The Press., 1922-03-23
Not Enough Speed
ByR. RAY BAKER.


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 In casting about for wife, Sidney Johnson, owner and general manager of the TOga Searchlight company, failed to find anyone that suited his matrimonial tastes quite as well as Jessie Fearmont, assistant general manager of the same concern.
 They had been associated in the same offices now for four years. and Jessie had grown" on him. At first he had given little attention to her personal charms, one reason being that he had not felt inclined to settle down, another being that he had es- tablished a business rule never to fall In love with an employee.
 But now Sidney felt that the time had come, for he was twenty-seven and the home instinct had fastened it's grip on him. Then there was the everlasting restaurant menus that were tiring him both psychologically and gaStTOnOmicaily. So he set out to find wife, and he travelled in a circle and decided the object of his quest was right in his own office.
 Jessie was young-abOut twenty four-and brunette Of the charm ing type; not at all the kind that is considered real business woman tim Der, but In this case being the excep- tion that proved the rule. There were two drawbacks-Jessie was too slow and she wasn't human.
 In specifying these drawbacks iD his mind Sidney meant too slow in the literal sense; Jessie simply couldn't move fast. Everything she did was done in g slow, methOdlcal, machine like manner. and she had never been known to get excited in the most mo- mentous business crisis. And not once, to Sidney'g knowledge, had she ever made mistake. This latter fault was in her favor, from a busl- ness standpoint, but when viewed from a matrimonial angle it was quite the opposite. He could scarcely reconcile himself to wedding a girl who could not err, because he was prone to make mistakes himself. In fact, if 1t hadn't been for Jessie's watchful eyes the firm would have lost many dollars, due to It's heads carelesSneSs. But would this exactness prove blessing in marital life? Sidney feared not. He wanted someone Who was human for q life partner.
 Tt looks as if I'll have to remain a bachelor" he cOnfded to himself one sunny morning as he sat at his desk and watched scurrying forms in the street below. Jessie Is almost the right person to ehe~Eny wife. but those two drawbacks are Insurmountsble barriers. Of course don't know that she'd have me, although without being cOnceited, am inclined to believe she might. True, I don't know g thing about her outside of business hours, but a person who works so methodl- cally must play the same way, and if she can't make a mistake in business she'd be just as inhuman in a home guess I'll have. to give 1t up."
 AS he watched from the window his eyes chanced to light on q figure plod- ding along the sidewalk below. It was a girl, and she was taking her time. with other pedestrians hurrylng on all sides Of her.
 There she comes now," Sidney sighed, and his heart beat just little quicker. That everlasting gait of hers would drive me to digtra ction if I had to live. with her. Why doesn't she hurry just once? It isn't that she doesn't get results, for she does. but she's so methOdical."
 Presently Jessie entered the office, laid 8 number of long envelopes on her desk, exactly in the center of 1t, hung her coat and hat on the same hooks they had adorned for the past four years, walked leisurely to her chair, seated herself slowly, touched up the knob of hair on her head as she always did, and said sweetly:
 "GoOd-morning. I've just been to the auto license bureau and procured your number and those of several oth- CTS. You remember you filled out your blank the other day and had it sworn to before a notary public. It certainly is convenient not having to send to the capital for them, as you used to-"
 He agreed that it was good morn ing and that her statement was true, as her statements always were, and he couldn't help thinking how ador- able she appeared aS she sat there opening mail It was gratifying to note that the third finger of her left hand remained bare, for Sidney was constantly fearing she would show up some day with Q diamond ring.
 He took his license plates with him when he left tho office that evening and attached them to his car. He,was a motor enthusiast when the weather was good, but it turned cold that night, and for two days he did not take his machine out of the garage. Consequently he was more than 8 lit- tie surprised one morning, three days after the opening of this story, to re- ceive q telephone call from police headquarters requesting his presence in court to answer to 8 charge of violating the speed laws.
 But I haven't had the car out," he said over the phone.
 Tell it to the judge" was the curt reply. and Sidney went to police court.
 He had some trouble explaining, bu. his standing in the community caused the judge to give him some heed.
 "What is your license number2" that gentleman asked Isn't It 79s54?"
 "T--I don't know. put on the plates, but didn't notice," Sidney was obliged to confess.
 Isn't your machine 8 Hsmmsrhin touring car2"
 "Yeg," he admitted, but I'm sure 1t hasn't been out of the garage" H
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