The guardian., 1940-12-21
A Record Breaker
-
By MARTHA NEWBERRY
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.D
WNU Service.

they were putting spurs to her tenn
per, while the overheated and crowd
ed street car in which she was at
tempting to stand only egged on her
rising wrath.
When the car came to what Anna
bel felt must be its eighty-sixth jolt
she catapulted bodily against her
next-door neighbor.
Crack"
Undoubtedly she had broken some
thing and when a sharp, irritated
voice breathed in her ear, you
clumsy little fool!" she was sure of
it.
With flaming face she turned in
time to see the broad back of
young man push through the
crammed car.
How dare he!"
Hastily boring her way through to
the front door of the car, Annabel
alighted, only to see the angry young
man striding far ahead.
By the time she had reached Oak
street he had vanished around the
corner and out of sight.
Annabel Drew did not own red
hair for nothing!
Suddenly she spied what proved
to be the remains of the article she
had accidentally broken, thrown
away, she supposed, by its irate
owner.
Gingerly she picked it up, then
uttered joyous squeak as broken
phonograph record and the owners
name came to view.
1t was fully half-hour later that
Annabel, hugging new duplicate of
the broken record, rang the bell of
an imposing stone residence.
In her haste Annabel had not
changed her little new tan shoes
shoes that were beginning to make
her limbs and whole body ache; thus
when she found herself face to face
with the object of the visit she stood
in silent misery and pain, for the
good-looking young man facing her
held her tongue-tied for the moment.
well, what can l do for you,
young lady?"
His voice was refined, but Annabel
resented the smile that lit up his
face.
''In the future, sir. To curb your
temperl"
After she had uttered these words
Annabel felt numb with fear. a.. ..
Really" came the somewhat
fiippant reply. .'..
Then the storm burst.
Never had Annabel been so elo-
quent. Never had a lecture on how
a young man should treat a lady in
the street car been so well delivered.
Then, with final gasp and There's
your old record!" Annabel fell into
the nearest chair after laying her
parcel on a nearby table.
"I'm afraid you are ill" cried her
companion in alarm. The kindness
in his voice caused tears to stream
down her pale cheeks, tears that
commenced friendship that swift
ly ripened into love as the days
sped by.
1t was a crisp, bright winters
day that Jim Ray slipped spar
king diamond on one of Annabel's
slender fingers.
''And to think, Jim, that l once
thought you were just an old
crouch" !"
"But l was never that, dearl"
'Wel, you did call me clumsy
little fool!"
"Never!" came the emphatic re-
ply.
'Why, Jim Ray-you-yGu-"
''Wait a moment" interrupted her
fance. THAT was my secretary you
bumped into on the street carl"
Annabel turned away.
81 am really sorry, dear. | should
have told you in the beginning, but
l was afraid of soaring you away.
You know, sweetheart, it was love
at first sight with me, and, Annabel,
you know, you are just too lovely
for words when you are angry"
Suddenly she turned and threw
her arms about his neck.
"Jim!" she whispered quietly,
"Tm-Tm a base deceiver, tool"
| Wudl uO yOu llSdll! CIlSu JLll
excitedly. You're not married."
Don't be silly Jim. You see,
I've known all the while who you
were. Your secretary apologized to
me after you had given him good
lecture and l made him keep it a
secret"
"You little mink" exclaimed Jim
happily. 'Now, young lady, you'll
just have to marry me next week."
Don't you think that is bit sud-
den, Jiml"
Student" scoffed her fance, 'for
a record breaker!"
With a chuckle Annabel raised her
smiling lips and sealed her accept
ance with a kiss.
Sunrise in West
mi. ka4 knH