Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-01-12
A Little Bit Shy
By RAY LEWIS

! three older sisters-and there are dis
advantages Tonight Thomas Bradley
| Morse was keenly aware of the latter.
.'Why in Sam HILL" he was mutter-
Ing, cant the girls let me alone? l
hate girls. And why should I, Just
to please bunch of sisters. get q
girl to tag around after?"
Suddenly he whistled. Such an idea
as he had!
"It's so disagreeable," lamented
Belle, "to have a brother whom you
manage finally to drag to dance.
only to have him stay out on the bal
cony and smoke"
II wouldn't care" sighed Janice, III
l could only say, 'Oh, my brother
he's engaged to girl out West! or
He's terribly interested in an out
of-town GIRL But to have a brother
who simply won't look at girl-why,
| 1t makes him so different from the
other boys!"
Janice had given him the idea. II
being interested in an out-Of-town girl
would satisfy them, why, with lit
| tie subterfuge, he could manage that.
The firm for which he was drafts
man expected to send him out Of town
for few days, and when he came
back he would announce his near
engagement.
A week later Tom was sent as he
had anticipated, and two weeks after
ward he returned. His trip had been
most interesting, partly because Of the
success of his errand and partly be-
cause of the attractions of the brown
eyed daughter Of Architect Smith,
with whom he had been dealing.
The family had gathered about him
| in the living room. In fact, he was
suddenly aware that the assembly had
all the earmarks of a family conclave,
with himself as the victim.
Elbow old are you, Tom, dear7'
asked Elsie tentatively.
eSam Blake is to be married next
month";" remarked Belle, apropos OF
nothing at all.
ooh, Tommy" Janice apparently
could contain herself no longer,
there's the incest girl staying at the
Bronsons-"
That was as far as she got. Tom
rose with dignity and gazed blandly
around. "She arrived too late. MY
interests are firmly fixed elsewhere! y
"Tom!" The word was the amalga-
nation of three shrieks. Then, "Who
is she?" ''Where does she liver
"What does she look like7" were
hurled at him simultaneously.
"Well. she doesn't live in this burg,
said Tom grimly.
.It must be Philadelphia" cried
Belle.
Lovely" murmured Janice. "What
Is her name?"
Now, Tom had forgotten that she
must have a name, and the question
was so sudden that. he spoke before
he thought. Had he thought, he would
not have uttered the promptings of
his mind, most certainly. MARY
Smith," he said, then wished 1t back
Immediately.
"Its delightfully."- quaint" said
Belle.
And Tom, committed by his own
deceitfulness, regularly penned In
their presence lengthy epistles to the
fair Mary, then as regularly consigned
them to the waste paper basket In his
officeall but one.
Janice had been teasing him as to
the kind Of letter he wrote. "Td just
love to see one some time" she
begged, and Tom, writing under
three pairs Of eyes his regular Sunday
letter, held it out for inspection.
..My Dearest Mary" 1t read. "You
don't know how wish could see
you again. I miss you more every
day-and my business Is getting to
the point where can think of starting
our little home. Always your Tom.
cts SHORTCUT beautiful" COM
mented Belle then watched him as
he addressed the envelope carefully,
Miss Mary Smith, Kent avenue, Phil
adelphia, Pa"
A week later, Tom, arriving from the
office, found three eager girls await
ing him. Here's your answer!" they
cried.
ITO what?" asked the unsuspfcious
Tom.
'Why, to the one to Mary that you
forgot and l nailed" cried Janice,
holding out q small, pale blue en-
velope.
Gingerly, as one would handle a
package in which he feared a bomb,
Tom received and opened it. Then
he smiled happily. whats 1t about7"
they asked.
''pm afraid" and Tom beamed gent
ly upon them, ut was meant for my
eyes alonep
Many times he reread 1t.
Dear Mr.. Morse:
"Your letter came as surprise, al
though had hoped you would write.
And l think letter must have pre-
coded 1t which 1 did not get. This
one seemed so very definite from a
person whom had thought little bit
shy! ] can't say for sure what l
think of it--until I see you. When
will business bring you this way
again? Mary.
1t was otter Toms sisters returned
from the wedding and from seeing
Tom and his bride off on tour
through the Berkshires that Janice
said wonderingly: "Why do you sup
pose Tom told us her hair was
brown"
"And her eyes were blueT asked