Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-26
TheDailyNoue
Waiting for Bob
nv lane OSBORNE

.,oborate excuse -
. h;de the reason for her "voioance
,,L,s os it was to avoid Bank s..
now Il seemed imperative thht
-, ~ shou,d break her resolve. a rich
amt an had sent her ha't dozen p"..S ..S
~ cloves with the note inciosc"'
cl o., ,hc most remote idea what
NV or wear. II those aren't right
iiIe ~" yham hack to Blanks and OK
take ." ,hcm." rhc gloves were sevcns
.m .mJ Margaret wore SKIES. p,.,.,s
I'LL i,H1,,orct went herself The rotundn
20 iininrSr's inn' where crowds of men ana
om OF n Loily sat to listen to mechanich'
No,ir" tn rcst. TO while away the time
mus,,' ',,,cnt friends. was the place thnt
ereo"n, Or ~ rs csnccially intended to avoid,
i"l Mnd Tct having got as far rs the glove
somnt.r. sheer perversity leu h'r 10
.Sot section. 1t seemed hs II hcr lcet
sarried her there without hcr consent.
,''"I wonder whom ne meets hcre
...g, rns what Margaret was saying
70 herself. and with the question ;l, Iors
n,iny hcr she took seat behlnd
ntn, ,a,,o column i'm what seemed to be
4 hidden retreat. -. ,u.,,...
= snnrosc he anyways meets girls here
rrobablv met them before he met me
.,d still meets them
About twenty feet away from Mar
,ornt's column sat good looking young
- n law student. His lectures had
im.t rndcd in the ncnr-y law school
and and he had been impelled to come into
Blanks, .,.. poh coo1rood
,.os soyiup 70 himself: ~ wonder whom
,bc meets now. Fool place to make a
man come--a department store. But 1t
was was her idea. suppose she always
meets men here
: Margaret was about to rise from hc,
retrcst when she looked ahead Of her
and suddenly sat down again. As she
rose Bob GOodrcad saw her. lie felt
sure that she could not have seen him
40 he shrank back as much ne 1t was
nossible. believing himself completely
hidden by his column.
"Ill wait and see who it Is was
Margaret's determination. her lips go
Ing male and narrow and her heart cat =
ins fast. "I'd like to see what sort OF
rrl cut me OUT
'When he comes I'd like to thrash
him." thought Bob. "KecpinS II girI
waiting like that. / was always or
time. a little ahead Of time so she
never had to sit and watt
Margaret waited and Bob waited
They waited fifteen minutes and thci
they waited Il half hour and the longer
thoy waited the more eager each wn'
to sec the thing out "ISesidcs.' thought
Margaret. 'if | move first he'll So,
me-" and Bob reflected that he'd be ir
an embarrassing position if he made
himself evident by stirring from hi'
retreat.
Half past chimcd on tho big clocl
somCwhcre in the rotunda. 1t was go
By six the store would be closed. Clocks
pointed to Il quarter of six. The rrowt
began to thin. 1t would be more hazur.
dous than ever to try to get away nov
without attracting attention. so Mar
garct kept her seat and Bob kept his
Margaret became uneasy.
"Cnd,' thought Bob. ''Shc's nor
vous rs can be. What sort of man car
be be to keep her waiting like that =.
And Margaret saw Bob's unoasinpSs
"Ilc must care lot for her." sh
Thought. "Pcrhaps If I had kept hin
waiting sometimes he'd have cared 70
ne. Men always like girls who Leaf
them a Cha"e.'
Presently Margaret realized that sh
and Bob were the only two person
remaining in the great rotunda. Sh
saw saoSwomcn getting out crash GOV
ers to throw over counters and Salcsme1
helping to put displays under cover TO
the night.
A shrill bell. that sounded like
giants alarm clock rang, and then tn
rotunda clock chimcd six.
Margaret rose very slowly. her nos
In th" air, and then started to hurr
of. \ passing aisle man suggested
70 Bob that he'd better be moving on
They were the last persons not en-
ployes. in the store. Side doors wrr
closed tight. They had gone in opposit
directions. but somehow met in tn
main entrance way, whittier they ha
been drcc,cd.
"Sorry,' said the attendant. 18th
doors been locked. You'll have to =
out tn" employees exit. Rear of I'll
store, last door to the right"
There was nothing to do but obey
ana standing within three feet frol
bob ToOdrend it was quite impoSsib
not to recognize him. Margaret bowc
cody.
Bob seized at this slender excuse
Can do anything for you?' !,
asked, "lour-your friend seems t
nav" boon delaycd.'
Whit about your--your friend?
mapped Margaret. you've been wait
ing ages"
~ wasn't waiting for any one" sal
=, Suddenly Margaret began TO laugl
Bob's expression showed such contri
uon that h" could no longer hol
hcr pose Of cold haut"ur. "What i
I,itt e
then she asked
Trying 10 SO" who YOU were wait
ing for You were really waiting fc
som" one, weren't you?"
OI course was. | was waitin
10 see he girl YOU intended to meet
lh"y had reached the "nI loycs' eX
ppy mat time and in the crowd BE-
'',nn eXcnS" I" tax" Margaret arm
1T seems like old times" he ofrrrp
aS l"clrr for Margaret s mood
oh. Bob, it's Wonderful. And yo
WW"r"n Whiting for another girl
Ihere isn't amy other girl-.you neyc
waited at Blanks for amy one but me-
ny OF course not" said I,oI
,pnlte often after lectures are oy,
com" and sit there in the roiund,
At reminds II" of happier days, ur
well, used (" hope that pcrhnr
som" dhy S"nd com" back and | III
NOT want to miss You if YOU did,"
lh"y walked ON in silence tlronr
inc crowded city street for sever,
minutes.
"Margar"t,' - Bob began. "What di
"" quarrel Nbout?"
.,,.l was just going to ask you," nd
mltt"d Margaret.
L"ts. have dinner together" SIG
erS''d Bob. ''Fclcphonc home iii,
YOU Nc been lclMNeL OF snmnthiun ~