The Little River news., 1922-10-25
Old Henry's Wooing
By JUSTIN WENTWOOD
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 Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
 Hello, Hank! Saving up to get married:"
 Old Henry Dobson, who had been one of the bookkeepers of the Friend company for nearly score of years, looked up sheepishly and thrust away the bills he was counting
 Better hurry up; not much time to lose, Hank''
 Henry DobsOn must have been fifty, and why he had been so long with the company and still retained subordi- nate position was not difficult to see. Honest, plodding, industrious, he had not the qualities that make for sue cess. An elderly-looking man, unob- trusive, he went his way, the butt of mild Witticisms on the part of the younger men,.
 No one knew anything about old Henry, nor where he lived, and nobody cared.
 The same applied equally to Miss Powell, of the correspondence depart ment. Miss Rowell had been there nine, years, and looked just plain, pale, rather faded, old maid.
 Say, Miss Rowell, Hank Dobson reckons he's going to get married!"
 Sadie, the telephone girl, said this, and waited for the quick blush to ap- pear on Miss Rowell's face.
 "Is he, really? Oh, isn't that mce!
 "Say," said Sadie to her friend, Agnes Strut, wouldn't it be a joke to make Amy Rowell think Hank Dob sons in love with her?''
 And to make him think she's in love with him!"
 How'll we do it?"
 "Watch mel" said Sadie graphically.
 On the following morning Miss Row. ell found a neat little bunch of violets on her desk, with scrap of pasteboard attached, bearing in writing the words, with H. DIS compliments"
 Her agitation appeared plain. The girls, watching her, had many quiet giggles as they saw her surreptitiOusly l bend to sniff the fragrance of the flowers.
 Say, Hank, that's a fine bunch of flowers you sent Miss Rowell.''
 T didn't send her any flowers. What'd want to send her flowers for2' protested Henry Dobson.
 Well, don't you let on you didn't. She's coming to thank you"
 Little Miss Rowell stopped at Henry | Dobson's desk. Thank you so much for your beautiful flowers, MT. Dob- son." she said in a quiet voice.
 A few days later Henry Dobson found a pair of socks on his desk, bearing card, With kind remem- brances from A. R." Examination dis closed the fact that the heels were gone.
 Say, Miss Rowell, MT. Dobson's had such a lovely pair of socks from | some one," said Sadie.
 Little Miss ROwell raised her head | inquiringly. "Who sent them?" she asked.
 "Oh, Miss Rowell! Oh, Miss Row. ell" they leased hel.
 It was funny to see how nervOusly 1 Miss Rowell avoided Henry DobsOn's desk for several days thereafter.
 The cream of the joke came q few days later Miss ROwell opened a little cardboard box. Inside was a ten-years-old valentine, procured from some old dealer who had had it rot ting on his shelf since the days when valentines remained in fashion. The | lace paper edge was torn and mil l dewed. The picture represented an elderly spinster with long, red nose, and underneath was printed: I think you're out for marriage,
 As all the world can see l hope you'll find man to your mind, 1 As long as it isn't me.
 The sender had scratched out the | last word and substituted HI. D."
 Miss Rowell's right hand jerked con- vulsively. The valentine, torn in half, | dropped into the wastebasket.
 Twelve struck. Hank DobsOn came | slowly into the correspondence depart l ment as the girls were getting on their hats. Miss Rowell rose up, smiling.
 "Oh, Sadie, you know Pm not cOm- ing back on Monday2" she asked.
 Not coming back, Miss Rowell?" There was genuine regret. Then, im- pulsively: "Oh Miss Rowell, if it's because we've bothered you so much, won't you overlook it? I'm really ashamed"
 My dear, you haven't bothered me at all," Miss Rowen smiled. But my husband and are starting little pou- try farm--the dream of our lives"
 "Oh, Miss ROwell nean-why, Miss Rowell, you and Mr. Dobson have got married!"
 "Ten years ago, my dear," smiled Amy ROwell.