The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-03-16
Nickel In the Slot
BY DAPHNE A. McVICKER
g Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

1T WAS the most impudent nickel
Gretta had ever seen. It stood
on end in the crack in the floor
ing, peering out at her, or so she
imagined, extending one tiny, slip
perry, tantalizing edge to her claw
| ing fingers. One of her shining pink
tinted nails bent sharply backward
as she pried, and tears of rage
sprang into her big blue eyes.
She stopped, pretending, when
ever approaching feet alarmed her,
to be tying her shoe. Then she
pulled a bobby pin out of her curly
red mop and dug with quick little
jabs at the edge of the nickel.
1t had seemed such a clever idea
to come over here to the very drug
store where Bill and she had first
sat on stools at the soda fountain
and exchanged the views that
proved them kindred souls. She
could see his brown eyes shining
with earnestness while he slipped
a frosted drink and detained
against rich girls with no souls.
A pair of smart black and white
oxfords came past her vision-and
again she pretended to be tying her
shoe. The black and white ties
moved on around her and she set
out with the bobby pin again.
is it the old family nickel?"
Gretta jumped erect, humping
fill ~f -
rate books. ''Will Power" crashed
to the floor and the brown-eyed boy
who had spoken picked it up gallant
! ly. The brown-eyed boy with the
black and white shoes!
You dropped your will power"
he told her.
No l didn't Just my nickel.
The will power is going strong"
MAY l supply another nickel?"
'Why yes, if you will. That is,
, if you can change a five dollar bill?"
She said this with great conf
dence for she had heard Bill say
two days ago that he had just said
goodbye to namesake of his, first
name of Dollar, that he had hoped
to keep with him always. And
! pay day wasn't until tomorrow.
However, she had evidently mis-
understood. for he agreed pleas
antly.
Sure can Where is it?"
well, just now" she regretted,
sits at home on the mantel. But,
Fine. Wen 90 round and cali
on it"
"Oh, thanks, but I can't wait. I
must make my telephone call.
Thank you just the same"
Then let me advance the nickel"
"Oh, / couldn't. I-you see think
my call will be lucky if make it
with this special nickel"
Then" he said gravely, eff you
will give me that-implement, /" -~lEaie
indicated the bobby pin, "I'n be
very glad to go mining for you"
She stifed the thrill that those
words, in that voice, brought her.
This was the same man, brown
eyes, nice mouth and all, who had
greeted her yesterday with icy for
mality when she had run up to him
in the hall after work, and who had
declined with great ceremony her
invitation to him to go meet her
father who was in town for the day.
Probably thought she was going to
ask him his intentions. Get daddy
on his trail. Tears stung her eyes
at the thought and she accepted the
nickel haughtily when, with an in
furiating skill, he produced it on the
first attempt.
He stood within excellent hearing
distance and the telephones were
not in booths. She gave the OPP
, orator her cousin Helen's number.
The phone would be disconnect-
ed while the family was out of town.
But to her horror maids voice
answered, informed her that the
family was away, and the tele-
phone swallowed her nickel with
gulp of pleasant enjoyment.
She turned away, but something
in her detection startled the boy.
"Gretta," he said, what is it?
What's the matter? l can't wait
till tomorrow night to talk to you"
"Tm not going dancing with you
tomorrow night" she said angrily.
All of her troubles blazed between
her long black lashes. "And you
just made me spend my last nickel
on nothing. I was going to call you
and tell you l wouldn't go. And l
could have bought coffee with that
nickel"
Regardless of the people in the
front of the store he was holding
! her by both arms.
Your last nickel?"
II bought Dress" she confessed.
ut took every cent. l had to pay
cash. 1t was for tomorrow night"
But" he stammered, 81 thought
i heard yesterday that you were
old man Markison's daughter. That
you had tons of money"
Good graciousl" the blue eyes
were dancing now. "Im their poor
relation. She's my cousin Helen.
Is that why you wouldn't meet dad
| 6u9 Tc that univ hOr.y -;II,,t A.