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"She returned his stare." From Indiana University's 1913 yearbook.
Jonathan Caws-Elwitt notes: "The Amelia Bedelia-precursing pun raises more questions than it answers, I would say, to wit, (1) How and why did she borrow his staircase in the first place? (2) Did she somehow borrow it without his knowing? If not, why is he so blindsided by her returning it? (3) Assuming his astonished and annoyed reaction is caused, not by her returning it, but by her returning it in miniature form...well, um, how exactly did it get miniaturized? (4) Assuming the staircase was always a miniature staircase...well, then, what's the problem? She returned it in the same condition, didn't she? (5) Now, about her hat... Other possibilities that occur to me: (a) She's returning it as one would return an engagement ring. No wonder he's upset! (b) She's returning it on behalf of someone else. 'How in the world did my miniature staircase fall into your hands!' he's thinking."
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