Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-11-18
Pendleton's Waste
Basket
By CLARA DELAFIELD

IN marry Elsie Ross"
Elsie Ross, who was Mr.. Pendle-
+on's stenographer, wrote the above
m a piece of paper, read it six times,
and then, crumpling it, consigned 1t to
tho office waste-basket.
IF this was black magic and a tam
roriDg with astral forces, all that can
10 said is that Mr.. Pendleton had
Kissed Elsie Once-fiye months before.
# came about like this: Elsie was
perfgt jewel of stenOgrapher, and
taken to each other from the
bopnu9g There had been a terrible
business loss, for few days every
thing seemed to be going to tho WALL,
|zJA,nd then a hOped-for deal was con-
wmmated and things grew better.
Miss Ross, we've pulled through"
shouted PendIeton exultantly, and
4 kissed her.
Elsie. who had been dying to be
Kissed by Charles Pendleton, gave no.
flee Immediately.
I'm not the kind Of girl whom q
man can do that to-" she said.
4 you don't mean-you can't mean
WHY, don't you see how terribly ex.
cited | was?" demanded Charley.
That's no excuse, Mr.. Pendleton
for such-such perfectly outrageous
behavior. Why didn't you kiss Miss
JOnes?'
Miss Jones, the bookkeeper down.
stairs, was swarthy, sour, and seven
and forty. Charles Pendleton smiled
q will-if you'll stay" he an
wered.
IF I stay, Mr.. Pendleton, 1t must
81 he absolutely understood that there
will never again be any breaches of
81 decOrum"
PendletOn promised, and the cool
ness that fell between them after
that would have ricked the neck of
a gin rickey. And-it lasted. Elsie
81 hadn't meant to do more than assert
her dignity.
Alas, those girls who make too
much fuss about being kissed some
tines find themselves going through
n life kissless!
Not that Elsie wanted every Tom,
Al Dick and Harry to kiss her. But
Charles Pendleton well, she
8 loved him. And she did want to mar
~ him.
Was 1t very wrong, then, If she
& sent out those silent thought waves
every evening before she left the
Is ofiCe-not to speak of divers thoughts
Of a similar character at other times
Of the day?
& Weeks passed; every night, before
bidding farewell to Mr. Pendleton-
who stayed late at the office-Elsie
II wrote her slogan on a piece Of paper,
read 1t six times. and consigned 1t to
the waste-basket. And nothing hap
pened
Ny Pendleton was growing sterner
q and colder every day. Elsie grew more
MID more unhappy. The charm seemed
D. working the wrong way.
EDTA last it became a matter Of now
Az never. On May % Elsie deliberate
ii " wrote down: Charles Pendleton,
you are going to marry Elsie Ross on
June %"
And she read 1t twelve times over
that evening, and each succeeding
evening.
IF the blamed thing doesn't work
shall call it off for ever and-and
leave said Elsie.
Nothing happened, and there was a
positive crispness in Mr.. Pendleton's
voice when he spoke to Elsie.
Elsie stuck to her guns, mainly out
Of ObstnaCy. Twelve times before go
Ing home she read that fateful mes
sage. And the days passed. 1t was
June 10, It was June 10, it was June
70, 1t was June 25, %, 81, % d.
On the afternoon of June % Elsie
broke into a flood of tears at her
typewriter.
MY dear Miss Rossr' exclaimed
her employer.
At the words "my dear" Elsie had
looked up hopefully, but at Miss
Ross she sobbed more bitterly than
ever
What is the matter?"
N-nOthing," sObbed Elsie.
I think you must be run down. It
mas been hot" said Mr.. Pendleton
Look here, little girl mean Miss
HoSS, why not start in on your vaca-
0on right away? You won't be fit for
much without long rest"
W-what will you do without me,
Mr. Pendleton?" inquired Elsie.
Me? Ha, that's a good one? ejac-
aated Mr. Pendleton. "Why, I'm go
0g to take holiday, too.
Yes, sir, I'm going on fishing trip
mo the Maine woods, where the sun
.ofgets to shine sometime4 Didn't
YOU remember what day it is tomor-
low"
Mr.. Pendleton !" Elsie was flaming
Scarlet.
so thought since it's got to be we
alsht as well start off together, dar-
~ag' I've got 'em all-every, blessed
pue note you put into that old bas-
1e' Tor me. Say, that baskets our
uaSCot what? And-mayn't / kiss
'An nnw9"