Evening star., 1933-08-20


" clue. I never knew such
absent-rf minded guy. I swear
the only thing he didn't forget was the
fact that he was crazy in love with little
girl who worked in his fathers office Thelma
Drew. Lot Of good that did him, though be-
cause old man Trent wouldn't have stood for
it minute If he'd known. Being one OF the
richest men in town had gone to his head and
he never would have had the girl in his office
if he'd guessed how Larry felt about her.
You see Larry had gone to high school with
Thelma-his family didn't dare send him away
to prep school for fear he'd forget to come
home-and had been in love with her since his
sophomore year. She was an awfully cute kid
and crazy about him, too Maybe that's why
she went to old Trent's Office when she was
graduated sort of hoping she could win him
over or something like that. Huh.
suppose the Trents thought Larry was old
enough to be trusted by that time, SO they sent
him to Princeton. He lasted through his fresh
man year and then was fired out after the final
exams. 1t wasn't a matter Of forgetting the
answers to the questions on the examlnations-
he forgot the examinations.
There was the dickens to pay when he got
home Every one in the office heard the scene
when Larry appeared.
We'll" said the old man, 80 they threw
you out"
was always good-natured.
If want to-" Trent was speechless
with rage-but only for a moment. "Of all
the stupid assinine things ever heard Of!
I do everything can to give you start,
send you to a good college. give you plenty
of money -urhh! And you don't bother to take
your examinations"
That's right" agreed Larry: II forgot"
Forgot! FOR-GOT!" He spluttered for
second and then continued with suspiciously
polite questions: And, may 1 ask do you
remember what you intend to do now that
you're through with colege?"
why, sort of thought I'd get job"
"Where?"
WELL I don't"
don't remember, suppose?"
IT went on like that for some time while poor
! little Thema was shivering in the outer
Office wondering what would become of Larry.
I don't know what would have happened If his
mother hadn't interceded. The old man was
ali for washing his hands Of him. but finally
was persuaded to give him chance in the firm.
But listen to this" he wound up, 'the first
time you pull one of those forgot stunts
around here. you're through. See?"
"Yes, SIR" said Larry. And he started in to
work next day.
No one was more surprised than his father
at the way he got on his job. He sold several
new accounts made friends for the firm and
generally, proved himself an asset rather than
the liability his old man had anticipated. Trent
was tickled to death and, although he didn't
say much to Larry, he used to brag at the
club about his smart son. What he didn't know
was that at least half the credit for Larry's
success belonged to Thelma.
You see the point is, Larry was a bright
enough lad but he just couldn't remember what
it was all about. Without any one but Larry
being the wiser, Thelma appointed herself his
guardian and steered him safely from day to
day. Every morning she had list prepared
for him of the things he had to do, people
he had to see and letters he had to answer.
Then, just to make sure she'd check up on
him every hour. If it hadn't been for that,
he would have forgotten important customers
names appointments and everything else. I
really think the only reason he remembered to
go to the office each morning was that Thelma
was there waiting for him.
Everything was gone as far as business was
concerned, but it didn't promote the course of
true love any. Larry sounded his father out
one night at home and the results weren't too
good He was surer than ever that If he-teld
the old man he wanted to marry Thelma they
would both be thrown out without job-and
that wouldn't have helped them toward their
goal
One morning the old man called Larry into
his Office
IT want you to 60 over to Brandt-Owens this
morning." he said, hardly looking up from
mass of papers on his desk, land tell them
We aren't going to renew our option on that