Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-03-16
AT NACYS DOOR
BY EDITH NJ. LockKrT

g. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
/ One moment the old screen door OF
! Mays Lunch Room" was closed
The next moment there sounded the
peculiar little squeak of the door open
ing Two hands met on the handle
girl and a youth stared at each
/ other, then the squeak of the little
! old door was drowned by laughter de
Z lightfully young. Strangers they were
| then, but when they met near the door
| of Nacy's the next noon and the next
! they unconsciOusly felt that they were
not strangers, and nodded to each
! other In amused recognition.
! The girl liked ~. E. c." as she
! christened him, because of some ini-
tials she had seen on book he was
| carrying There was something whole
some about him. So she did not resent
ii one day when she saw him making
| his way toward the table where she
! sat trying to enjoy solitary lunch.
IT'S good, isn't it2" he asked. In
dicating her pie.
YES; It's almost like some other
apple pies l once ate" She smiled
| wistfully. She was thinking of her
! mother and an orchard, with rows and
rows of apple trees in the sunshine,
! Presently she finished her lunch, and
gathering up some books, rose abrupt
| ly. I'm be late If don't hurry" she
said
oh so you go to school like the
rest OF usY~ he asked
She nodded, smiling, and hurriedly
paid her check and departed. You're
a little fool, Ann Berry" she scolded
| herself you let j. Il. c.. think you're
going to school. You, mere Office
clerk and newell listen to his enun-
citation and perfect English"
Still she made no effort to avoid him.
Somehow, he always found place
at her table at lunch time at Mays.
They talked about books-that is
he did Ann listened mostly, for
sometimes he talked of things she had
never heard Of
Ann was boarding and sharing ner
room with a student named Rose
! O'Neil, who loathed attending the
university almost as much as Ann
would have liked it.
81 hate It. / want to get married,
but my folks Insist on my finishing
the course Ann. be sport and help
me with this" was her evening salu-
tation
Rose. 1t isn't fair to you" Ann pro
tested But it ended as II always did
In AIMS helping her.
Ann felt guilty; she knew why she
was taking such an interest In Rose.
She felt she was almost getting more
out of the course than Rose was. The
young man. her ~ f. c., at Macy 8.
was her Inspiration. She wanted 10
understand the things he talked about.
! Many Of The themes Rose handed
In had been written and typewriter
by Ann and Rose had signed them.
Rose would come home telling her Of
being commended by the English in
structor for her original stories.
AS the days passed along there was
noticeable change in Ann. She was
careful Of manner and speech She
threw her whole self into her work
Yet Ann was swept from her feet
when the president of the firm asked
her if she would consider going TO
Chicago.
I'VE need someone like you" he
said you understand what we're
doing here; we want to put the same
thing over in Chicago. We want you
because we can depend on you and
YOU have no home ties.
That night Rose was quite persist
emit. Ann must write story for
her. Her sweetheart was coming to
see her, so she wouldn't have time.
Ann wrote story for Rose-her
own. 1t was filled with loneliness, and
get with the hope of happiness filled
with apple blossoms ana rows and
rows of apple trees in the Sunshine.
Rose signed It and passed it at class
next day,
1t was lunch time at Nacy's. Ann
nodded to her - Z. c. She didn't
want to acknowledge To Hrr-eli tlmt
she loved him. would miss him ia
Chicago You're a little fool Ann
Berry You had better 90 70 Chicago
and forget"
Hello. Why so bIueT he asked.
lightly
sTm trying To- decide % 90 away
yet somehow" She stopped short /!
what was she saying? 1t passed I'M
noticed as he handed her an cnyel-
ope. There was a generous check in
side, made out to her aud signed by
the editor Of large magazine.
"It's your story. l sold n. | took
il to a friend of mine. lie thought
it was great It's a wonderful piece
OF work" said -. f. c." eagerly.
BUT Ann, flushed and bewildered,
said, II don't understand"
Heavens. l am telling the story
backward. Ann Berry look at me
rather recognized that story. II was
| Ike YOU You see. l got Rose ONeil
10 confess. l rather bribed her. She
told me everything she could about
you. You see. I'm the English instruc-