Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-07-17
Romantic While
1t Lasted
BY VALENTINE ERsKINE
oOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
(@ by Mcclure Newspaper syndicatel
(WNU 9ervice.l

0THANK ye." said the druggist as
L he tied up the perfume, there's
yuh change"
Josie took the package, and with
slight nod swept majestically out of
the store on the Bowery.
Josie Mccarthy was a spinster, fifty
seven years old, and although time
had not endowed her with charm, he
had generously lavished her with
avoirdupois. Josie lived all alone on
the top floor Of three-family brown
stone house on Oliver street. She had
lived there for 20 years. Everybody
on the street knew who she was and
where she came from. They even
knew, to great extent, how she spent
her time. But nobody knew Josie,
until one day, the Hochmeyers moved
into her house.
One morning Mrs. Hochmeyer's bell
rang furiously.
"Who Is it2" she shouted good-na-
turedly at the top of her lungs as she
flung spoonful of salt into the soup.
"Candy for Miss Mccarthy came
back from the other side Of the door.
Next floor" Mrs. Hochmeyer In
formed the messenger. Miss Mccarthy
lives upstairs"
"Well, lands sakesP she remarked
to herself. "That's surprise. Who
could be sending Josie some candy2
It amt Christmas"
As soon as she heard the messen-
gers footsteps going past her door on
his way down, she put out the fire
under the soup and ran upstairs. Not
that she expected to be invited in to
share the gift, but Mrs. Hochmeyer
had an uncanny instinct for news and
knew that she would discover nothing
about the mysterious box of candy by
staying downstairs and peeling onions
To her surprise Josle's door was
slightly ajar, and she could hear her
voice Issuing forth in duleet tones.
Mrs Hochmeyer grlnned complacently
to herself and sat down to listen on
the steps.
"Yes, DEAR" Josie was saying with
giggle, II just received your lovely
box Of chocolates. He-he-hel Thank
you so much, sweetheart. How did
you guess the kind llked2
whats that, Henry? ..
"Oh, yes, I'd love to. Please do
come over.
mo, don't bring me any more flow
ers.
"All right, sweetheart.
eyes, dear, think Of you all the
time. :"
Mrs. Hochmeyer's jaw dropped in
amazement, Josie with lover2 Josie
receiving giftsl Why, why, this was
indeed a momentous discovery Josie,
whose double chin shook as she
walked, and whose neck was coyly
encircled in a black velvet ribbon, re-
receiving telephone calls from man
Mrs. Hochmeyer's chest expanded
with excitement and she took deep
breath. Then she took another. And
a third inquisltlve sniff.
As days went by, Josie's gifts from
her unknown admIrer became more
and more frequent. Mrs. Hochmeyer
usually knew about the candy, because
sometimes the messenger rang her bell
by mistake, and other times she would
poke her head out of the door when
she thought she recognized strange
footsteps going upstairs. II was al
ways the messenger boy, and to her
great regret Mrs. Hochmeyer never
once encountered the gentleman who
could pass for Josie's swain.
On Monday morning Mrs. Hochmey-
er could stand the suspense no longer
and decided to march boldly upstairs
to Josle's apartment. In answer to
her knock, the door was opened by a
transformed Josie, clad in a brilliant
pink silk negligee and exuding an
overwhelming odor Of perfume. The
apparition transfxed Mrs. Hochmeyer
"Come in," cooed Josie sweetly.
The visitor did not wait to be asked
again. She stepped into the parlOr
and bounced on a chair before Josie
could change her mind.
"Im so tired yawned Josie as she
settled her volumlnous self on the
sofa, while Mrs. Hochmeyer's search
Ing eyes had already discovered two
used wine glasses ana a mar empty
nye-pound Dox OF canuy on tne taDie
I'm SO tireu' we were up so iate 'as'
night.
WeF querieu her heighDor pohteiy
Yes me and my gentleman trlend
mes an a"iui nice man very rehheu
but ne never iets me nave mlhute'
peace Always gaining me up ana com
ing 10 see me. but mes very rehhed
Did we disturb you last hghtT
"Oh, no, we didn't hear O sound"