The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-10-29

/ gle and mother tied to his little finger.
That's how l come to developin' my
friendship for Maggie. took TO
runnin' up most every evenin about
tive-thirty TO see that she sot out o.
that office all right l didn't fall for
this Rutledge persons very strong. be
cause-wel, 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 eyenin's and do extra work at the
office. l didn't approve O that loud
enough to be a riot, but l couldn't
say anything-it wasn't any O. my put
| in, anyhow, So l 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 l peeked through the
vines on the porch, l 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. II 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 like he felt bad
What's wrong?" I says.
II don't like her stayin' down
there so much" he says slow. do
you think it's all right?"
"Oh. sure" says. bein' some pro-
yoked 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 says, irwin 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-byl
You know, it kind of got me-his
comm that way. 1 ran into the house
and looked at the clock 1t was only
a little after eight, so 1 grabbed my
hat an light coat, and hot-footed
it down to where Rutledge had his
office. 1t was only a 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 l 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, l didn't
know a thing about dictatin'I They
were talkin' in low tones, too; but /
couldn't get anything but a humble.
Then suddenly, l 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 I knocked
again, louder Awful hard on my
knuckles, too!
Finally he comes over an opened
the door a crack. "You!" he gasps
"Me!" 1 agrees. as Maggie here u
1 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
I know why!
We'll" l says, 81 just happened tc
be passin', and 1 thought I'd wait and
walk home with her!"
Then Maggie stepped up you
needn't bother, Lillian" she says, fus
tered, "Mr. Rutledge will take me
home!"
He had the door open wider by by
this time, and I stepped right in. ooh
I'd just as soon wait" I says. AN
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 next
mornin, after she went to work,
toddled over to have confidential
chat with mother My, she went up
in the air!
How dare you insinuate?" she say
MY daughter isn't that kind"
Holy smoke, aint that sayin' any
thing against Maggie" I says. Gee
I'm just tryin' to tell you how he's
actin with her! Don't you know ii
amt good idea to let her stay down
there nights so much with"
She broke right in on my CONVEX
sation. 81 don't care to discuss those
things!" she says naughty.
whats those things?" l says.
"Your-your- What you're talkin
; about" she says.
81 amt talkin' about those things
says. I'm talkin' about a no-'coun
animal named Rutledge!"
Stop" she says. Il won't have
you talkin' in such a manner about
Maggie's friends You forget" she
says, real nasty, "all men amt like
the-the class you meet in your pro