Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-03-27
Three
Forty-Two
,.,.-s-s-..s-s..s-s.s-s-s-
By WILLIE BRINDLEY
q by western Newspa per Union.)

Az You bet. A girl doesn't work
three years at the switchboard of an
apartment hotel for nothing
He came in taxicab, with two
handsome grips, and four trunks fol
lowed later. Nadine, from her perch
in the lobby, watched him enter the
elevator with the taxi driver tOting
the grips, and when the car had re-
turned, Able Lipwurtz, the elevator
boy, winked wisely at Nadine.
"Ill say" he called to her.
an say" Nadine called back.
On that very first day, too, as he
passed the switchboard on his way out,
Three Forty-Two gave himself away
some more by half stopping and star
ing at Nadine Nadine stared back
He wore beautiful clothes-no class,
but you could tell they cost lot, and
on his left arm band of crepe.
Pretty soon, things would begin to
happen. There would be telephone
calls for Three Forty-Two, and these
would be interesting to listen in on
guarded calls from ladies who have to
be careful. And ladies' who have to
be careful would alight from taxicabs
and saunter In and enter the elevator
In the most casual sort Of way, and
get off at the third floor looking that
innocent.
Meanwhile. he spoke pleasantly every
morning to Nadine, as he passed out,
and again as he returned from his
day at whatever 1t was that occupied
him. And Nadine spoke pleasantly to
Three Forty-Two. On the third day
he gave Able Lipwurtz dollar.
Sure, dollars all right" Able told
Nadine, but dollar amt anything to
make a guy blind. For FIVE dollars
maybe, I'd 90 part blind, and for TWEEN
ty dollars I couldn't See thing"
"I'll say" said Nadine, and smiled at
him.
On the fourth day, on his way out.
he stopped and had Nadine get a num-
Der for him, stepping into the booth to
talk, and gave her a dollar bill and
one Of those "seen-you-somewh
looks.
There was nothing In the telephone
conversation. Just an appointment
with lawyer. Able Lipwurtz leav-
ing his cage to talk to Nadine, which
Is strictly against the rules, reported
nothing doing in his department either
But he thinks you're the fiea's
crutch all right. Maybe he's going to
do a little home prospecting. Flowers
will be about his speed. And when he
does, I'll say"
an say plenty If he does, I'll say
l beg your pardon. madam; an
swered the moment the light showed"
But nothing happened just yet, not
for several days. Then, on a rainy
morning, Three Forty-Two came down
late and looking a bit Of all In. He
clomped over to his desk with his
stlff-kneed wooden soldier walk, and
opened his mouth to speak, then shook
his head and turned and clomped out.
what do you make Of THAR" called
Nadine to Able.
NCttihB Wuihi AUG Chlieu DuCh.
Getting warm, I'll say"
And he'd better look out, I'll say.
| am trying to get your number,
madam"
And then, an hour later, 1t happened.
Three Forty-Two came back, bearing
in his arms a great long green card
board box, which could contain moth
ing but flowers. And even as he ap-
preached, Nadine could see that there
was note tied to the cord which
bound the bundle.
He clOmped up to the telephone
desk, laid the package on the rafl,
gave Nadine one of those seen you
somewhere" looks and hurried over to
the elevator.
up" he ordered querulously, so that
Able Lipwurtz, although racked with
curiosity, must obey.
Nadine tore the note from the string
that held 1t, ran finger under the
flap, shucked out the contents There
was note, and a brand new hundred
dollar bill.
In a mounting rage she glanced at
the note.
my dear" it started, you are so
beautiful and sweet that"
The trembly scrawl had come to the
bottom of the page, and without wait
Ing to turn the sheet Nadine jabbed
plug into Three Forty-Two. Then
something made her pause, and she
read on before she rang:
you remind me constantly of my
daughter. am so utterly alone now
that she has gone, and today would
have been her birthday. Always on
her birthday | gave her flowers and a
sum Of money. Keep these, beg
YOU"
She read no more, but rang Three
Forty-Two.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" she
cried 81 didn't know, and l thought
but I'm not sweet and beautiful. I'm
Il bad, hateful girl, but II there's any
thing | can do"
She turned from the dangling trans
mitter, choked, pulled the plug. After
n long while she looked up from the
note Able Lipwurtz stood by the rail,
elbow on It, leering.
an say" said Able
Nadine snapped at him:
I'll say, I'll say, I'll say. Is that
all you can say-Fll say? Get back to
your cage in a hurry or what I'll say
Ia tile manager will be plenty. A
person'd think that in maybe hun.
dred years more you'd get 50 you
could tell gentleman when you saw