Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 144, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1917 — JOKE ON MARY [ARTICLE]

JOKE ON MARY

By RACHEL CAIN.

Mary looked up with surprise at the young man who now occupied the high office stool of old Leslie Curtis. He was strangely out of keeping with the old-fashioned furnishings in the shabby old place. Mr. Curtis with his bent shoulders and shiny old serge suit harmonized so well with his time-worn surroundings . when he was present that the sight of the stranger’s brandnew black and white checked suit and azure blue tie with its lapis-lazuli pin jarred discordantly on Mary’s nerve. “I’ve come to pay Aunt Myra’s fire Insurance,” said Mary. Jimmy Carter looked through the wire lattice with its stingy little archway intended for the transaction of business. What he saw caused him to slide down quickly off his stool. “Certainly,” said Jim aloud, reaching for a pen. To himself, “Not so bad for a jay town. Life is looking up a bit. Stunner, she is.” “What is the name, please?” asked Jim. “Miss Myra Grant,” said Mary. The ornate hand slid up one page and down another in a vain attempt at finding the name. “Nothing doing,”’ said Jimmy. “I don’t seem to be able to find it. How do you spell it?” “G;r-a-n-t.” spelled Mary. Jimmy flushed. “Maybe Uncle Les forgot to put it In.”- — “Oh, I don’t think so,” said Mary. “Is Mr. Curtis sick?” “No—gone away for a three weeks’ rest. I’m holding down the job till he comes home.” “If you’ll please give me a receipt for it i’ll not wait. I know the amount —it’s four dollars and thirty cents. I’m in a good bit of a hurry.” “All right.” said Jimmy obligingly. Mary folded the receipt and put it into her bag. Then she opened the door to go out. but before she closed it she said sweetly, “If you look in the large ledger with the mottled cover I think you’ll find It. You were looking in the school directory, you see." She was gone! And Jimmy with a curious mixture of shame and rage fumbled awkwardly for a cigarette to relieve his harrowed feelings. “Smarty!” he said two or three times. “Smarty! Think you’re real cute, don’t you?” And then finding the “mottled cover,” he credited Aunt Myra’s money and took the rest of the morning for reflection. In vain he racked his brain for some way to “make her sit up and take notice,” as he put it. What kind of grandstand play would “bring her to?” Jimmy was puzzled. Then he found it. Five towns were getting together to have a concert — a real one, with opera singers in it. Glencoe, being the center, was chosen as the place d’affair. So Jimmy decided that to be on terms of sociability with some of these bright lights would establish him forever in the eyes of Mary. He decided on Gerrone. He had heard that this famous soprano was young, pretty and therefore most probably approachable. Besides, he had a friend who had a friend who knew her and he wrote for a letter of introductionT The day of the concert arrived warm and beautiful. It was late spring and the air was heavy with roses. Jimmy, despising the garden varieties, sent a week’s board to New York for a bunch of hothouse ones, and armed with these and his card he started for the hotel. Jimmy’s way led past Mary’s. Mary was in the garden clipping roses. She called him. “Hello, Jimmy.” He was so dumfounded at the sweet sociableness of her tone that he almost dropped the box he carried. Then he recovered. The grand opera business was doing Its work. His fame had spread. “Good morning. Miss Mary!” His tone was the least bit patronizing. “Can’t you come in?" she Invited. Jimmy thawed. “Why, perhaps I can, a minute. I have an engagement and can’t stay long, though.” “I won’t keep you. I just thought we’d sit on the porch a minute and have a nice little chat. I’ve something to tell you.” He was curious. “All right. I have a minute, I guess.” Suddenly Mary gave him an odd look and held out her hand impulsively. --“Jimmy, you’re a dear, and I can't do it—-I just can’t. We all like you, Jimmy, but we’d planned a joke on you and it's too mean. You wanted to put me in my place and everyone resented It so. I —Tm Gerrone, Jimmy, don’t you see? Yes. I really am. I was born and raised here and came home to rest when the season was over. I’ve worked so hard for years. Do I look so unsophisticated?” But Jimmy was speechless. Ma ry leaned forward wistfully. “Jimmy, don’t you like me?” she pleaded. “I—l waH just thinking," he stammered, “that Tm afraid I’ve fallen In love with you.” (Copyright. 1917, by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.)