The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-07-31

Sc ~ WI DOflS, vail you W sup ~
the bakers and get some OF
their chocolate-frostedc rullers, half
dozen will do-and pound of sweet
butter at Snair'S-oh, yes. and three
yards of white ribbon about five inches
wide, not creamy white bur blue white
and you might get some special de
livery stamps at the post office. al
ways like to have them on hand"
Mrs. Collins was addressing these
instructions to her daughter Doris,
who had come down trifie late for
breakfast and had casually remarked
to her mother that she was thinking
of going downtown. Mrs. Collins was
the sort of woman who always could
think of little commissions for every
one
Doris, | don't believe you've been
listening at ALL" continued Mrs. Col
Inns. You are so preoccupied late
ly@"
Doris looked up with tell-tale
blush. How perfectly absurd" she
protested. "What in the world should
be preoccupied about?"
What is any girl preoccupied
about?" returned Mrs. Collins. Ii they
had one-tenth the things TO remember
that their mothers have they might be
preoccupied. Thinking about boys.
suppose. Well, do wish you'd go to
the cleaners too. Those satin por-
there's between the drawing room and
the music room-they really ought to
be cleaned before put them back"
So Doris finished her breakfast, try
ing meantime to remember all the err
rands that her mother had given her.
A half-hour later she came down from
her room for second time that day.
you're so absent minded" her
mother greeted her at the foot Of the
stairs. approaching her with an enor-
nous package. a ball of heavy cord
and a pair Of scissors. you might
leave the curtains in the car or some
where, so dearie, I'm just going TO
fasten the package TO you. can run
the cord up your coat sleeve and then
around your waist. No one can pos
sibly see it. and when you get to the
cleaners you can get knife or scis-
sors to cut it."
| Doris protested mildly but liz vain,
so she started forth with the large
package in her arms. invisibly at
tached to her waist.
| On the subway platform she met
Walter Harmon, not at all by accident.
/ ho tha fhof Sh
was going downtown, and Walter had
waited for the last half-hour on the
| platform, hoping that eventually she
would come. He greeted her, regis
| tered his entire approval of her ap-
pearance, and put out his arm for the
| large and awkward package.
81 can carry it." said Doris. blush
ing. Really, I'd much rather" And
! in order not to be too insistent he did
not insist. But. of course. he felt like
a cad standing there. and later in the
| subway train. allowing the girl he was
escorting to carry bundle while he
went arm free. AT their downtown
station he again asked for the pack
| age, but again Doris objected He in
sisted this time, and Doris gave a lit
| tie cry as he started to take Ii from
her
ITS fastened on" she said Moth
| er was afraid I'd lose ii. I'm so alb
sent-minded. Walter looked entirely
| disguised. but then he smiled.
"So'm | absent minded-lately.
wonder why it isl" he said.
| Then they both looked entirely self
conscious. and Walter had the au-
dacity to press her arm at his side
| as he had never dared TO do before,
and Doris giggled little. So then 1t
was agreed that they should not imme-
| diately part, but should take a taxi
and drive through the city park.
But l won't let you hold that con-
founded package" he said. and once
they seated themselves in the car he
| whipped out his pocket knife and cut
the string at her wrist
At one that day Doris entered the
| dining room. "Here are the chocolate
crullers and the sweet butter is in the
refrigerator" she told her mother, land
the white ribbon and the special de
livery stamps. I'm sure l didn't for
get anything, L"
Doris had slipped off her suit jacket
as she was talking. do for mercy's
sake take that cord off," Mrs. Col.
| Inns had approached her daughter,
scissors in hand. but Doris. with q
little startled cry. rushed from the
room toward the telephone.
Don't get excited" called Mrs. Col
Inns. walter telephoned' just before
you came in. He said that he noticed
when he got back to the office that he
was carrying the curtains. He must
be as far gone as you are"
"Fll just have to tell you" Doris
had danced back into the room and
over to her mother. You see, we're
engaged. Isn't it wonderful? And
Walter said be would come up this
afternoon as soon as he could get
through at the office to ask you for
mally-"
81 thought something was In the
| air." and Mrs. Collins shook her finger
at Doris, but not with disapproval.
Its all right il you're quite sure Wal
| ter's the man you want And by the
way" added Mrs. Collins with
change of tone. "if Walters coming
up this afternoon. just think I'll tele-
| phone him now and ask him to bring
| a basket Of peaches. I'd send for
them, only you can do so much better
when you pick them out Really, IT'S
| quite nice to feel well enough
acquainted with him to ask him to do