Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-08-20
THE 5:55-55
BY ANNIE E. E. SIMMONS.

mutefS Unaccomm0datiOn was Sched-
uied as the :55, bat all Of the friends
and neighbors who knew and loved
Peg Roberts called IL ne 3 $3.50. II
you will bear 10 mind, % Peg did, that
officially the train would not leave be-
fore 5:56, you viii readily deduce
Pegs habit and you win also catch a
wee glimpse of her charming person
ality. which meant that never, under
any circumstances. did she have an
idle haf-minute on her hands.
When called to account for this she
explained that she was doing her part
TO defeat Satan Ia mis- effort to find
work for her, and in this wise she
was victor
But when one afternoon Peg became
overzealous In her battle against Sa-
tan and his employment agency. she
rushed for TIE train, she stampeded
toward it through a nearby gate, inl-
PEELED TO greater and yet more grace
full speed by the formidable "all
aboard" which she heard ahead-and
then, with enc final effort she made 1t,
not by the skin Of her teeth but by the
aid of goc6 right arm, and not her
own right arm, either.
And then, poor Peggy. She came IN.
so to speak, then and there for the
most carefully and emphatically given
lecture which she had received since
her schooldays. She received a movie
synopsis ten verbal reels long. Before
the amused commuters she heard OF
the futile fery of just such acts as
hers which he had witnessed many
times before Sic was told OF the
dangers to life and limb, of the fool
ishness of such last-minute leaps, and
a meek-appearing Peggy only bowed
her head In aequiescence and denied
II In her soul.
Then the friends. the nervous few
who worry for every regular on the
train those who take delight In see
Ing that the conductor collects each
and every ticket that the brakeman
calls every station, although they know
that the entire car-full is as familiar
with the road as they themselves
then they. too. added their voices,
and Peg was again told Of the dangers
Of her "eleyenth-hour-ness," as some
called 1t.
But the owner Of the good right arm,
supported by the brains and Drawn Of
the most attractive and eligible male
I'm the same community, then came to
her rescue again. this time, as before,
to uphold her, although In argument
rather than in deed. Quietly he apol-
ogized for his former remarks. Peg
had perfect right, so he said, to
catch the train on the fly, as 1t were.
n I'd he regretted subjecting her to the
fo rces around and their lnsistent lee
tunes and remarks. He further re-
GREETED having made her such sub
ject of conversation and observation,
and please, might he have an oppor-
tunlty to apologize in private, to ex-
plain further his sorrow over the en-
tire incident barring the real one Of
her boarding the train itself?
Now, when any young man evinces
sufficient interest IN any particular
young lady TO deliver her an address
on the folies Of putting herself in the
way OF personal danger, then, just
then, Is he really interested. When he
next regrets his harsh words, although
they were honestly intended for her
good. then the interest Is compounded,
and when he later repeats his first
words, then, well, then. in banking
terms, the principal is doubled.
Arthur Altken did all this. For the
first evening when he called he spent
the entire time telling Peg just how
many kinds of fool he had been that
afternoon to speak as he did, and still
a wee bit provoked, but with far
seeing smile, Peg neglected to contra
diet. In fact, still smarting under thu
public reproof, she almost agreed with
him.
Days pass ad--evenings passed IN
der the comp&nionship Of her escort
the walks to the depot each evening
were accomplished without the many
Interruptions Of former days, and
meek but still more lovely Peg board
ed the 8 :55-with assistance.
Occasionally the old subject came
up. Frequently little things occurred
TO bring back reproof, but under It all
Peg smiled, for she knew that the in
terest was being compounded and the
settlement soon due. And 1t came in
most u.aomantic way. Just one OF
those spontaneous happenings on the
way to the train when Arthur told Peg
Of all he felt and hoped and cared
He begged for a response. mot this
evening, but now, Peg. Tell me now"
and IN the earnestness Of his plea
their steps slackened and again In the
midst OF the hurrylng evening crowd
he stopped.
peg, tell me now"
Peg paused for a fraction Of min
ute. Her time had come. A million
little love glints in her eyes were hid
den beneath her hat a thousand lit
tie imps were bidding her hurry him