Smyrna times., 1931-07-08
WEEKLY SOCIETY STORY FOR
EVENING ROUND THE LAMP
READING TO WHILE AWAY
TIME AFTER DAYS CHORES
"Grandfather Was One Over" An
Interesting Short Story, Writ
ten by Jane Osborn

tNh Dy OSDUEH
THERE was once a young WON
an named Margaret Abadie who
grew weary of paying half her
meager income for the rent of an
1ll-ventilated studio apartment in
the big city, and went to live in a
nearby village. Margaret had a
deft hand with paint brushes, but
no decided talent, so she made her
small income patiently decorating
lampshades for a large gift shop in
the city. The village she chose
was a small one with a wide
| shaded main street on which were
huddled the few shops that supplied
the villagers needs. Most of them
were combination shops that car
/ rled on oddly assorted lines of busi-
ness. The little shop where you
bought newspapers. magazines and
tobacco was furnished with long
/ oilcloth-coyered table and six wood
en- chairs where ice cream was
served at all hours-as we'll as
hot meals" at noon and supper
time.
At about six o'clock every eve
ming Margaret went down to this
little shop to buy the evening pa
per. and it was there that she no
tfced the old man in spats. He
seemed always to be sitting there
at the oilcloth-covered table at
that time waiting for his evening
meal. The immaculate spats and
his polished rimless eyeglasses
struck Margaret as rather odd.
Seeing him there every evening
and pitying his loneliness embold-
ened Margaret to bow to the old
man. Later she said good evening,
and before a month had passed she
felt as if she were well acquainted
with this extraordinary old man in
spats. One evening feeling lonely
herself she asked the old man if
he wouldn't like to come and have
supper with her. She had made
up her mind that he was a sorry
old widower who preferred eating
these untempting meals to sitting
alone at home. The next evening
the old man in spats came to her
little Old-fashioned cottage There
was no doubt as to the old mans
enjoyment of The meal. He came
again week later and soon after
that he asked Margaret If he might
come every evening. He offered
her dollar for each supper and
would agree 70 no less. Margaret
was delighted with the arrange
ment. First it provided this home
less man with a really good meal
once a day. Association with her
for that hour every day seemed to
break the spell of his loneliness.
Naturally shy, Margaret had met
with no great cordiality on the part
of the villagers among whom she
lived. Lately they seemed to have
grown even less friendly towards
her.
Margaret became really very fond
of her old man in spats. He never
spoke of his own affairs. All that
Margaret knew Of him was that his
name was Mr.. Baker. Once she
asked a neighbo- about him.
"Oh, Mr.. Baker," said the woman
with an unpleasant note in her
voice. Il dare say you know a
great deal more about Mr.. Baker
than we do. It's quite true that
he has pile of money-which is
no doubt what you want to find
out"
Then one day a young man in
an expensive car drove up to Mar
garet's cottage. A tall, well-dressed
young man; he was Mr.. Charles
Baker. He said he thought it was
only fair for him to talk with her.
1t was a matter of neighbOrhood +
gossip that-here he hesitated-she,
Margaret, had become very friend /
ly with his grandfather. OF course, I
it was none of young Mr.. Bakers I
business what Margaret did nor in /
a way what his grandfather did.
But his grandfather'S wife-his |
own step-grandmother-a woman
some years younger, had got word I
of the gossip and had worried her
self quite i'll over the matter. OF /
course they all realized that Mr..
Baker was not quite responsible. If
he had been entirely normal he
would never have gone to Vamos-
sis to get his meals. Annoyed at
some trifling remark of his wife's
at dinner some months ago, he had
stalked out saying he would never
eat at home again.
You mean that you and your
step-grandmother think that I am
trying to vamp Mr.. Baker?" Mar
garet at last managed to ask. She
at the very absurdity of
the thought and then explained ex-
actly what had happened. Mar
garet and the young Mr.. Baker
talked then of q number of things.
Charles from the first admired her,
and when he left Margaret made
a promise. Not only will / give up
my nice boarder but I'll get him to
leave Vamossi's too. I'll persuade J
him to eat at home tomorrow"
Charles suggested that it might be
easier to accomplish that If Mar
garet promised to dine with them.
too.
Mrs. Baker was a good actress.
When she met Margaret she never {
showed that for awhile she had felt !
nothing but jealousy for her. Frank
y she liked Margaret from the first {
and by this time Charles was in /.