The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-26
THE
s'Hl5.:o'.. 6 DRY.
waiting For Bob
q JANE OSBORN

M
Eor tie past six months Mar
garet Hope had avoided Blanks
department. store. When a shop
ping companion suggested Blanks
Margaret made an elaborate ex-
ctiHe. II was as important to hide
tho reason for her avoidance OF
BlAnl,s as It was to avoid Blanks.
But now Il seemed imperative
that che should break her resolve.
a rich aunt had sent her a half
dozen pairs Of gloves with the note
tinciosed: II haven't the most re
mote idea what size you wear. II
these aren't right take them back
% Blanks and exchange them :
The Gloves were sevens and Mar.
satet wore skies,
There was no one to send to
Blanks SO Margaret went herself.
The rotunda At Blanks, where
The crowds OF men and women
daily sat 10 listen to mechanical
tinrsic TO rest, TO VINE away the
time or. to meet friends. was the
places that Margaret especially in.
Z dded 10 avoid. And yet, having
get as far OF tho glove counter,
sheer perversity led hor to that
sectionss1t seemed as her feet
carried her there without her con.
sent.
q wonder, whom he meets here
now?' was what Margaret was
saying to herself and with the
question tormenting her she took
|, 4 seat behind a large column In
what seemed to be a hidden re.
ut was his idea to meet at
Ranks=FI suppose he always
y eets girls here-probably met
when Before he met mo and still
meets them" 2
u About twenty feet away from
Margaret's column sat good look.
ing young man law student. His
lectures had Just ended in the
nearby law school and he had
been impelled to come into
Blanks.
And the law student. Bob Good,
read, was saying to himself: II
Wonder whom she meets now. Fool
eiplaee to make o man come a
DEPARTMENT store. But 1t was her
idea. ! suppose. she always meets
men here"
Margaret was about to rise from
her retreat when she looked ahead
% her and suddenly sat down
again. AS she rose Bob Goodread
saw her. He felt sure that she
could not have seen him so he
shrank back as much as 1t was
possible. believing himself com.
lipletely hidden by his column.
sf'll wait and see who 1t ls." wa }
lafgaret's determination. her lips
ping pale and narrow and he's
aft beating fast "I'd like to see
hatsortlof a girl cut mo out.
sWhen he comes I'd like to
thrash him." thought Bob. Keep.
Ing q girl waiting like that! I was
always on time, n little ahead Of
tine. 50 she never had to sit md
lswaits@
MARGARET waited and Bob wall
eds They waited fifteen minutes
and then they waited q half hour
and the longer they waited the
more eager each was to see the
Ithing out. Besides" thought
Margaret. ~ I move first he'll see
hae;" and Bob reflected that he'd
be In an embarrassing position
II bet made himself evident by
stirring from his retreat.
Half past chimed on the big
oTocqk somewhere In the rotunda.
, 1t was $3.50. BY 6, the store would
be closed. Clocks pointed to a
quarter of six. The crowd began
O. thin. 1t would be more hazard
ons than ever to try TO get away
now without attracting attention.
SO Margaret kept her seat and
Bob kept his. Margaret became
uneasy
Cad" thought Bob. "She's ner.
yoas as can be. What sort OF man
can he be TO keep her waiting like
Ehatis
And margaret saw Boh'S uneas.
iness. "He must care a lot for her.
she thought. Perhaps II I had
kept him waiting sometimes, he'd
have cared for me. Men always
like girls who lead them d chase"
Presently Margaret realized
that she and Bob were the only
two persons reamining in the grea.
Srotpnda She saw saleswomen get.
lting out crash covers to throw
IoTer counters and statesmen help.
ing 20 put displays under cover fof
The night.
| A sfrill bell. that sounded like
a giants alarm clock rang, and
then the rotunda clock chimed 6,
Margaret rose very slowly, he's
nose In the air, and then started
20 hurry off. "A passing aisle man
suggested 70 Bob that he'd better
he moving on. They we're the last
persons not employees. in the store.
slide door were closed tight. They
had gone In opposite directions.