The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-30
THE
ADORABLE
LIAR
MERE are various factors II
Cta By d. ]. walsh,


task of achieving matrimony. That
would have been no task at all, but
even the most confirmed business
woman looks forward eventually to a
husband, babies and a home And
Rita was no exception.
For the present she was well salts
fed with her position in the office OF
the Carpo bookbindery. There were a
number of nice boys employed In the
!bookbindery, but one after another
Rita had eliminated them as pros
.pective suitors. Then two new addi-
,,tions to the office STAFF came to claim
her tagging interest-the boss son
and the new young man. And Rita
took special care with her fluffy brown
hair, her clear young complexion and
her tidy dresses.
Rita was sitting very quiet, but quite
occupied, in an obscure corner Of the
4dingy stockroom. Soon John Benson,
the new young man, came In and
busted himself with pile Of book
covers on a bench across the room.
Rita remained silent, but observant
In a few minutes the apple man came
into the room. Every one in that dis.
ttrict knew the apple man, a small,
gray, bent and feeble old man who tot
tered from office to Office selling ap-
piles to clerks, bookkeepers and sun
dry workers.
'tHello, Dad" greeted Benson as the
old man shambled into the room.
"sFeling pretty spry today?"
"Pretty spry for my age, I reckon"
answered the apple vender. "And I've
got another birthday today"
"Really! Congratulations. And how
old are you, if may ask?"
! "Guess," invited the old fellow.
ID, Benson wrinkled his brows in an ap-
ipraising look which was calculated to
convey the impression Of being very
keen and searching.
'Not much over sixty, / should
Judge" he finally ventured. 'T'd say
about sixty-four."
"He-he-he-he, you're way off," cack-
led the old chap in delight. T'm
eighty-four today"
I "No," gasped Benson, as If greatly
astonished. "You surely don't look it.
why, you're as spry and youthful as
a man of sixty"
"Yes, sir" chuckled the octogena-
'rian, "'tain't many men Of my age can
get around like I can"
Just then Sam Carpo. son Of the
boss, came into the room. The apple
man turned to him in anticipated de-
light.
"Got a birthday today. bet you can't
guess how old am"
Carpo glanced casually at the wrin-
;kled face and stopped figure, then re-
piled:
"oh, about eighty-four or eighty
five"
The old mans face dropped per-
iceptibly and his body sagged even
more, If that were possible. All the
Joy went out Of his dim eyes.
"Do I look that old?" he asked
slowly.
"Oh, he just overheard you telling
me, that's how he knew" exclaimed
John Benson, striving hastily to reas-
sure the old man. sand say, I'm just
starving for some apples, give me
about dozen of them"
After the apple man had left Benson
turned angrily upon the naughty Off
spring of his employer.
"Say, you're a fine egg, you are" he
accused. Couldn't you have lied a
little to the old manifold him he
looked younger, just to make him feel
good?"
: swell, he looks all of eighty-four,
doesn't he?" argued Carpo.
"Sure he does," agreed Benson, shut
| It wouldn't have hurt you to guess
twenty less just to make the old fell
low happy. There's so much misery
land grief in this old world that it isn't
often you can make person happy
with just a simple little lie."
"Huh, why should i worry?" an
swered Carpo nonchalantly as he left
the room.
As the door slammed behind him
Rita came out Of the concealment Of
her obscure corner and confronted
John Benson.
"Pardon me for listening in," she
announced, shut / heard you lie to
the old man."
Benson turned with a start.
'Didn't know you were in here" he
said. "I'm afraid you've got me cata-
.logued now as a-er-a penurious fab
ricator."
"Not at ALL" Rita replied sweetly.
81 think that an adorable lie. It was
really gallant gesture and shows q
fine consideration for other peoples
feelings. like folks who are kind
and thoughtful of Others"
"Thanks-or-have an apple" the
young man stammered.
Now, this tale is merely intended to
illustrate the great influence Of small
events in shaping our destiny. OF
course, 1t may be that John and Rita
would have fallen in love and married
even without the initial impetus Of
this adorable lie" incident. I don't
pretend to know what might have hap
lpened.
But 1 do know that on this after
noon they sat perched on high office
stools munching apples, laughing,
swapping family histories and telling
secrets. 1 am also told that young