casual
flashlight look as I'm strollin' past, that I takes any partic'lar
notice of what a Daisy Maizie she is. There's more or less class to her
lines, all right, not to mention a pair of rollin' brown eyes. Course, I
sends back the roguish wink, and by the end of the week we was callin'
each other by our pet names.

Not that I'm entered reg'lar as a Percy boy, or that I takes this so
serious as to miss any meals; but you know how it is. And what if she
was a few years older? She seems to like it when I sing out, "Oh, you
Theresa!" at her, and once she mussed up my hair when there wa'n't
anybody lookin'. In fact, I was almost to the point of thinkin' that I'd
been picked as somebody's honey boy when this Izzy Budheimer shows up as
a late entry.

Izzy, he's a third assistant in the stock department, and on twelve a
week he sports one of those striped green overcoats and a plush hat with
the bow behind. Maybe he wouldn't be listed as a home destroyer; but he
has a flossy way with him and he goes around a lot. About the second
week I sees him and the new girl gettin' chummier and chummier, and,
while she still has a jolly for me now and then, I knows I'm only a side
issue. That's what hurt most. So what fool play must I make but go and
plunge on a sixty-cent box of mixed choc'lates for her!

As luck would have it, Mr. Robert spots me comin' out of the 23d-st.
candy shop with the package under my arm. You wouldn't think he'd notice
a little clew like that, or pick me up on it; but he does.

"How now, Torchy?" says he. "Sweets to the sweet, eh?"

"Uh-huh," says I, and I guess I colors up some.

"What is the fair one's name?" says he.

"Tessie," says I.

"Ah!" says he. "Thus were they ever named: Tessie, Juliet, and Helen of
Troy. They're all one. My envious sympathy, Torchy, and may the gods be
kind!"

Which is only the brand of hot air Mr. Robert blows off whenever he has
a good lunch under his vest and nothin' heavy on his mind. It don't mean
anything at all.

"Troy!" says I. "Can it! This ain't for no up-State laundry hand. She
comes from Eighth-ave."

Well, I stows the box away until closin' time, and then waits around the
upper corridor for Tessie to show up. Izzy, he spots me and proceeds to
improve the time by givin' me an earache about what an important party
he is, how he expects to be jumped a notch soon, and about how much he
makes nights on the outside, followin' up some checkroom snap or other.