Show t I 1 I 1 0 in the romance 0 0 drug store 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 by FRANK H WILLIAMS WILLIAM S i Q 1921 by mcclure newspaper syndicate imogene was twenty two the prettiest girl in the block and the eldest child in a family of eight she had a beau of course no girl so pretty and piquant and altogether desirable could miss having some boung fellow crazy about lier her IT in spite of the fact that he nearly had to fight ills his way through sprawling children and curious neighbors to reach her side lino genes beau was young bho jen icings a likeable fellow several years imogenea Imo genes senior and holding a good position in a downtown bank all during the hut hot summer bill had calling regularly on imogene Imo genc p piloting I 1 his wheezing flivver ahr through ough the lie hot streets to her honio home and being the life of the party at more than one gathering where the younger hildren fought all over the place or played crocked cracked pieces on tile lie family phonograph 0 or mode sly remarks about big erand nd lier ter fetter feller arid and i when ahen the nights had grown gronn cooler and the hie hint lilet of autumn was in the a air r imogene had bad come to feel that bill was the one man in the world for her but what clintice chance was there for bill to pro poe time and again as into imo vene pictured to herself tile the joys of a little home of her ter own where she could make mak g the he coffee which bill so liked for bill alone instead of tor for a great profusion of brothers find and sisters slid and where the dusk of evening would bring bill horae home from work and happiness of heart she sighed mournfully and felt that it was no use not only did there appear to be no chance for pill to pop the question but also imogene feared that her tumultuous family might eventually drive bill from her to some quieter home borne and then came the evening when love enveloped imogene in a pink cloud of pure joy and how unpropitious the even evening trig started almost the minute after bill I 1 ad parked his car at the curbing in front of the hetrick home young jim hetrick etrick II aged seventeen bounced into the drivers seat and announced that lie fie was going to borrow the car for a R while imogenea Imo genes heart sank as she saw jim tearing down the street lately imogenea Imo genes mother had been boon allowing her to take short rides with bill in the ancient flivver and imogene had been rather counting on oil ft a ride this evening tonight she had felt was to be the night of nights and yet here was the one best chance for giving bill an opportunity to speak gone to smash im awfully sorry said imogene to bill 1 I just wish father was herp here hed not let jim do a thing like that I 1 ohl oh never mind said bill a trifle ruefully fully lets go in the house and play the phonograph ive brought it a new record Imri yone led the way into the parlor or much to her surprise the parlor was empty what luck I 1 perhaps now pill bill placed the record on the machine and started it the piece was a fox trot ile he held out his arms to imogene and sh shu floated into them they were nacre golod dancers and liked to lance dance together and now thought imogene now would be the time slie she felt bill hold her more mare tightly dear abl bill softly lets but bill got no ito farther than that for into the roo a dashed tempestuous nellie one of Imo imogenea genes younger sisters gee its a i ew record aint it cried nellie e did you brin brinz bring Z it bill yes said all shortly in a voice that was plainly irritated imogenea Imo genes heart sank if bill was to be always binl interrupted irrupted irrupt ed perhaps hed become tired at ai d quit entirely arid and life without bill would he be very bleak indeed A tremor or of fear possessed her she must do something q quickly she simply coul nt let bill get away gently imogebe e disengaged engaged Es herself oil oh bill slie she exclaimed as a happy idea came to her lets go to the saintly theater tonight theres a good film there its pretty hot lot demurred bill rather ungraciously please whispered imogene clutching bills armband gazing at him iab with eyes filled with adoration all right said bill imogene Iro ogene had figured that with the weather ieather so hot there would be but few people in the family theater and lit in the darkness of the theater there mere would surely be a chance tor for bill imogene was right about the scarce scarcity ty of the people in the theater but no sooner had bad she and bill seated themselves in a dark spot well at the rear than ill fortune once more came her I 1 way hardly had bad bill possessed alra self of her hand than imogenea Imo genos genes parents entered the theater and un seated heated themselves in the row just to the rear imogene felt bills discomfiture as an actual physical force depressing her heart sho she was dismayed and fearful over and over again she kept telling herself its tonight or not at all tonight or not at all the picture seemed interminable to imogene betat bufat lait laa it wn over at alist they walked out butof of the me theater surely now thero i would be a chance for or bill but mr hetrick Ue trick in r ti jovial mood invited imogene inogene I und and nill bill to have a soda at the smith broth I 1 pis ers drug store down at the corner again felt bills resent at this further In intrusion trulon of her ter family and again imogene felt dis liessen and fearful hut but there was nothing to do save ro 10 accept t the in lul atlon and so to the drus druI stoie through crowded streets imogene and bill went anent to all appearances the smith brothers drug store was the last place lit in the world tor for romance it was a buby place crowded to suffocation and common in appearance but here it was hint flint romance came to imogene In iogene they had to walt wait for seats at one of the tables arid when thep did seat themselves mr hetrick ordered chocolate sodas for all four perhaps like something else suggested imogene timidly to bill who was vas moodily examining the menu card bill said nothing tor for a moment or so then lip with a sudden light in ills his eyes I 1 heres N what id like to ask tor for A whispered bill to imogene Imog cne ile he extended the he meriu menu to imogene indicating a certain point on the card with ills his forefinger Ini agene looked and then ga gasped gaped ped her heart leaped A shy color came to her face for just a fleeting glance site she poked looked 1 at bill with her soul in lifer her eyes will you whispered pill bill in a strained voice I 1 under coner of the table bills liand hand sought hers yes whispered imogene In iogene softly while the lie drug store was teeming with people while mr and mrs hetrick were commenting on the he picture awl anil while no one in the store was aware of what lint was going on iloene felt bill squeeze her hand rapturously and saw all the irritation in his face disappear IN apPear before a great wave of joy scarcely could she tate taste the soda for the hie excitement she felt and when they were once outside the store and cz she he folt felt bill take her arm tightly site she knew that tile the most wonderful thing in the whole world had happened to her ter 1 I say mr hetrick and mrs said bill suddenly imogene In iogene has just said shell marry me wed like to set get married soon may we wel imogene saw her parents stop on the sidewalk which was fortunately clear of people for the moment and gaze at them curiously why why yes of course sad mr air hetrick in a rather amazed voice but how when you say you just fixed elised it up yes tes laughed bill joyously 1 I asked her if she would by pointing to the name of a sundae on tile the menu the name of a sundae sun daer repeated mr hetrick blankly yes cried fm imogine Imog ogene cne it wag wa called marry me sundae and dpn when bill pointed to it and asked rue roe if I 1 would I 1 said yes of course it was all commonplace enough elou ii to outsiders but to imogene it w was as rom mice heart beart warming soul stirring romance |