The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-09-06
THE ALARM CLOCK

How do lookf" inquired Miss Nc
Carthy as she circled about In front Of
the mirror in the rest room.
you look fierce, Name" said Miss
TiIIman with an obvious effort. THAT
color makes you look like ripe
squash.
"Well!" exclaimed Miss Mccarthy.
stiffening angrily. "Of all the nerveI
If you can't think OF something polite
to say, Jen TMlman. you'd just about
as well keep still. don't know that
care about being talked SO rude to-"
II didn't mean to be rude, Name"
rejoined Miss Tillman humbly. cts
only Just that when 1t comes to fibs
I'm on the water wagon
"You' shrilled Miss Mccarthy. for
getting her indignation In her aston
ishment. "Since when pleaseP'
"Since last evening. ] found out 1t
amt healthy for me to ne."
go on and tell it, said Miss Mo
Carthy.
"You remember that young man I
told you about who looks and acts SO
awkward?'' asked Miss Tillman. We'll
I'VE been trying to dodge him for the
last couple Of months. Still. when 1t
comes to candy and flowers and such
things he's a wonder. He was just
crazy to take me somewhere, but !
simply couldn't stand the thought OF
going any place with a fellow that
looks so hayseedy.
II kept putting him off until last
week. and then he got SO determined
about my taking dinner downtown
with him and going to a show after
ward that, honest there didn't seem
to be a thing more that could say
against It. Finally just said would
20 Wednesday night. Then he asks
where would meet him, and says
I'd meet him on such and such a cor
ner, having no more idea of doing it
than anything. / thought I'd pretend
afterward that couldn't get away
from work till 1t was too late or some
thing.
well, nothing would do Wednes-
Gay morning but that should bring
down pas alarm clock to get 1t fixed.
1t had quit work and pa loves his
clocks better than he does his folks.
So that night, when was ready to
go home, / beat 1t over to the car with
the alarm clock under my arm. Well
who should / see at the very corner
where 1 was going to get on the car
but Joe, the fellow promised to meet
there!
Thinks to myself, Here's where
yeu get yours all right But sneaktd
around back of the crowd and got In
the car. Then that foolish weak
minded alarm clock actually began to
ring! Honest, never felt 30 funny
i'll my life Here was little me, all
tucked in behind a fat woman and my
face all covered up with my hat, and
there was the alarm clock yelling its
head off! l got off that car in a hurry
at the same corner, the clock still ring
ing"
"Oh, gee!" said Miss Mccarthy. did
the Joe fellow hear it?"
clear itg' repeated Miss TiNman.
Il should say he did. And he wasn't
the only one. Before it got thru i
think everybody In the world heard 1t.
Everybody began laughing and crowd
ing up to see what was going on, and
Just about the time q policeman was
trying to get In to see what was the
matter Joe came up"
"Aw, say, wasn't that too bad7"
cried Miss Mccarthy sympatheticaliy
well. to tell you the truth" admit
ted Miss Tillman. che looked kind Of
good to me then. for once in his life"
"But how did you get out of going
to dinner with him?p Queried Miss
Mccarthy.
81 didn't get out of 1t. didn't seem
to have any spirit left in me. / just
went
'Gro tell you the TRUTH" went on
Miss Tillman after moments pause,
1--WE done worse things In my life.
That fellow certainly does know how
TO show girl good time. We had
swell dinner and then we took In the
hest show In town and there were
roses and box of candy to take home
with me- Joe certainly does know how
to treat a girl. And he's smart con-
cluded Miss TiIImzn. "He knew I did
MT want to go places with him and
coming home he asked me why. And
I told him"
Gee, you never did" calculated
Miss Mccarthy. ''What did he say?"
HE asked me to go with him and
nelp him to pick out some real swell
clothes, and I'm going,r rejoined Miss
Tillman, defiantly.
Miss Mccarthy curved her hand
back of her ear and leaned forward as
II listening.
''Ting-a-ling- ling!" she chirped. II
Lear that alarm clock turning UP to
play the wedding march,"
A Practical Serenade
"It must have been romantic In the
- Sa,xr vxrIax. doxnaaYa xyo~a aororo l..