fight!" he ordered. III
they rush. 1t is safer here than In the
aisle.
They rushed, and when Mary Flea
nor Edith could see again she was
cooking up into the homely face Of the
sub, whose body had unwittingly pro
tected her from the senseless panic
Her hand was cut and bleeding, but
that was all.
saThe rummy that stepped on you
I'd kill him If I had the chancet!'
breathed her protector heavily.
"And get pinched" she added,
II seen his face" continued the
other, "and I'd know him again, all
right-all right. He had q scar on
his chin and cheek, his mustache was
$500 - Er A