The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-04-22

Defying the Clock
and What it Did


Seeing things is only state Of
mind, " related the IoAlan finishing
the sock. "1hols l.as yesterday
wnen | looked at my tlmepiece ant
exclaimed. 'h.eyen o'clock! must
hurry! when it had no intention
whatever of being IL o'clock. mas
much as it was only 10.
NOW, where On earth is thai
chilu! l lnu,tered, dancing mauiy
around. Jimmy had been iet out 10
play Dali, win the unuers landing that
he was TO be in at IL to aress for
luncheon downtown with some out Oh
town friends, whose young daughter
and he were chummy. serves me
right for letting him out of my sight!
And yet he was crazy to go!'
Il got dressed spasmou.cally be
tween dashes to the window looking
for Jimmy, still glancing anxiously at
the time. You see, had firmly got
it into my mind the idea that it was
IL and could see nothing else. Then
began to worry. l could perceive no
reason for Jimmy's neglect to return
except sudden death. because he was
keen for the party.
'How could go and leave him ~
ing mangled somewhere? Yet what
good to stay, when couldn't get to
him? And maybe he was not mang-
led! alternated between these views
and the usual maternal wrath at de-
ljnqueut offspring, Working myself
into a just rage over Jimmy's care
lessness and with just enough time
to catch my 1888 train, l scrubbed a
note, which | left in conspicuous
place for Jimmy,
Il told him. tho he did not deserve
In the least to come, that it he could
possibly get dressed and catch the
1888 to come ahead-and to be sure
and wash behind his ears!
Then | tore for the train and on
the cross street met the ambulance
tearing toward me. My heart leaped
up and Topped down and stood
glued to the walk-tense, waiting to
see whether it turned down my Street.
How l wished I had not written that
cruel note l had left stuck on the
lamp! When he really was such
good boy, such sweet. thoughtful
thank heaven, the ambulance
changed on in another direction! /
moved my stiffened limbs and man
aged to scale the stairs and reach
the platform in time to tumble onto
the last car. Ny hat was crooked
and there was dust on my shoes. !
was carrying my gloves in my red
dened hands and hairpins were stick
ing out all ways. In this State, as
every woman knows, you invariably
meet the most exasperatingly imma-
cuIate OF your aequaintances. Mine.
/ found, was sitting right next to me
and had that kindly, superior air that
women wear when they know their
hair is glittering, their complexion
powdered just right over the cold
cream, and their general effect band
boxy.
My dearl' cooed she, whatever
has happened to you? a it tele-
gram to come at once2'
$50 / told her my troubles, She
said serenely that 1t was too bad
and she was sure Jimmy was all
right,
II got my breath, but | couldn't get
myself straight. You never can when
you've dressed in hurry with your
mind elsewhere. ! found ] had
gloves which were not mates and
hastened to the rendezvous simply
seething at the world in general and
Jimmy in particular. Still gasping,
tore into the cafe. Every table was
empty. There was no sign stating
that the place had gone out Of bust
ness or anything. SO tottered to the
young woman at the counter out
SIDE
"sCan-can you tell me what time
1t isT / suffered. She raised languid
eyes. Most evidently she disap-
proved Of disheveled, struggling la
dies. There's a clock she offered,
'op the north wall! was too far in
the depths to bestew q few kind
words upon her.
"Meekly turned toward the north
wall. There was indeed clock, q
large capable one marking calmly and
dispassionately a bare half past
eleven. And according to my brain
il should have been half past twelve!
epazedly | turned to the disap
proving young woman,
"'Dc you mean to say begged,
that II is only 5l.S0Y
"She regarded her shiny finger
pals thoughtfully and then glanced
at me negligently, II the clock says
it's 1880 she informed me, why,
It's 1897
u didn't STAY her even then. ] was
too far gone. Thank YOU, ] muir
INJURED feebly. Staggering to a diVan