The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-17
Eoening Story
An Automatic Romance.
BY MARY MORRISON.

Trovatore'' mingled with the cries of
the street venders-''S Strawberries,
sweet strawberries" June even found
its way thru the revolving doors of
that ornately entranced lunch room.
the "Automat.'
Masie Gallagher. romantically
munching a sandwich, looked up sud-
denly and caught the eye of a young
man seated across the table, separated
from her by two feet of mission fur
niture, a vinegar cruet, sugar bowl, a
bottle of tomato catsup and a salt
cellar.
Something told Masie that this man
was not an habitute of the Automat.
His well-cut clothes, his deliberately
turned mustache and his nicely mani
cured hands proclaimed him differ
ent"
All of a sudden she was glad her
new straw hat was SO becoming and
that the floorwalker at Tuppen's had
given her an extra half hour for lunch.
And because it was June she smiled
family at the young man.
IT say" he removed the bottle of
catsup from between them and leaned
eagerly forward. You don't look as
if you belonged in this scent place.
I'll wager the head waiter at tine Plaza
is reserving table by the window for
you at this minue. What's the
answer? Out for experience-to see
how the other half ives?"
Temptation nudged Masie CAL
lagher's elbow and came and en-
sconced itself in her bosom, aided and
allotted by her vivid imagination and
an assidious reading of the novels of
one Robert Chambers. She sue
eumbed.
I'm sorry I show 1t so plainly" she
said to the young man with a dep
recation air. I'VE are spending q
usual summer at Newport" And with
her elbows on the table. rather conf
dentially, I've always wanted to see
the inside of this place, you know. The
cakes and omelettes they have in the
window look so perfectly entrancing
as go by in the motor. If 1 hadn't
been afraid of shocking the chauffeur
I'd have stopped long ago. But we've
packed him off to the country, so
seized today's opportunity"
They smiled delightedly into each
| others eyes, and then Maisie said:
But what about you? What are
you doing here?"
1.-The same thing" he replied, CIV
ing his rnustache a deliberate earess
with his beautiful hands. I'm stop
ping at the club over on Fifty-first
street. seeing the same fellows. eating
the same rich food day after day. until
am sick to death of it, Beastly bore
living at the club-but the mater is
out of town, off on a motor trip, and
the house is shut up tight as a drum
so there was nothing else to be done
I'm mighty glad I decided to give my
self a contract at the automat today
mighty gladI"
The young mans compliment was so
unmistakable and the admiration in
his eyes so evident that q most be-
coming blush mounted to Masie Gal
| Iagher's pretty face.
isn't it funny we've never met be-
FORE" he continued making mental
note of the blush.
"well-not really" replied Masie
shameIessly. you see. we don't go
out socially at all. My father is the
most terrific old autocrat in New York
and he says that Paris and Rome are
the only places he will allow me to
go out in. So, of course, I have
| missed all the nice things here" This
was rather dashing of Masie, as she
was not quite sure whether Paris and
Rome were really places where one
did "go out" or not; but the admiring
and respectful manner in which the
young man looked at her was reas-
surfing.
And then. because life always mixes
the bitter with the sweet, the big white
| forced itself into Masie's line of
| vision. One thirtyi Gracious, in is
minutes she would be due behind the
ribbon counter at Tuppen's. She rose.
Il had no idea it was so late" she
said. ST have a fitting at Tuppen's
means SO many stupid clothes" and
she shrugged her shoulders YEARLY.
as did all the heroines of Robert
Chambers. She held out her hand.
so glad to have met you" she
purred.
But you haven't told me your
name" exclaimed the young man,
holding on to the little hand, determi-
nation in his admiring eyes. 81 must
see you again, you know. can't go
to the Plaza and ask for the prettiest,
most attractive daughter of an aboni-
| nable old autoerat, can =? They'd rec
| ognize whom I meant, of course. but
they might think I had just escaped
I'm sorry" said Masie Gallagher.
daughter of Tim Gallagher, of the
New York police force, but it's bet
ter not. Father would insist on know
ing where I had met you and there
would be an awful row. Goodby, -
and, with a heartfelt resentment at the
station in life to which it had pleased
| God to call her. Masie made her way
back to the ribbon counter. That deli
cate, aristocratic mustache burned her
memory and her heart.
She sold five yards of blue ribbon to
a plump old lady who wanted 1t
Charged and taken"
Gust a minute, please" requested
Masie Mstlessly, her mind far away.
"the floorwalker must sign for it."
anu SAAC S4ACA Sal Al anu AOd0s
"Mr. Fosteri Mr.. Fos-terl"
For P@e's sake, Masie," said Clara
| Oppenheim. who also sold ribbons at
Tuppen's department. store. Don't
you know Fosters gone. There's a
new man-Mr. Pidgeon."
"Oh, well, keep your hat on, Clara
didn't know it," replied Masie inele-
gantly. She couldn't be a Robert
Chambers heroine all the time.
Mr.. Pid-geoni Mr.. Pid-geonI" she
shrilled.
Right here" said q familiar. care
fully modulated voice in her ear. Ma
sic was looking into the aristocratic
face of the man at the Automat.
Good Lord! The Plaza and New
porti" he muttered, as he signed for
the ribbon.