The broad ax., 1926-11-27
The Joke When
They Met
BY RUTH ARNOLD

ter safely Ia her handbag. Ellen and
Peggy had met on shipboard going to
Europe a few months before with
their respective parents, and had
formed an enthusiastic friendship.
This was helped along because Mr..
and Mrs. Burke and Mr.. and Mrs.
O'Connell found each other congeniaL
On the way home-for the Burkes
and O'Connells had purposely re
turned to America by the same ship
Peggy had exacted a promise from
Ellen to visit her as soon as she had
unpacked her trunks. Ellen lived in
New York apartment Peggy lived
in country house outside Philadel-
phia. And the two girls planned many
good times in exchanged visits.
"As soon as you reach Broad Street
station" Peggy had written, you tele-
phone my brother, Bob" And then
she had given his telephone number
and his Office address. Hell be ex-
pecting you and will pick you up at
the station and bring you out home"
Ellen had heard much from Peggy,
in their many talks together that sum-
mer about her brother, John. And it
must be admitted that part of her ex-
element at again seeing Peggy was
that she would meet this paragon of
brother who, according to his sister,
was as good as he was handsome, as
popular as he was charming.
Ellen knew something of Philadel-
phia And when there was some de-
lay In getting Johns Office telephone,
she realized that she was only a few
steps from his Office.
I'm just pop around and wait
there" she thought 1T will save him
trouble, and I'm early. I'd rather
wait theDe than here"
SO, carrying her small gray suitcase
and matching hatbOx. Peggy walked
the square or two to John O'Connell's
office. She hesitatingly opened the
door labeled "John O'Connell, law
yer" opened and entered a small
waiting room. The room was full
full Of girls, girls about her own age,
girls younger, and girls a good deal
older
''I'll Just wait here until Mr.. O'Con-
nell is Free" she said to an Office boy,
who grinned in answer.
Ellen wore, of course, sheer, light
silk stockings. She wore gray suede
shoes. trimmed with bands Of snake
skin. Her hat was Of soft gray vel
vet. that was lovely above her fair
hair and blue eyes. Her frock was of
gray crepe de chine, not elaborate,
but yet Enthusiastically expensive. She
and Peggy had shopped for it together
in Paris
Just as she had taken in all her
surroundings a door marked private
opened, and homely, thirty-year-old
woman. dressed in blue serge, service
able and plain, emerged
Behind her came young man. FL
lens heart skipped beat. II was
John-she knew from photograph
Peggy always carried with her.
"You can all 60. now" he said to
the other waiting girls. 1.-THE position
Is filed"
The other girls went out of the
room. Ellen flushed and half smiled
at John.
"What are you waiting for?" he
asked crisply. Here. come in here a
minute"
But" stammered Ellen. Tin"
She followed him into his office.
81 know, I know But the job is
filed. And Just for your own good,
let me tell you that you'll never get
the kind Of job a nice girl like you
wants if you dress in buds like those.
Did You see that girl hired? Plain
and reliable The kind Of woman a
man likes to have around all day. Not
ugly, but just not noticeable. and sure
to have her mind on something be-
sides clothes. Now ou-anybody'd
know you were thinking more about
your looks than your work-and that
doesn't do in an Office"
Don't feel offended" said the
young man. I'm just trying to give
you a bit of advice"
"But you're so stupid" said Ellen,
as the door marked Private closed.
And she picked up her two pretty lit
tie gray bags and walked back to the
station. There she boarded the next
local train to Peggy's home and ex-
planned to Peggy. when she got there,
that she hadn't been able to get her
brother on the telephone. So Peggy
promptly telephoned her brother not
to wait.
When Ellen and John met that eve
ming. Johns eyes were openly admir-
ing. Ellen, in pink tulle, with bare
arms and no hat. did not at first recall
the vision of gray that had disturbed
his Office calm that afternoon.
1t was not until the next day when
she and Peggy had luncheon with him
at a hotel that he recognized tn
again gray Ellen as his Office visitor.
"WeIl, by jove,' he said in the mid
die Of a mouthfu Of grapefruit. and
he flushed and stammered more than
EIlSl had done the day before why
what must you have thought?"
Ellen, by this time sure that John
was all that Peggy bad claimed for
him-and more smiled shyly.
"WeIi, what thought tilen-d0esn't
matter-any more than what you did.
does it,"
And then they both laughed and
told Peggy the joke. And all three
st.o.- s..s-7 ..xel.s..<- = A..