Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1922-01-05
END OF PERFECT DAY
BY GERTRUDE CUSHING.

There is something about the subway
any subway-at 8 O'Clock In the
evening that puts the final test upon a
mans disposition. When you e a
man bucking crowds, taking a blow
from the edge of a suitcase ON q per-
fectly ~inoffensive, homeward-bound
calf, the while a horizontal umbrella
finds a sudden resting place In the
small of his back, without retaliation,
you may know you've come across a
pretty good sort Of chap.
Morton Godfrey not only failed to
retaliate-he kept on whistling; per-
haps in a way that was a sort of
retaliation, for he had no respect for
key or tempo. When he reached the
fifth note with a sweeping intake of
breath 1t was a little melancholy, I
will say. But had you known what
the last twenty-four hours had offered
him your hat would have been off to
his cheerful irony. A perfect day!
"Gosh, what a day" he soto voced as
he lodged the swinging boots of a bun
died child and plunged into his car
The trouble began at about midnight
the night before, when the thermome-
ter dropped 20 degrees, and was car
ried forward by the absence of the
| chore man and the failure of Morton's
alarm clock to ego off" A hastily
opened egg, which had boiled one min
ute instead Of six as ordered, precipi-
tated catastrophe. A rapid fire conve
sation with his soul mate, In which he
suggested a destination for the new
cook which did not conform to her
ideas Of q gentleman's vocabu-
larry (and which met with the response
that the new pastry shop served a
very good breakfast), led to a. rather
hasty exit minus the customary kiss.
This hurt, and Morton's first act upon
reaching the office had been to call up
the house. The bone Of contention,
with a brogue that had a multitude of
good %consonants, told him his wife had
already left for town. "Movies, Ohm
thinkin',"- the brogue said, and that
hurt more.
If he had known that Nettie went to
town because she vas too unhappy to
stay at home 1t would have been salve
to his wounded conscience, but he
didn't know 1t, and at intervals through
the long and tortuous day he con-
cocted little plans for his return at
night which should at once and per-
manently dispel the cloud hanging
aloft and bring Nettie-a little con-
tritely-to his arms.
At Z o'clock he called the house
again. Nettie had not returned and the
complexion of his thoughts changed
a bit. This was something new, in
deed. There was quite a touch OF
irony in his choice of a tune.
Seated in the car, he opened the pa
per to the page of theatrical announce
ments. OF course 1t was nonsense, but
If Nettie was not at home when he
reached there he believed that he
would go back to the city and see some
good show.
He had worked himself up to quite
a dramatic mood when he became con-
scious that the car was at a stand
still. He turned to the window for
idle contemplation of the figures at the
station. Idle for but a moment,
however. Standing at the newsstand
a woman's form caught his eye. She
was short and plump, he judged, for
the ankle generously displayed had a
charmingly curved outline. Her arm
showed round, too, in the tight coat
sleeve. Her skirt was Of a length
which he had to admit he had often
scathingly condemned In talks with
Nettie and her heels were-yes, they
certainly were absurdly high. But
with 1t all there was an allure about
her, a "je ne sails quot" that could
not be denied. Perkiest little hat he
had seer for one while and a some
thing about the cant of her head that
suggested everything his present re-
beliious fancy demanded. If her face
lived up to the glimpse, he was
vouchsafed she must be a swimmer"
that vas all.
Why not find out?
Morton sprang to the door and watch
in hand made so convincing an appeal
that the stern guardian of the portals
swung the lever and he jumped to the
platform. At the same instant the
sharp clang Of the gong startled the
woman at the newsstand. She turned
swiftly and Morton found himself
beaming expectantly into the face of
his w wife.
The story in his eyes was one any
woman could read and not knowing
anything about the fascinating vision
which had inspired it, she blushed
brightly and sparkled at him quite as
he had hoped the vision might.
"What on earth are you dong at
this station at this timer" she asked.
"Ohi I don't know. I thought I might
meet you"
"How did you recognize me SO
quickly from behind?r
II knew your hat" he lied juantily,
"That's just what / was thinking Of
/ only bought 1t about two hours ago.
That's certainly n on you.'
~Here's our car. Come alongi1 he