, 1921-05-12
The Little Stenogra-
pher of Brockton
BY WILL T. AMES
20 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)

mother, an expression of suffering in
his fine gray eyes.
''You don't really. No son of mine
could possibly love u motorman's
daughter. And think Of the oppor-
tunities you have and are throwing
them away for a little, middle-class,
Brockton stenographer."
Mother, l can't let you talk like
that about Edith, n I'll ask you to
avoid mentioning her in the future"
"Hoity toityi How pompous we are,
and as surely as you do marry her
I'll disinherit you and you can have
love in a cot-the real thing"
~ don't care a snap of my finger
whether you dislnherit me or not"
With finality he rose to go, and
frantically Mrs. Gunter cast abou for
another line Of tactics.
"Ah, but Phil" she exclaimed, drop
ping her naughty name holding
out her arms pleadlngly, "you know
how l love you, my only boy, n this
thing will kill me. 1t will grieve me
to death-you know my heart is bad
and my whole life is wrapped up In
YOU i lie dMdht Ut hight uituhhhhS
about you and planning your future
Philip WINGED and a cloud passed
over his clean open face as he rose
and put his arm about his mother.
''There, there, Momsy, don't get so
worked up"
A maid tapped at the door and pre-
sented a card.
"Heavensl Mrs. Mangston's down.
stairs. Go and talk to her, Phil. I'll
come In a minute"
Grateful, for the escape, the young
man greeted the caller warmly.
Flows it going?" the lady asked
with motherly concern.
Worse than ever. She's just made
a dreadful scene and 1 feel like a
murderer"
~"Sh-h-h-h, here she comes"
my dear Mrs. Mangston, h a
pleasure this Isl" said the hostess
cordially.
With a bow Philip excused himself
and o the two were deep in con-
versation.
"Yes," said Mrs. Gunter bitterly,
"the boys determined to marry this
little stenographer in Brockton and as
surely as he does It I'll cut him Off
without a farthing."
Her voice shook as she spoke and
the heavy diamond brooch sparkled
and glittered with the rise and fall Of
her breast.
Even II you do cut him off that
won't prevent his marrying her. What
you seem to want to do is to prevent
the match" said Mrs. Mangston
thoughtfully.
But how7" asked the other des-
perately.
Another girl is usually the best
cure" remarked the caller.
But he says he's sick of girls in
his set. He calls them artificial and
empty-headed and won't look at them
any more"
"Of course not; It'll take some new
girl that1l sweep him off his feet"
"But where can we find such a crea-
ture?"
puckered her brow as she stared alb
sently at the floor. "Now. l have a
sister who has just moved here" she
went on after a moment, "and 1t seems
to me that she said thai she was go
ing to have a little girl visiting her
next week. 1 might get up a dinner
in her honor and invite you and Phil"
THAT would be wonderful II you
could" said Mrs. Gunter, enthusiast
cally.
"Goodi This girls coming Monday I;
l~sp- ..ntra th1 ltoan- xuAIna1JaNep
you're really too kind" smiled Mrs.
Gunter as they parted.
mot in the least. I'm simply SO
devoted to Phil that I would do any
thing in the world to help him out"
Anxiously Mrs. Gunter waited for
the appointed time, and after much
coaxing, persuaded her son to accom-
pany her.
Dinners are always a bore, and
l know more gins than I want to
know" he grumbled as he Jerked on
his dinner jacket.
They arrived punctually and with
covered eagerness Mrs. Gunter
watched the meeting between her son
and the girl and IA gratlied to note
a CLINT Of admiration In Phil's eyes as
he took Randolph Parker's hand.
Later, she decided hat she had never
seen him SO brilliant and entertaining
as he was at dinner that night.
TITS working beautifully" she whis-
pered to her hostess.
But she's such a lovely girl, who
could help being gone over herT' re-
piled Mrs. Mangston.
"who. indeed1 Now, why couldn't
he have fallen for a girl like that in
the first placer How longs she 60
ing to stay7"
1.-TWO weeks"
Better than nothing"
As they took their leave the mother
rejoiced to hear her son say
"Haye you any engagement for to-