The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-09-19
Kate Breaks the
News
By JANE OSBORN

hhtt was kHOWn 10 the residents OF
Mapleville as the city messenger.
Every morning she went to the big
city thirty-three miles away, where
she shopped on commission for the
Maplevilleites. What made her diff
ferent from an ordinary commission
shopper was that she also performed
errands-errands strange and rare,
many of them. For doing these er-
rands she charged for the time eI-
pended at the rate Of a dollar an hour.
But what with always cheating her
self little In the figuring Of the time,
and railroad and street car fare, Kate
did not become rich. Often she came
home from her rounds In the city very,
very tired, but she could not rest I'M
til she had reported to her clients.
She was hurrying along to the sta
ton one morning when Mrs. Granger
hailed her from a second-story win
dow. Mrs. Granger had a curling iron
In the hand which she used to beckon
Kate, and she wore a dressing gown.
She asked Kate to come upstairs and,
as the Changers were good custom
ers, Kate decided to take later train,
and did as she was told.
Il just phOned you, but they said
you had gone. What blessing l saw
you" began Mrs. Granger. I've a
queer sort OF errand, but I'm sure you
can do it. You see I'm starting this
morning to the shore, motoring down
with friends to be gone a week, and
I've thousand things to attend to.
you know my nephew, Tom Ben
ton? No? Well, it doesn't matter.
He hasn't been here long, but he's liv-
ing here with us now-commutes to
the city. Very nice young man-no
trouble-hair not what you'd call real
red but reddish, and such nice eyes
but that doesn't matter.
"As l was saying, I'm getting of,
and to add to the confusion / just got
letter from my sister, Toms mother,
out in Oregon, and she says that
Toms fiancee has just eloped. didn't
tell you that Toms engaged, did L?
Or, that Is, he was until this hap
pened. You see the difficulty. 1t puts
him In a very trying position-and
he'd given her such nice ring, too.
well, my sister wrote to tell me of
it and asked me to break the news
to Tom, fearing that he'd take 1t hard
and not liking to write telling him of
it. You know she thought I'd let him
down easy. And, of course, she does
want him to know before he gets a
letter from the girl OF course
know the writing.
1.-The idea is that Tom must be told
before he gets that letter. He might
take 1t very hard; red-haired people
are so impulsive. though, of course,
his isn't a real red-just that nice
shade like dried oak leaves. You get
the situation, don't you? I'd tele-
phone, only of course 1 couldn't break
the news gently that way. Just drop |
In at Toms office, ask TO see him and
we'll, somehow let him know that that |
girl has gone and eloped without Civ
ng him a shock
I'm sure you can do 1t. you're so
now, but you'll find 1t In
he telephone directory. He's an ar
Benton You'll find it."
Kate protested with what courage
The could. but Mrs. Granger paid no
Intention.
You'll do it, 1 know" she insisted,
and, Of course, I'll make 1t worth
our while" She pressed a ten-dollar
Ill into Rates hand. Take this to
ay expenses-taxi fares and every
hing, and I'll give you ten dollars
nore when l get back to pay for the
york. There's a dear" And with
hat Mrs. Granger disappeared into
er dressing room to continue her
for her trip and Kate was
1T to make her way to the front door
the Granger house and then on I
own to the railroad station.
Kate was anything but a flirt-still
he had flirted, If casting a bit Of a
mile at strange young man at a !
abroad station might be called flirt- |
lg. He went in on the S:30-the I
ain that Kate tried to catch on Sat $
rdays. He was always on the plat I
,rm when Kate rushed In at the last c
mute. and he had not been very I
,illful in hiding from her the fact i
lat he found her charming. t
Kate had of course, become con- 4
ious of the strangers glances and
lie might have squelched him quite
lickly by always going In the wait
g room instead of standing out p
ere on the platform, but there was {
melting about this young man that '
1t ideas of squelching to rout. BE e
ID such nice eyes. Kate told herself, o
ID that seemed to make q difference. a
So when Kate went into the office d
Mr.. Tom Benton. on the errand e
Dm Mrs. Granger. and found that II
ung man to be none other than the p
ce-eyed young mcn OF her platform b
ration. she was Immediately put at II
netting of disadvantage in the b,
rand she had to perform. et
She felt indignant at first-indig
Mt to think he could be engaged at
. same time that he was looking adj