Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-06
Our Dear Democracy.

S the salesman covering our
" Illinois, Indiana and Ohio ter
| II riforv was taken i'll just prior
to the time he was to set out
on his annual Fail trip, /, an
indoor salesman, was asked to cover
the territory until such time as he re-
covered and was again able to take
up his work.
I Jumped at the opportunity, for
business was slack in the store at the
time and ] wanted outside experience.
This trip generally took three
months. and as it was uncertain Just
when the regular salesman would
again be on his feet the wife decided
as a mater of economy to let our
maid go, lock up the house and VISIT
| her mother in nearby suburb untll
! returned.
1 was on the road two months when
| / received notice that the regular
salesman was now well enough 70
continue his work and wanted to nm
| ish the route. Business had been good
on the road and, though / would nave
| liked to finish the trip, l was, never
theless, glad to get back home, as l.
was getting tired of sleeping IN
strange beds and eating restaurant
food.
/ wired my wife on "Wednesday
that / would be home the following
Saturday and she in turn wired me
that with the assistance of new
maid she would have the house
ready and a nice supper awaiting
me.
l arrived back at 8 o'clock on sat
urday morning and, as l had finished
with nv reports at the store by II,
the sales manager told me to call 1t
a day. I therefore, phoned the house,
but, not receiving any answer, tried
the mother-in-law's home, only TO
learn that the wife was downtown
shopping somewhere, and had le1t
word if / called not TO come home be
fore o'clock, as she would not be
home until then.
It was too fine a day to go TO
show, so / decided to pass the time on
top of one of the Riverside busses. II
was on my second round trip that
young lady boarded the bus. 1t was
well filled, the seat next to me belnGi
one of three vacant. After looking
the seats over for a moment she must
have decided the seat next to me the
most attractive. for, with a smiling
do you mind?" she sat down beside
me. NV Certainly not--plenty OF
er, and the weather" being lovely,
etc. we struck up a conversation.
She was a pretty little thing
rather tall and slim, with delicate fea-
lures. dark hair and eyes and that
clear. pale skin that goes so well with
a rather boyish type of clothing. /
Judged. from her clothes. that she
must be the daughter of a fairly well
TODD family, as the bright little tai
lored hat and seal coat she wore must
have cost a pretty penny.
/ found her an interesting CONVEX
sationalist and she seemed to be well
educated as she pulled a jawbreaker
now and then and her language was
rather choice. She was just taking
a ride-had an appointment at 4:40
and it being then only 2:30, she also
had decided to pass the time on top
of the bus. At the uptown end of the
line, feeling a, bit thirsty and stiff
from the ride, I suggested soda at
a nearby drug store and a little walk.
Marie, for that was the name she
gave me, must have been brought up
on sodas, for she called for a second
one before the first was finished, and,
to my surprise, suggested another
when we returned TO take the bus
after a half-hour's walk. On the way
downtown she mentioned little party
some of her friends were putting on
the following evening at a downtown
cafe. Would / care to go?"
Now, I'm not defending my course.
I hadn't tried to create the impression
that I was an unmarried man; but
I could see how she supposed / was
I'm sure she would never have asked
me If she'd dreamed I was, and to
have explained then would have been
awkward for both Of US. I'm not one
to step out on an invitation nor am
/ one to think lightly of my duties,
but if you had seen Marie you
say no. Certainly l would