The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-10-29

~
raphy had somethin' to do with her
gettin' the job. The same day Maggie
began workin', Rutledge hired Jack
Cornell as bookkeeper Oh, that guy
went into business with class!
Jack was young fellow, who
graduated same time as Maggie, ana
it didn't take more'n one eye-full for
me to see how she stood with him.
The way he registered love would
have been credit to a movie hero.
He was an awful nice kid; but-well,
this Rutledge person had both Mag
gle and mother tied to his little finger.
That's how l come to developin' my
friendship for Maggie. 1 took to
runnin' up most every evenin' about
five-thirty to see that she got out O.
that Office all right. l didn't fall for
this Rutledge persons very strong, be-
cause-well, just because!
When Maggie'd worked down there
about two weeks, she told me not to
come for her any more, as she was to
stay evenin's and do extra work at the
Office. didn't approve O. that loud
enough to be a riot, but / couldn't
say anything-it wasn't any O my put
in, anyhow! So spent the first eve
min on aunt's front porch, watchin'
the crickets make noise About nine
o'clock, Maggie come home, with Rut-
ledge; she was laughin' almost hyster-
ically, and when peeked through the
vines on the porch, could see in the
moonlight, that her eyes were wide
and kind o. shinin' with excitement!
This business kept up for about a
week; ever night she stayed down to
the office, and ever night he brought
her home. 1t was on Friday that Jack
come over to aunt's house about eight
o'clock in the evenin'. Poor kid, l
knew he was worried; he was real
pale and his eyes were dark and
gloomy ike ne I0lC Ddu.
Whats wrong?" l says.
81 don't like her stayin' down
there so much" he says SLOW "Do
you think it's all right?"
ooh, sure" l says, bein' some pro
voked at some folks. "Sure, she's
away from temptation!"
Don't joke" he says, awful sober.
Don't joke-it-it's no laughin' mat
teal" Honest, the poor boob was hard
hit!
81 wouldn't worry" 1 says, tryin' to
be comfortin'.
His face got hard, and he clinched
his hands tight. I'm afraid of her"
he says; an then walked right off,
without even addin' good-by!
You know, it kind of got me-his
comm that way. l ran into the house
and looked at the clock. 1t was only
a little after eight, so I grabbed my
hat an light coat, and hot-footed
it down to where Rutledge had his
office. 1t was only few blocks from
the house, and l wanted to see how
things were goin'.
There was light burnin' in the
office; the shades were down, but
the shade on the hall door was little
askew So 1 just stands out in the
hall an watches 'em! l didn't
much like the way he leaned wards
her. Didn't strike me it was neces.
sary in dictatin'-course, 1 didn't
know a thing about dictatin'! They
were talkin' in low tones, too; but
couldn't get anything but humble.
Then suddenly, knocked loud, on
the door Gee, you should have seen
him jump! He got to his feet, but he
didn't come to the door, so knocked
again, louder. Awful hard on my
knuckles, too!
Finally he comes over an opened
the door crack. "You!" he gasps.
"Me!" agrees. 'Is Maggie here u
I asks, real sweet, pretendin' not to
notice hiw he glares at me.
"Oh-er-yes, Miss Dunning is
here" he says, like he had crouch
on. He always treats me that way
know why!
well" I says, 81 just happened to
be passin', and thought I'd wait and
walk home with her!"
Then Maggie stepped up "You
needn't bother, Lillian" she says, flus
tered, "Mr Rutledge will take me
home!"
He had the door open wider by by
this time, and stepped right in. "Oh
I'd just as soon watt" I says. can
you won't have to bother Mr.. Rut
ledge!"
Well, she went home with me!
didn't say anything about anything
I just took her home. But the mex
mornin', after she went to work,
toddled over to have confidential