The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-01-27
Never Too Late
for Love
d by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
(WNIJ gerytoel
BY H. IRVING KING

BODY said, nlnGln4 nerseI AZ tn0
head" OF Howard Harrop, Howard had
Tilted her. Had Margaret been in love
with q faithless wooer? Well, no-as
q matter Of fact she had not. She
had, however, been rather in love with
his motor car, his yacht and his coun-
try house, and she felt the blow
keenly.
There had never been any formal
engagement between Margaret and
Howard, but he had paid her marked
attention-and then gone of and mar
ried somebody else, leaving her to
wear the willow. Well, after all. Mar
garet was not wholly to blame for her
part In the incident-she had been
brought up that way-frst to consider
the fortune and then the man who
possessed it.
Harrop's fortune could have bal
anced him very well indeed. Her fail
ure was due entirely to that human
equation which no system ever yet In
vented has been able wholly to elimi-
nate from the affairs Of men-or
women. At first naturally, Margaret
was much chagrined.
Served me right" was Margarets
final verdict on the affair. People
talked and Margaret rose to the occa-
sion, setting afioat rumor that she
had Tilted Howard and not Howard
her-a rumor which she fostered and
circulated with such tact and persist
ency that when 1t came to the ears OF
Harrop he half believed it himself.
But after all she felt rather "out Of
it." She saw young people making
love, getting engaged and marrying
around her and wondered II there was
not somewhere in the world another
life without which her life was incom-
plete." And then her parents died
and left her little or nothing; and
then her great aunt died and left her
a great fortune. And Margaret was
now thirty years old.
Together with her aunt's estate Mar
garet took over as manager Of 1t the
man who had so long conducted the
financial affairs of her estimable and
deceased relative. There Is no use in
Disgusting it-strike up the band here
comes the hero. Phillip Cummings,
the financial director aforesaid, was
of about Margaret's own age-perhaps
a year or two younger, though he
looked older. He was staid, quiet
person.
Mot fyIra l1y a
thrown very much together In the way
of business, and to her surprise, the
young lady found that she was linger-
ing over business matters with her
secretary longer than was absolutely
required by the circumstances. What
pshaw! she was thirty years old. She
saw no signs that she had awakened
In Phillip Cummings sentiments which
she now realized had taken possession
Of her own heart. Was she destined
never to be loved7 What was there
about her that debarred her from ex-
periencing, once in her life, the JOY
Gus knowledge that some one loved
her?
But there she was, debarred by the
very nature Of things, from any be-
trayal of her real feelings In the mat
ter. Suppose she should, inadvertant-
| ly, betray herself; and should meet
with no response! The thought was
too horrible. She would see as little
as possible Of Phillip; would hold him
at distance lest she should hold him
| too near. The result was that an Icy
barrier seemed to arise between the
| two who had before been on a rela-
tion as nearly "chummy" as the po-
sitions of employer and employed per-
mitted. Phillip felt the change.
Things could manifestly not 60 on
this way: One day Phillip offered his
resignation "You will find everything
In order, / think" said he, "and nat
urally l will stay until you provide
| yourself with another manager"
"But why do you resign, Phil-Mr.
| Cummings?" asked Margaret. He no.
ticed the slip and blushed--and Mar
garet blushed, too "Are you not sat
isfled with your salary?-or is it your
employer that you are dissatisfied
with7'
"My salary is most satisfactory" re-
piled Phillip" and until lately my en-
| ployer had been all kindness"
"Then you have noticed change In
me of later"
~ have, Miss Howard"
| xryho
changer
ITO my presumption"
"Your presumption9 Pray when
have you presumed?"
"Oh, Miss Howard" cried Cum
mings, do not question me-pray let
me got Is best"
Phillip" said she, using his Chris
tian name without hesitancy, "do you
really want to leave me-"
Their eyes met and for moment
they gazed at each other without
speaking. Then he said, "I don't want
to leave you-and you must know
don't But what else is there for a
poor beggar like me to do7"
DO? Why, stay with me-forever. +"
Half an hour later Phillip was saying
How the gossips will talk Il shall
be pointed out In the streets as for
tune-hunter But let 'em gabble."
"And they will say of me-" replied
Margaret, that, after being Tilted by
everyone else, l had to take up with
my secretary" And that's exactly
| rvbot tha goecinc did COW hut phi1Jin