The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-10
EDening Story
The Noon Hour Notes.
BY FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

All day long, as they worked in the |
big general offices of the Acme Manu-
featuring company, Don stole glances
at her as she bent demurely over her
typewriter, turning out work just
about twice as fast as any other girl
in the office and work that was just
about three times as neat as theirs.
And every time that Don glanced at
her brown hair and big blue eyes and
rosy cheeks, his heart did a quick step
and he felt like rushing right up to
her and carrying her off with him to
the ttmarrying parson' three blocks
down on the street on which the Acme
company was located.
Then as Don would turn reluctant
iy back to his york, his heart would
sink.
What chance had he, anyhow? Not
the least little chance in the world
against Charles Gilliom, the sales
manager, who, tho there was gray III
his hair and lines at the corners of
his eyes, courted Dolly with all the
ardor of a college youth.
OF course Don and Dolly were good
friends. But always when Don was on
the verge of leaning close to Dolly and
whispering in her pretty ear that it
would be a good stunt for them to
hook up and go thru life together the
thought of his meager salary rose up
and chilled him. And there was Gill
liom looming in the distance with his
fat salary and big, powerful automo-
bile. Surely it wouldn't be right to
deprive Dolly of the life of ease that
Gilliom could give her.
For some weeks things dragged on
this way-Don becoming more pessi-
mistic and less ardent from day to
day, and Gilliom becoming ardent
and more confident as time went on.
Then there came a day on which
Dolly hestitated when Dan asked her
to go to the movies that night.
II hardly know what to say"
| said Dolly 81 was out late last night
and I'm going to be out late tomor-
row night. I really ought to stay
nome tonight and get some sleep. 1t
always makes me sleepy to ride in an
| automobile and L didn't get enough
| sleep last night"
Don shivered bit as Dolly said
! this. He felt as if some one had
thrown cold water over him. He
knew, of course, who Dolly had been
with the night before and who she
was to be with the following night. OF
course, it would be. Gilliom. He was
the only one of Dolly's friends who
owned an automobile.
| Right away Don pessimistically
| speculated on the state of affairs. He
decided at once that Dolly was as good
as engaged TO Gilliom and that this
was her way of letting him down
| easily.
| "Oh. well, Wen call it off Them,
! exclaimed Don, and turned hurriedly
away without looking up at Dolly.
AS he strobe down the street he
| thought he heard Dolly calling after
him. But he didn't stop. Probably
she merely wanted to tell him how
sorry she felt for him. He couldn't
| stand that, so he kept right on walking
away hurriedly.
The next day at the office Don reso-
lutely kept his eyes away from Dolly.
So successful was he in doing this that
Sammy, the office boy, took notice of
| it. Having noticed the situation Sam
my approached Don cautiously.
| Whats the matter?'' queried Sam
my. Did she give you the. frozen
mitt ?''
| AS he spoke Sammy indicated Dolly
with a nod of his head.
| For a moment Don felt like throt-
| thing Sammy. Then he thought better
of the idea and decided not to throttle
| him.
mo- said Don. "she didn't give me
/ the icy mitt. I've simply quit. What
| chance he added bitterly, has a guy
got these days against a bird with a
| lot of coin?" Then without waiting
| for an answer from Sammy, Don
| mournfully answered himself, mot
| chance-not a chance in the world!'
! "Well, cheer upi" admonished Sam
| my. There are plenty of fish still left
in the sea-
Huh" retorted Don, "I don't want
| to marry a fish,
1t was on the following day that
Don, upon returning to his desk from
lunch, found the first of series of
| notes which surprised him and made
him again feel like committing muir
der upon Sammy.
The first note Don found read like
this:
Faint heart never won fair lady"
The note was scrawled on a sheet of
scrap paper in a boyish hand. Right
away Don felt that a trick was being
| played upon him by the fun-lOvinS
! Sammy. But, in order to be sure
about the matter Don secured some
| specimens of Sammy's handwriting
| the note. The writing certainly
looked alike. There could, therefore.
be no doubt that Sammy was respon-
sible. But Don decided to catch
Sammy in the act before saying any
thing to him.
| For the purpose of catching Sammy
right at it Don returned to the office
| earlier than usual the following day.
! But Sammy was not about. However,
| there was a note on the desk, just the
same. This second note read like
| this:
Jaw, go ahead and try! Mebbe you
got a chance after ALL"
The handwriting was the same as
| that of the first note.
| On the third day Don exercised par
| ticular care in his effort to apprehend
Sammy. but again he failed. And
gain he found a note on his desk,
| this one reading like this:
You better hurry, or it really will
| be too late.'
An intense hatred for Sammy flood
| ed Don as he read this third note. The
| impudence of the boy interfering in
this way and trying to tell Don how
to run his affairs! If he ever caught
! him in the act of putting a note on the
desk he'd-hc'd pulverize the boy,
| that's what.
So intensely was Don aroused that
the next noon he didn't leave the
building at all; he simply went from
the general office into a nearby room