Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-06-20
The CROSSWORD
Romance
By JANE OSBORN


(Copyright.l
D OSAMOND GALE had always
~ tried to start from her house at
least ten minutes before train time,
though she needed only half that time
to reach the suburban station. She
was not naturally that sort Of person
precise and over prompt-but she
took sort of pleasure in avoiding
Tom Gage, her next-door neighbor,
who also went to town on the eight
O'Clock train.
Rosamond Gale didn't know exactly
why she took such pains to avoid her
neighbor. She wanted most Of all to
have him know that che avoided him.
She wanted him to know she was en-
tirely Indifferent to him. Other girls
might and did put themselves out to
meet him, but Rosamond was not Of
their number.
Rosamond always took pains to re-
main at the end of the platform OPP
posite to the end that Tom Gage fire..
quented.
''If he cared the least bit or really
wanted to see me-" she sometimes told
herself, 'he could manage to sit with
me or at least in the same coach. I'll
show him that am quite as indiffer
ent as he is" And Rosamond per.
suaded herself sometimes that she &C.
tually was. ...
The change came about when Tom
Gage gave up riding in the smoking
car. Previously he had always been
ready to make up set at bridge, but
now he sought the seclusion of a seat
in one of the regular coaches, where
he buried his nose in his morning pa
per by the time the train pulled out
of the station and remained so buried
until 1t was time to get out again at
the city terminal
Quite frequently Tom Gage now
rode in the same coach with Rosa
mond, though Rosamond assured her
self that she couldn't help that since
she entered before he did. Then 9TH
err one-time smoking car habituees and
bridge enthusiasts joined Tom in the
regular coaches, and Rosamond soon
realized that crossword puzzles were
responsible for the change.
Look here" Rosamond heard Tom
saw one morning with mock serious.
ness 81 left the smoker inst so I could
have it nice and quiet to do crossword
puzzles" One day Tom took seat
opposite TO that of Rosamond. They
exchanged most formal bows as she
sat down, Then he opened his morn.
ing paper and. glancing hastily over
the first mage. he turned TO the cross.
word nuzzle
"Ubot,s tho mama or n bird tbot
.ap,t Nv9" sbo boord him osl, n friand
ahead of him.
"Rlamed If I know" said the friend
There isn't room for ostrich"
Emu. emu" Rosamond whispered
over and over to herself. Sometime
| later she knew that Tom still lacked
| the necessary word. If he could get
| that, she heard him say. he could get
| The whole thing easily.
Then without quite knowing what
|
train had come TO n stop sooner than
she Thought the word was spokep loud
enough for Tom to hear.
"Thanks." said Tom, looking over
NJ her. "That lust fits" Rosamond
hlushed. She knew she did. but she
didn't know how much that blush be.
came her, She saw that Toms ewes
we're resting upon her, but all the time
| she thuught that he was saving to him.
self, There's n foolish girl that has
nnrhln. to do but TO listen TO what
other neoplo ore saving. And what n
child she must he TO blush in such n
| manner"
| III. my, mornino ofter Rosomond
nod toknr her sent nom suddanIv an.
,oorod in tho oisIo hosido ber
| "NI,v 81, with ,ou9" no ostod
| .u.,ha v,u,u holm mo with NV NM.
| ,,o Won soom to no a fam too" And
| pos,r,,nd nIush;po ogoin so;d no
nioh, Oh. hod m admit nc no cat
there ,bn, tbara wos really sometbing
extr,or,IiunriIv attractive obout him
| Sho honed ma ann ,borght tbot sbe
mad ,s.ed him tn cir tbere
"Nhot's word in four letters
ma,nlpo Iova9" osl,od Tom who was
workinc an ope nuyzle while Rosa.
rond vnrlnd nm another
pos,u,npd did NOT know "Tll FRY
ITO" .oid Tom
"Oh don't think the two words
| -,
posomond "There are ever en- MANI