Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-01-25
Bring a Girl
By JANE OSBORN
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

cd VI ! COlu you Wnen you pnOneu
- this morning, that l couldn't
come" Ned Fairfax was holding his
telephone with one hand and signing
letters with the other, reading them,
time. i've got days work at the
office still before me and it's nearly
five. One of the men Is away in the
output department and I've got to go
over there and take care of his mail
I'll be debating until nine"
But you've got to come, simply got
to-" his sister Nellie Informed him.
ut will absolutely ruin that party If
you don't. You are needed to make
up the fourth table, that's all there is
about it. We shan't start cards until
after nine so it won't matter If you're
late. And no one will mind If you
aren't in evening dress. Just don't
loaf over your dictation. Don't fiirt
with the stenographer and you'll be
able to get here in time"
Nellie hung up the receiver and Jim
realized that he would have to do his
sisters bidding. AS matter Of fact
he had finished with his own work. He
would go over to the output depart
ment where he had been told stem
ographer would be waiting for him,
work an hour. send out for sand
witch and cup of coffee and plOd
ahead until nine.
He was not entirely sorry that he
was going. Nellie had told him that
she had arranged to have an attrac-
tive girl there for him.
Then his telephone rang again.
"Say, Ned" came his sisters voice.
"YOu've got to bring girl. That girl
Molly was bringing for you can't come.
She mixed up her dates and finds she
was going to dinner and the opera.
Molly says she's a winner. Oh, well,
we'll have you meet yet" Nellie would
listen to none of Ned's protests. How
could he ask girl at that late hour?
what sort Of girl would go with man
when she didn't know the hostess?
Ned wanted to know. But Nellie
wasn't interested in details. Simply
she expected Ned, and a girl, to ap-
pear as soon after nine as possible.
Ned did try to get girl, called up
two or three friends who politely
found excuses. Only thing to do was
to go himself without the girl, and
take the consequences. Fortunately
the debating went along smoothly
enough, the stenographer who was
waiting for him in the output de-
partment was good one. Not the
sort that wasted time. He sent out
for sandwiches and coffee for two,
and they stopped for ten minutes to
eat. Then he noticed for the first time
that the girl was at least presentable.
"What are you doing after you get
through here?" he asked.
"GOing home" said the girl.
"YOu get paid so much an hour for
overtime. Any objections for working
a few hours more? Not just this sort
of work. playing bridge. Do you play
bridge?"
The girl looked at him narrowly.
YES" she said. II never refuse a
chance to make an honest nickle or
two. Trying to save enough to go to
college. That's why I do overtime
work here Want me as a stop gap,
suppose. I'll play bridge, but I won't
dancer
Ned continued his debating with a
load off his shoulder and once or
twice as he dictated he regarded the
girl little more narrowly than he
had before. Well, she wasn't bad look
ing she'd pass in any crowd. He'd in
troduce her as an old friend. whats
your name?" he asked abruptly.
Laura HOugh," she told him.
"Tll have to call you Laura" he
said. You're an old friend of mine,
any objection?
NO" said Laura dryly.
The dctatiOn over, Laura went to
the dressing room to primp a little
and reappeared closely wrapped in
her trim fur coat. When she slipped
it off twenty minutes later In the hall
of Nellie's apartment Ned saw that
she was wearing neat little evening
appraising glance.
Il had it in the Office" she said.
81 had expected to go out" But she
got no further Nellie and Molly were
greeting her with shrieks of surprise
$50 you got here after ALL" said
Molly. "What about the opera and
your date"
Here's my date" said Laura "The
opera didn't last as long as thought
it would, and, I'm here"
IF you really are the girl think
you are" Ned asked her drawing her
aside. 'hOw come you're working?
Molly thinks you have all sorts of
money, and she really believed the
opera story"
"Of course that was joke more or
less" said the girl. But I'm not quite
the poor little working girl you might
suppose. and could have gone to the
opera If I had wanted. You see
wanted to go to college, but my ia
Their had objections. So got a Job on
the sly to earn enough to go anyway.
I'd have to have some sort of ca
reer."
"Unless you married?' suggested
Ned.
"May consider that a prOpOsal?"
asked Laura loud enough for Molly
and Nellie to Overhear.
"Please don't joke about 1t too
much" Ned said so that only Laura