The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-03-03
DANIEL WADE
AS CUPID
By LATlMER J. WILSON

| w" AsAvs ~ Ac~huIe NsWspApoE oyno1cakeI
| The great interior court Of Electric
Square res0unded with the unharmoni-
Gus music of typewriters. When their
"click-clicking' ceased to pour from
the hundreds Of windows at noon and
at five O'Clock, the numerous elevators
filed to Overfowing and crowds Of
girls and men swarmed out of the
massive doors Of the skyscraper.
Streams Of humanity they flowed down
from the lofty heights to swell the al
ready flooded current of downtown
Broadway.
1t was barely one hour before the
opening of the noontide flood gate.
The anteroOm Office boy, that individ-
ual In uniform and buttons who de-
mands your name and your business,
had grown restless. During a lull in
business he poked his head into the
room Of No. %. where Miss Maybelle
Kinney performed the duties of
stenographer. In years she was less
than twenty-five. while the Office boy,
heralded merely as Dan, though his
name was Daniel Howard Wade,
tipped the scale of years at fifteen.
"Z-z-z-s-t" he significantly sounded
In kind of tongue whistle. HAS
Mapes asked you to lunch with him
todayr
Get out Of here and mind your own
business!" commanded the girl threat
eningly.
| "Ill bet you're going to lunch with
him. Gee! Won't you look fine when
you're Mrs. Mapes! you'll get along
without looking glass every time
Mapes takes off his lid. Why, May !!
You can curl your hair and paint your
lips In the reflection from his shiny top
whenever his hats Off Ouch" he
screamed in whisper when the ham
die Of her paper knife raped his
knuckles. Steps were heard approach
ing the door from the adjoining Office.
and the boy quickly ducked back into
his own room.
The door opened and tall, slende,
young man, somewhat older than May
belle. came in with a handful Of let
tiers. He was not at all bad looking,
| but the top Of his head. the very top
was shockingly bare.
"Here, Miss Maybelle, you can look
after some of these" Mr.. Mapes
was about to say more when he sud
denly discovered that he had left some
thing important in his office. Just as
the door closed behind him, Maybelle
was summoned to another Office by
the little call button indicator at her
desk. AS she started out of the door
Daniel poked his head into the room.
"Ta-ta! You're going to lunch with
Mapes, I'll bet!" he whispered loudly.
The girl Redeemed and scowled at him.
When she came back into her room.
about half an hour later, she brought
more letters and found upon her desk
the one Mapes had gone back to bring.
There was also little note from him,
asking her to lunch today. He said
he would come by for her at noon.
Maybelle could think of no plaus-
ible excuse for not going to lunch
with her fellow employee of the Office
staff. She had not thought enough Of
him personally even to dislike him I'M
| til young Wade began to tease her.
Then she could see nothing but Mr..
Mape's depleted summit every time
she sat opposite him at the crowded
table of the restaurant. His fiery
gaze Of affection was futile in its
attempt to melt the Icy unconcern
! of her manner.
He was hopelessly in love, though
she had not imagined 1t until Wade
pointed the direction Of the wind.
Now Mapes' attention irritated her
and she wanted some polite excuse for
refusing him. She walked over and
looked out at the maze Of windows in
the wall opposite.
In her dust-dry garden of business
routine the girl longed for breath
Of youth and companionship, but
Mapes fell short Of the mark. She
decided that whatever happened she
wouldn't 60 another time with him to
q picture theater or a restaurant.
Absently her gaze fell upon a win
dow directly opposite her own. but
on the floor below. A young man
stood in plain view, looking straight
at her and smiling. In his eyes ut
that moment she thought she read
the romance Of moonlight, springtime.
youth and adventure. There was no
mistake. He was looking all Of those
things right at her.
His hair was reached back In the
most genteel style. His brows were
arched exQuisitely above his dark
eyes, which now sparkled with merri-
ment. He was surely smiling at her,
and she looked away abashed at first {;
then back at him with an answering
but inQuisitive expression. She saw
him reach across his desk for sheet
Of letter paper, upon which he printed
In large, clear letters with q pen:
EAST DOOR AT NOON"
She had never seen him before, but
from that moment he was new and
| Sntonso interest In tho rOntine Of Eloc-