Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-11-08
Lost-One Collar
Button
By BOYCE COLLINS
G. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

telS Wnere ne could dine and dance
the evening away. he hadn't decided.
DIP he exclaimed suddenly
when his collar button eluded him In
the traditional manner just as he was
carefully fastening on his collar. Rob-
ert spread the evening newspaper
painstakingly on the floor and start
ed his search for the missing button.
Under the radiator he found dust,
some burnt matches and nothing else.
After further research he found a
square opening around the base of
the steam pipe where it entered the
room. This half-inch space was ex-
actly where a lost collar button might
be hiding, Robert decided
And there was something cleaning
In the shallow hole. Robert fished
around with knife blade. He brought
the cleaning object to the surface
and carefully carried it to the bureau.
'Pn he d-d!" Robert uttered out
loud. But it wasn't his missing collar
button that he had found.
Instead 1t was diamond ring that
Robert had unearthed from a dusty
setting. 1t was a woman's ring. Some
one has been missing this, I'll bet.
Now for the collar button and I'll
be satisfied" murmured Robert as he
went back to his excavating. But be-
fore he had stopped to squatting po-
sition his foot hit something. He
turned around and there was the col
lar button smashed fiat
Robert didn't mind altering his
plans. He put business suit on in
stead of his tuxedo.
He knocked at the landlady's door
before he left the house.
81 was just wondering, Mrs. Turn
bull. who lived in my room before I
moved in" said Robert. ~ found
book there" he had a book under
his arm, modern novel.
"Oh. that Miss Blossom must have
left i'll don't believe she wanted it.
She was always losing things-she lost
her diamond ring right there in the
room the very day she moved out"
81 suppose she left her new ad-
Dress" ventured Robert.
well. yes, she did. She couldn't af-
ford to pay the rent here so she got
a cheaper room with Miss King on
Amsterdam avenue"
With this information, Robert decid-
ed to dine by himself After a sumptu-
GUS meal he proceeded to the new
home of Miss Blossom.
Miss Blossom. yes. sir. She lives
here. Here's gentleman to see you.
Miss Blossom" the maid said and led
him to a small living room where
someone was playing the piano. The
playing stopped A woman arose and
said to Robert. I'm Miss Blossom"
Robert was surprised to find the
woman facing him somewhere around
forty years old and not particularly
pleasant to look at
81 came to inquire about a diamond
ring that you had lost"
II never talk to reporters" snapped
Miss Blossom. And besides I found
my diamond ring in my trunk when
i unpacked here"
occupied the room before you took it?
found a diamond ring there last
night and I'm anxious to return it to
the owner"
"A Miss Towers had the room-Miss
Elsie TOwers-and she works in the
Uptown Savings bank"
The Uptown Savings bank-his own
place Of employment! And Miss Tow
ers was secretary to the president!
AS he left Miss Blossoms home,
Robert decided to fOrego pleasure and
return to his room for a good nights
sleep. The next morning the alarm
clock awakened him an hour earlier
than usual. Robert jumped out of bed
and spent the extra time making sure
that he would look his best at the
bank that day. In hopes that Miss
Elsie Towers breakfasted at Mrs.
TurnbulPs. he was in the dining room
by seven-thirty. Half an hour later
for. and she appeared more beautiful
than Robert had ever seen her.
AS soon as he finished his breakfast
ne mustered up courage and joined
Miss Towers at her table. He asked
her tactfully If she had lost ring
She was surprised and said that she
had-a diamond ring that her father
had sent her for Christmas last year.
She didn't know what could have hap
pened to 1t. 1t had vanished and she
had been greatly upset about 1t.
That was Roberts chance and he
took advantage Of it.
Mrs Turnbull from the cashiers
desk noticed the pair intent in con-
versatiOn. She didn't miss anything
~'These young folks beat Old Harry"
she told a friend later strangers
one day and engaged the next. He
giving her a ring so soon!"
So the elderly matron wasn't sur
prised few months later when Elsie
displayed large solitaire diamond set
in platinum and she dined at the
boarding house with Robert Weber.
But she was curious about something
that Robert took from his pocket and
showed to Elsie. What was 1t that
made them laugh and then suddenly
appear so devoted to each other? If
Mrs Turnbull's eyesight had been a
little better she would have noticed
that the minute object which Robert
took Such good care of was q hattened