Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-04-04
Too Poor to
Propose
By BETTY STRONG
G. BY Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNU Service

1OLhA0 ~ ~
L Into his arms, Bob Richards
would never have given her anoth-
er thought.
He was dumping up the last
flight of dark, ollcloth covered
stairs, when be heard a little gasp
and then something soft and yield
Ing was flung head first into his
arms.
She breathed quickly, and an
swered. IL guess you saved my
lifeI" There was just the sugges-
ton of a laugh In that voice that
went straight TO Bob's heart
"You see, | must have caught my
toe In the oilcloth." she explained
Bob thought she had the softest-
sweetest voice he had heard for a
long time.
II think my dinner Is forever
lost !" Doris said sadly. STOPPING to
feel about the stairs.
They found at last the head of
lettuce. the two rolls still In their
bag and the lemon that was to help
make up the dinner. In the process
they said several things to each
other, altogether trite and yet
somehow most Illuminating.
So 1t was not strange that the
second time Bob ran into the o C
cupant of the hall bedroom he lift
ed his hat and stopped to talk.
The third time they met, Bob
asked directly. would you take a
walk with me this afternoon"
The faintest tinge Of color showed
through Doris white skin and she
said-for 1t was Saturday-'T'd love
to!"
They walked along Fifth avenue,
stopping before the shop windows
to peer In and feeling a part of all
the thrill and stir of an afternoon
on the
Doris eyes were shining and she
was actually prettier each time Bob
Richards looked down at her.
The next Saturday 1t rained and
Doris hesltated and then knocked
at the door on the second floor that
bore the card: Robert Richards"
Il thought you might have tea
with me, It's such a cold, dismal
kind Of afternoon" Doris offered
shyly.
AT the answering CLEAN Of pleas.
ure In his eyes Doris hurried up the
fight OF stairs. She knew 1t would
mean that she must lunch meagerly
all the following week, but she
bought crumpets-toasted them over
her gas burner-and a tiny Jar of
marmalade,
At bis loud rap she opened her
door and smiled up at him.
Bob laid down a box OF candy as
he said, II bought 1t for the party"
and looked about him curiously.
For 1t was the oldest hall bed
room he had ever He had Inn
agined a room with a bureau and
an iron bed, and enough room Just
to sit on the one chair. What he
saw was a room with two windows
and an alcove, a room that looked
sunny In spite of the fact that 1t
was raining, because the walls were
yellow and charming sunny colored
chlntx hung at the windows and
covered the cushions Of the two
! brown tinted wicker chairs.
Cleaning brass ~candlesticks were
on q table In the corner. a brilliant
, color print of blue mountain and
. an Icy mountain brook hung over
the gray-palnted table. A couch un-
der a tumble of cushions-and g
, black luster bowl held the frail mar
, clssus In the window.
, Doris sitting down at the table
: pouring tea into clear yellow cups
he suddenly saw as another girl. A
girl removed from his own hare
struggles by all the beauty OF this
. charming room. Why, she must carr
more In a week than he did to have
. a place like thisl
For a month Doris scarcely saw
the owner of the 0om on the sec
\ ond floor. When she did meet bin
: by chance. he hurried past her will
an abrupt "Good EVENING""
But once when she climbed th'
two flights of stairs and saw tina
, Bob's door was open and a strang'
girl was standing by the black mar
Bile mantelpiece, her heart seemed
\ like q piece of lead. She coul'
; scarcely drag herself away.
"Oh, do you live On the foo
!. abovef" the strange girl asked Gag
erly. "I've seen your room and
,s is so pretty"
Doris answered, wondering nov
she could go on talking when tn
bottom Of her little world ha'
dropped out.
m IT bought the hangings on Slxtl
- avenue at a sale, and the candle
= sticks In Allen street for $1.25; yo'
h can find some secondhand furnl
ID ture and paint 1t yourself; OH, yet
ir I'll show you how" She smiled wist
fully and went on up the stairs.
Nd But the blood thrummed in he
90 ears madly when she heard clumr
a ing steps behind her. Doris turne
be- to see Bob Richards coming towar
20 her with a bewlldered, dawning haI
n piness In his eyes.