Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-27
DAILY Short Story
'FIuke or FIounder?'
Nv GEORGE DIXON

h BY GEORGE DIXON
|. Jimmy DRAYTON loved Peggy
- Winthrop with a deep and
abiding love. On more than one
occasion ne had assured that he
would go TO the ends OF the earth
l,at her bidding.
i Now, squirming under the de-
! cidedly hostile glare of her mother,
!, the socially impregnable Mrs.
j Merrivale Winthrop. he felt there
twas much 10 be said in favor OF
being at the ends OF the earth,
without awaiting any ones bid
ding.
Ordinarily, Jimmy was not a
diffident young man, but Mrs.
Winthrop had him buffalood. She
: could-and usually did-oVerawe
: him with a look.
HE GETS GA-GA
Frequently he found himself
!. stammering in her presence. al
though he suffered no chronic
. impediment in speech.
. Once, for instance. he became
10 flustered he informed her he'd
just been up TO his cavlty's TO
: have a dentist pulled.
His soul still writhed at the
: recollection.
Then, there was another time
Observation-Disclosures ~ :
about his financial prospects.
= Jimmy replied that third AS
/, sistant hotel managers weren't
J supposed TO make much money
|. but that his future looked reason
ably promising.
HOW THEY MET
II don't see how you can like
! working In o hotel" shifted Mrs.
' Winthrop. "You have 20 meet
! all kinds OF people"
That's how i met Peggy"
: said Jimmy.
II know" said Mrs. Winthrop,
darkly.
From the first time Peggy
brought him home. the war had
been on, with Jimmy fighting a.
constantly retreating action. Ex-
cept that his couldn't be called a.
strategic withdrawal. or with
drawal TO new positions previously
prepared.
Mrs. Winthrop, relic of the late
Merrivale Winthrop, millionaire
girdle manufacturer, made i'll
abundantly clear she did not con-
slider MIR. Drayton anywhere near
good enough for her only daughter.
TOO MUCH HARPING
Jimmy was inclined to concur
with this on broad, general prin-
ciples. But he didn't see why the
lady should keep harping on it.
Now, not quite a year after the
initial enc counter, he could
scarcely face Mrs. Winthrop with
out blanching.
He hadn't wanted TO come this
particular evening. preferring to
meet his loved one elsewhere, but
Peggy's coaxing had prevailed.
The girl, radiant vision, an
swered the door at his ring. He
reached out TO take her in fond
embrace and was doing nicely
when he happened 10 look past
her right shoulder.
His eyes grew wide with terror.
In the entrance TO the big living
room, surveying the scene bale
fully, stood Mrs. Winthrop.
ALAS FOR JEEVEs!
In utter panic. Jimmy hurled
Peggy from him as if she had
suddenly sprouted porcupine quilts.
Unfortunately, the butler was
standing just behind her. Peggy
crashed against the bulky servitor,
who emitted horrid grunt-and
sat down on the parQuet floor,
with Peggy sprawled atop him.
Blindly, Jimmy jumped TO the
rescue. Just then the anguished
butler kicked out a foot. Jimmy
I tripped over ii and joined the
party on the floor.
Peggy was first on her feet.
81 think you'd better get up"
! she informed Jimmy, painting.
Tho bell has rung for the end
Of the round"
TRIES TO EXPLAIN
Ignoring the butler, who was
. still on the floor, holding his mid
riff, Jimmy began drooling apollo
gies TO Peggy and her mother.
4 I'm terribly sorry" he
! gasped. 1T was an accident.
You see. Mrs. Winthrop, II
/, didn't know you, you were,
there, and"
81 see" The lady cut him
short. "You didn't know I was
here: OF course, that explains
everything. suppose II hadn't
been here you'd be playing leap
frog now-or throwing poor
Rogers through a window"
Before Jimmy could say more in
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