The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-10-23
+ Firing Furnaces Not
/ in Her Line
~ M AMES

(@ by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.l.
(WNIr SeryiooN

a BBIE LOU was struggling with
\ the furnace. She pushed the
wrong dampers out, and she pushed
the right dampers in; she added pa
per to the feeble embers; she poked
furiously with the coal shovel. She
went through all the futile motions OF
those unaccustomed to arson or coal
furnaces
The giant firebox with its bed Of
graying ashes looked for all the world
like toothless old crone, grinning at
her deflantly. The fire wouldn't burn.
just to be mean. That hateful Doctor
Grant was coming to tea, she sup
posed; the living room was icy; and
where, oh where, was that furnace
man7
The marks of The struggle showed
plainly. Not on the furnace. That
exasperating structure had settled
placidly for the next move. But ABB
bic Loul A black smudge ran from
the corner of her left blue eye to the
dimple at the corner Of her crooked
red mouth. Her short copper-colored
curls were fairly standing on end.
And though the combination Of her
hair and eyes and lips might In other
circumstances be considered angelic,
there was an expression on her face
just then quite In keeping with the
poker In her hand
Abbie Lou had come from the city
80 &nJ of L.
upstairs In bed, freezing perhaps. In
the city when one wanted heat, one
spoke to the superintendent; in the
country evidently you sent for frnace
men, who didn't show up for hours.
The whir Of the front door bell
sounded family. Relief at last Abbie
Lou gave one vicious poke at the
ashes. "That for you, and that!''
Unmindful of her sooty face, her
rumpled hair, or Grams old gray
sweater donned for warmth, she dart
ed up the stairs.
"It's about time you came" she
stormed at the young man on the door
step. "We're freezing to death. Gran
may be dead this very minute This
way, please"
maybe we'd better see to your
grandmother first." said the young
man cody.
Nonsense, she's all right. This fire
has to be started. 1t isn't your fault
we're not stiff and stark by this time.
A very disagreeable man Is coming to
tea at four o'clock, and It's getting
late. Please hurry"
The young man followed meekly.
Abbie Lou was too impatient, too alb
sorbed in her task Of fire building to
give the young man much heed. II
she had, she would have realized he
was hardly attired as furnace man,
and that his manner, though respect
full, held touch Of amusement.
Not until the fire was blazing mer-
rily, the dampers In and out as dam
pers should be, did Abbie Lou take
a good glance at her rescuer. His
eyes were brown, his hair was brown,
he was very tall, and there was SCOT
on his face. too. The ensemble was
decidedly pleasing.
"And now let's take a look at your
grandmother"
Abbfe Lou started. "Just who are
you anyway" she inquired. "You
don't look exactly like furnace man.
Don't tell me I've made mistaken
:, ut was lucky mistake for me-"
the young man grinned. You're just
as adorable as Gran said you would
be, and, after all, had to build the
fire. I couldn't let our only hope Of
Introduction freeze to DEATH"
Abbie Lou blushed slowly. you're
Doctor Grant,"
Eyes, I'm Doctor Grant," he ad-
mitted. "Why2 Do you think you're
not going to like me?'
Abbie Lou had the grace to look en-
barrassed, but she faced him squarely.
"Id just made up my mind not to-.
Granny's done nothing but rave about
you for the three days I've been here,
and 1t didn't seem possible for any
one to be as nice as she said. was
sure you'd be too good-looking, and
very conceited, and l wouldn't like
you bit"
"But now?" prompted Doctor Grant.
well, you did build grand fire,
and the smudge on your nose makes
you look very distinguished"
"And that smudge On your face
makes you look very, very adorable.
AS the doctor reached for the poker,
still in Abbie LOUIS grasp, his hand
met hers, closed over II with a de-
lighted little squeeze.
do you think, DEAR" he asked, sit
would seem too sentimental to be mar
ried In the cellarT'
Abbie Lou lowered her eyes. "Per-
haps we'd better have Granny intro
duce u.s."
Laughing. the two ran up the stairs,
still hand I'm bouA