The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-03-18

ma lllc1JlNG {
GNDR that believed in
signs and yielded so
SHORT s ssssilg Of to 9.b 5hs snid;
@z~MNz A "hunch" had TAX
SHOE en- him into the Gu
rio shop where he
had purchased the tiny, blue-green
lucky stone that he believed had
influenced his first big sale, and,
what was more important, an intro
ductlon to delicate, elusive Sophie
Adams. Since that day Jim's bust
ness had prospered, but so far as
Sophie was concerned, the lucky
stone seemed to be unable to do
more than effect casual friend
ship, and Jim was unsatisfed.
Now, as he stood balancing the
lucky stone in his fingers, his fancy
was busy with something he had
read concerning old love signs: eff
a girl can be induced to sew but
ton on mans garment she will be
married to him within a year"
At dinner Jim's manner was so
preoccupied that his mother inter-
rupted her discussion of the repairs
! being made on the house to inquire
! anxiously: You're not sick, are
| you, Jim?"
Jim's eyes lifted Slowly from the
sugar-boWl he had been earnestly
regarding. why, no, r~other, of
= course not"
Mumbling word to his mother
about seeing some of the crowd, he
took his hat and started out, APP
+ preaching the door with caution that
he might see the new moon over his
shoulder without glass intervening
to spoil his luck This accomplished
in the approved manner, he pro-
ceeded on his way.
From Sophie's home issued gay
voices. Company, Sophie?" Jim
] inquired foolishly, in the face of the
noise.
''Oh, the crowd just dropped in"
Sophie, who for the moment was
alone on the porch, answered in
her high, sweet voice.
The whirring of the telephone
broke the silence he was dumbly
trying to grope through. Sophie ran
in to answer it. Left alone, Jim
pulled out his knife, cut a button
off his coat and dropped it behind
the hammock.
Sophie's voice saying good-by
caused Jim's throat to tighten. He
wondered if, when she sewed the
button on, she would hear his heart
humping. In a queer shaky voice
he addressed the shadowy figure in
the doorway.
Gould you-will you" He swal-
lowed painfully and began again.
1--WE lost a button off my coat,
Sophie. Will you please sew it on?"
He pretended to search through his
pockets.
'Of course, Jim. Give it to me-"
A cool, capable voice, three notes
lower than Sophie's answered.
"Oh, it doesn't matter, Marion,
Jim protested panic-stricken. "Nev-
er mind" But Marion took the
button from his limp fingers and
ran in for a needle. When she re-
turned some of the crowd followed
her.
"Quite domestic, aren't they?"
Bob Stuart remarked. Jim scowled
fercely.
Sophie had joined them when
Betty Young asked teasingly,
Haven't l read somewhere that if
a girl sews on a button for a man
she will be married to him within a
year,"
AS the days went by the situation
deepened. 1t was taken as a mat
ter of course that Jim should be Ma
rion's escort. Kicking his way
homeward one evening after bid
ding her goodnight, Jim took his
lucky stone from his pocket and
threw it away. He walked up the
path leading to his home, and, for
getting entirely his mothers warn
ing not to use the side door, strobe
belligerently under the ladder that
was leaning there-and walked off
into nothingness.
A broken leg kept him in bed,
where he had plenty of time to think
about signs-and other things.
His mind was dwelling on Sophie's
starshine one morning when Mrs.
Hardy brought her to Jim's bed
side.
Here's the button you dropped
behind our hammock that last night
you were at our house. jim" A
faint smile curved her lips.
The color mounted swiftly in his
pale face. 'Do you know Sophie.
why cut it Off"
Eyes" she answered softly, "but
don't believe in signs"
Neither do l, now" Jim an
swered. 81 threw away my lucky
stone-and walked under a ladder
and" his heart was in his eyes,
'see what luck it brought me-"
Steam Heating Many Years Ago
| Steam heating was in Use in WI