Omaha daily bee., 1921-04-03
WALL PAPER AND
BROKEN ICE.
BY MABEL RUTH JACKSON.


Walter, what you waiting for?
You'll be late at the officel"
"All right, Mother, I'm off. See
you tonight"
Closing tht door behind him, the
young man fingered for moment on
the small front porch, ostensibly ex-
amining the ivy which elambered
over the rail. A close observer
might have noticed, however. that his
attention was elsewhere. For. be it
known, and generally speaking. Mr..
Walter Bond was interested i'll the
family next door. Specifically
speaking, he was more than interest
ed in the merry, little blue-eyed girl
who constituted a part of the afore-
said family. He was hoping that he
might catch glimpse of her some
where about the premises. Failing
that, he strobe off down the walk.
rejecting gloomily that he seemed as
far from becoming acquainted with
her as he had couple of months
ago, when she had first appeared on
the scene.
The Martins had bought the rath
er quaint, Queen Anne house next
door to the Bonds two-fat building
and moved in the first of May. There
was son, little younger than Wal
ter, and about the last of June, the
daughter, Bertha, arrived. She had
been teaching i'll a country school
and was glad enough to have a va
cation after dealing with bunch of
refractory youngsters all winter
This was over-the-back fence gos-
sip, via Walters mother. Mrs. Bond
described Bertha as friendly young
person, full of fun and good spirits.
Walter knew that she was remark
ably easy to look at. He had been
introduced to her and had exchanged
few wards at different times, but
he couldn't seem to get any fur
ther. He wished something would
happen to break the ice. If he only
had one of those dashing. compell-
ing sort of personalities. he was sure
they would have become good friends
by this time.
He was thinking of her again that
afternoon as he sat at his desk. He
was conceited, but he knew, we'll
enough, that he had experienced
little difficulty heretofore in getting
on easy terms with girls. Some
Of them, perhaps, were inclined to
meet him more than half Way. But
this little country girl, with her sure
enough rosy cheeks and tip-tilted
nose, was provokingly independent.
Perhaps if he had seen the CLINT
of mischief in her blue eyes, he
would have known She was not so
unaware of his existence as she
seemed, but in the few times he had
met her, she had been occurrences
itself.
He was suddenly forced to recall
his wandering thoughts when he
found all invoice made out to Miss
Bertha Martin, 7042 Union Ave"
Such an entry, if discovered by his
office associates, would expose him
to general ridicule, and he hastily
but tenderly erased it and substi-
tuted the more business-like name
of Jonas Finkleburg, Goshen, Ind"
1t was early autumn, the loveliest
season of the year in the big city by
the lake, and Walter was thinking,
as he walked home, crunching the
dry leaves underfoot, that the
weather seemed made for tWosing.
He longed to ask his fair neighbor
TO accompany him on a hike the
coming Saturday. He had learned
again from his mother-tfat
Bertha was not going to teach this
year. He felt confident that she
was an out-of-doors girl. -
The Bonds were just finishing
dinner that evening when the back
door buzzer sounded.
1t was the young man from next
door.
Have you folks got a stepladder
you'd lend us this EVENING""
Sure thing" responded Walter
heartily. wait minute till I get it
and then I'll help you carry it over"
Thanks, old man, but I guess my
feeble muscles are equal to the task"
responded the young man with a
grin.
Walter repressed an inclination
to choke him :.
Were going to paper sis's room"
Arthur volunteered further, blissfully
unconscious Of Walters wrath.
Dads an old hand at it."
Walter watched him go, carrying
the stepladder, and hoped he'd fall
and skin his ankle, or something. but
nothing happened. He sat out on
the back steps as the twilight deepen
ed into early evening, his gaze turned
frequently towards an upper room
in the house next door. The shades
were drawn but there were chinks
of light along the sides and he could
hear the sound of voices.
Suddenly the lights in the Martin
house. vanished. Feminine shrieks
and masculine voices, admonitions
sounded in helpless confusion.
Walter jumped to his feet and
sprang over the fence into the next
yard. Just as he got to the back
door, it opened and disclosed the
disheveled figure of Arthur Martin.
whats the matter? Can | help?"
asked Walter anxiously.
Gosh, we're in an awful fix The
chandelier came down and the gas is
pouring out to beat the band l took
hold Of it to Steady myself and the
darned thing came right out. I'm
goin' down to see if I can turn off
the gas" ,gasped Arthur halfway
down the basement stairs. go on
up he called back.
Walter groped his way into the
front hall and up the stairs. AS lie
came to the top step someone call
ed. as that you, Arthur"
mo, it's Walter Bond. l thought
maybe 1 could help you"
"Oh, this gas is awful. We're all
nearly sick. Dads standing on the
tahle holdino his thumb in the hole