Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 November 1920 — Buttons and Bachelors [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Buttons and Bachelors

By CORONA REMINGTON

i(©, 1920, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) Elizabeth Langston scowled at the ireflection in her mirror and upbraided herself severely as she put the finishing touches to her hair. “He may be the loveliest and most considerate employer a stenographer ever bad, and he may be killlngly good-looking, too, but that's no reason for going crazy over him, especially as he’s probably married and has a dozen children.” She bad said the same tiling to herself perhaps forty times during the past two months, but it had had little effect in changing her feeling toward the charmingly irresistible individual who dictated letters to her all day, and once In a while confided his business anxieties. With a gesture of impatience she jabbed - a final hairpin into her soft brown hair and started downstairs. Half an hour later she had reached the office and was glancing over the morning mail. There were several letters that she could not answer without Mr. Thompson’s advice, so she rose and went over and placed them on his desk as usual. As she did so her eye fell upon a hand-written letter lying there, and before she realized It she had read it. “My dear Margie,” it began. “I hope you won’t feel I’ve been neglecting you by my long silence, but everything has been at sixes and sevens In the office lately and l.’ve hardly had time to sleep. Things are getting straightened out at last and henceforth you’ll hear, more often. “Miss Langston is the most wonderful stenographer I ever had —absolutely efficient and thoroughly charming. it’S too good to last.

"Too bad little Jack’s had the measles. Look out for his eyes. “I’m sending SSOO to the National for you to check against. Let me know how things are coming along. “Love to the boy and yourself. “JACK.” Elizabeth sank weakly into the nearest chair while the deskand type-

writer seemed to jump up and down in front of her. It was just what she had expected and just what she had told herself all the time, yet when it came to facing the fact she found that she had not really expected anything of the sort. A moment later John Thompson*walked into the office and immediately noticed that something was wrong.

“Why, what's the matterr’ he asked with concern. “You’re as white as a sheet. I hope it's not bad news." “No—yes—that is— Oh, I can’t tell you. It’s really nothing much after all,” she ended bravely. “Well, whatever it is," he said, placing his hand gently on her shoulder, “just remember that I sympathize and only wish I could help you. If you ever feel like telling me, and there’s anything I can do—l’m right here.” His concern and sympathy made it all the harder to bear, and Elizabeth had difficulty In controlling herself, but she dragged somehow through the day and at last was able to go home. Reaching there she made a hasty excuse to her mother, said that she would not be down to supper, and rushed up to her room to think it over. By next morning she had decided to resign at any cost, and in the dark she rehearsed her little speech to her employer over and over, but when later-In the morning, the moment arrived, she had forgotten every word. “Mr. Thompson - ," she began, her voice trembling, “I’ve —I’ve—I’m going to resign,” she blurted out at last “Ye gods!” he exclaimed. “I knew something went wrong yesterday morning, and if I’m to blame I’ll apologize. Do tell me. I can’t let you go like this.”

“You haven’t done a thing. I wish I could convince you hut I’m afraid you’ll just have to take my word for It.” “You’re simply all worn out. That’s wht.t’s the matter,’ he said soothingly. “Take a month’s vacation in the country; then you’ll be fit as a fiddle again; but don’t go too far away, because I want io watch over you and see how you get along.” “You’re too good to me,” said Elizabeth gratefully, "but Fve really deaided it’s best to resigtf.” “Well, anyway, I won’t accept it until you’ve had a month’s rest.” They argued back and forth for half an hour or more, and Thompson won In the end. He chose the place and even engaged the room, and Insisted upon her leaving the next afternoon. During the following days he was untiring in his attentions, and often she wondered whether she was doing right to accept so many kindnesses from him; yet he did nothing that she could actually criticise. He was simply a most considerate employer, and from his letter to his wife, she knew how much he valued her services. It was cloubtlees half self-inter-est that prompted his actions. When the time finally arrived for her to leave the country, Elizabeth decided naturally enough that she could not possibly desert hi A after accepting so much from' him, although during the entire month he had never once mention her returning to work for his firm. That evening as the two sat alone on the old-fashioned veranda, Elizabeth decided to broach the subject. “I—l think I’ll go back to the office tomorrow," she said rather unevenly. “No, you won't,” he declared, to her amazement. “I know that, somehow, you didn’t want to continue there, and the only reason I didn’t let you sever your connection was because —because I’ve loved you ever since the first minute I saw you, but I was afraid that If I proposed to you then you’d think you didn’t know me well enough.” “Propose!” echoed Elizabeth blank-

ly. “Yes,” he said, losing his last vestige of self-possession, ‘‘for the last two months I’ve simply had to sit on myself to keep from doing it, but I ought to tell you, Elizabeth, that we can’t live in the affluence you might expect, because I’m supporting my widowed sister and her little boy.” “But —but I was sure you were married.” stammered the girl. “What made you think so?" he asked, and Elizabeth felt the blood rush Into her face as she realized the quandary she was in. “Because —because all your buttons were on and on straight, and bachelors jelther have one or two missing, or else sew them on wrong," she ended triumphantly. “You’re left there,” he laughed happily. “There’s one off my coat this minute.” “Then I’ll sew it on some time, maybe,” she said rather breathlessly.

Elizabeth Sank Weakly Into the Nearest Chair.