Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-27
THE DAILY NOYEEg1Th
THE WINNING DRAWBACK
By COronG ReSsiR0foN

AT NIGHT he worked over Il, put
4 = the pieces together, took them apart
again and tried It all over. Katherine
would like It and maybe his infinite
labors would express some Of the things
he felt but could not say. Az he worked
his thoughts were continually upon her,
and there was always a feeling Of awe
and almost fear mingled with his. love.
She was 30 exquisite. 20 dainty and 20
pettcd and well bred. Often no won.
dered why she ever tolerated an ordinary
chap like himself---she who could have
had the friendship and admiration Of
any man she chose. e%
At last his little masterpiece was
finished. It looked like tiny hanging
success even beyond his hopes. vet,
once finished. he began to get stage
fright about presenting it to her. What
should he say, what would she do when
she saw It? After all, 1t couldh't mean
much to her who could have anything
under the sun she wanted.
The first time he called after it was
finished he started to take 1t over, but
at the last moment lost all courage,
and lifting the thing out. Of the ma :
chine, carried 1t back and hung It on
the hook where it had lived during It's
days Of incompletion; ;,
told Prof. Conrad's daughter a. soon
as they were seated. but at the las,
moment lost my nerve and. didn't
'Oh, how dear of you I" she ex
| claimed warmly, but why did you lose
your nerve?"
IL don't know--you're 90 feted
and petted somehow, it. seemed silly
after all, but I did enjoy making Il
and thinking about you while I worked
at 1t after Office hours"
"Oh, Fred. I'm just dying to see it.
Please, please 20 get It; 1t won't take
night wondering what it is"
He was rather glad-it would be good
to have It over. Hurrying out, he
jumped into his little sedan and sped
away. In a jiffy he was back.
IL thought maybe you'd like it,
he said, half apologetically. standing
in the doorway and holding his gift at
arms length for her inspection.
"Oh," she gasped with delight, "a
little cage for Pete. How darling OF
you.' The man flushed with pleasure.
Nothing could have made me happier.
How quaint and foreign It looks. Did
you really make it yourself?'
"Uh-h huh" Fred Boatright nodded.
And think of the time and work
you've put on it and you 80 busy. too.
It was lovely Of you, Fred"
"I'm awfully glad you like it?" hs
smiled regaining his cOmposure. "Shall
we zee how Pete takes to it?''
Together they transferred the sleepy
little songster to his new home and fol
the rest of the evening Fred was IL
heaven. Once he almost said the thing
that had been on the tip of his tongue
for weeks, but at the last moment hi.
courage failed. He was just al
ordinary fellow starting out to be q
lawyer and she with generations oi
cultured ancestors behind her ant
enough money to buy a dozen sky.
scrapers. 1t was taking an unfair ad.
vantage. She had never even met hii
family. What would she think of hi.
mother? Sweet soul that she was h,
loved her and was proud of her, but
| how would Katherine feel when sh'
heard ''you was' and ''it don't
Little things that Jared on his nerves
even, although he would have dice
rather than let his mother know it.
Weeks passed. Katherine remained
as friendly and natural and lovable as
ever, but Boatright could not quite gel
up the necessary courage and every
hour he was paralyzed with the feal
that some one would get ahead Of him
One morning some time later tn
phone on his desk jingled sharply.
This is Katherine" sang the voic'