The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-10
A SINGLE THOUGHT.

JecO an absorbing mental effort. The quail
lty oil the story was to his practical mind
above The average. 1t had more of common
sense than Major Nesbitt's narrative and
less OF foolish senrment than Cardgrove's
story of love and Indian fighting lie fan.
cied that it would rouse his friends to a
nigh pitch of Interest,"; that it would strike
their sense of appreciation Of the novel
the unigue,
But there was no evidence of fascinated
interest on the calm faces of his friends, no
craning forward near the end, no excited
questions as TO fuller details. The six men
sat listening with expressionless faces
throughout, the only change being Hard
ing's smile of polite attention to a stolid,
unreadablc stare. Blake Hornady tilted
back his chair and waited Major Nssbitt
DIT OIL the end Of his cigar. Cardgrove
stroked his brown nustache, while SAMMY
gazed at Harding. The newspaper man sent
whlrI OF smoke toward the ceiling and
said:
"liornady, it strikes me that your story
Is too full of common sense to suit this
crowd. All the people calculate too much
on the probable result of IL thing; they acs
Iust ike a business man with your ideas
would act"
ut was well told" said Cardgrove, "but
II is too barren of sentiment IIornndy. I
knew You were business man, but / did
not know that you were totally devoid of
all sentiment"
Nor l., " said Roger Cleary "Ive been
accused OF that myself, but the mputation
helohSS TO Hornady. I'm very sentimental
man compared to him"
"All stories should have q little senti-
ment in them, said Major Nesbitt, with II
vague idea Of defending his story, which
had great deal
Yes. said Carter Handy, the calculat-
ing politician, somewhat reluctantly,
Ihere's lots of it in real life" He sighed
ms if he were sorry that his statement was
true.
Yes, said Sammy Smythe, coming from
behind his immense bouquet. Yes, and a
story isn't good if it isn't like real life"
lie had heard Harding say something to
that effect.
Iornady lit cigar and flshed a new
looking letter from his inner pocket, sud
den thought striking him.
Its highly discouraging to n man to
nave his story disapprovcd of in this fash
ION, he said. Its worse than Thought.
Your minds, | discover, are upon love
stories, and have one here that's fresh
aud-true.".
lie drew the two sheets of writing paper
from the envelope, which was marked with
picture of "A III storied Chicago hotel, and
opened them out.
Chicago is not exactly the place would
select for the scene Of Il romance if 1 had
the matter wholly in my power" he said,
"uut the little romance to which this letter
is the sequel happened in Chicago under
my very eyes, neither of which facts was in
my power to prevent.
"fatigued, hungry and dust covered
N "a A nh tn I.... Il
evening of my arrival in the fair CITY, not
knowing that it was the abode of romance
and love making. l was Influenced to 60
there, NOT that expected to I've entertained
by n lot Of pretty girls being made love to
by lot Of ordinary everyday men, but be-
cause of its claims as n superior public
hostelry, My upPermost thought when
reached the hotel was TO get something sub
sthntlal to cat to make up for the two DAYS
futile dependence for subsistence upon the
coon who oierat Is the buffet in one OF Mir
Pullman S sleepers.
The moment freed myself from the ex-
terror polish Of lrnnulaictt soil which HAD
acquired on The journey went full tilt to
the cafe
II there discovered that had no monop
oily on the desire tocat. found that it wa.
predominant iii the minds of about 800
pr!d iair visitors, who were hut;t!ng tie |
tables, eating and chatting. How unoi her |
mortal could get scat in the hungry, feed. !
ing thr0ng could not see, and started am |
to search Tor quiet cafe down The street.
but the diamond bedecl ed and prosper |
Gus looking young man who guides the |
footsteps OF those who wander into his cafe |
70 be led beckoncd me to him and said in . |
tone mat instantly made me feel al hun!c, i
There S seal over there ut a table wher
twD n
Iii Washington state nre sitting
II took The seat with such alacrity as to
staltle into silence one OF the young men--
a spectacied, clerical looking young fellow,
with college airs about him, who was talI-
ing about the relative merits OF wgter and
lana transportation to the fair in u very en-
thusiastic way, and incidentally engaging
hlmselt III supplessiug any remarks that
the hale and hearty young fellow with the
blond mustnche might attempt to make
lhc three Eazed at me reFroaChfuly, as
II they Thought was intr!diug upon them
Inc young lady was II unique bit of west
ern beauty, with a bcwitching eye and
brown hair, which had nm oyerw peniug de
sire TO 20 astray on the sides and dnngle in
the Chicago breezes. She mentally sized
me up aud apparently approved of me, and
soltehinS the gaze, she turned in my direc-
t!un.
The hale and hearty young fellow with
the blond mGstache and diamond min /
scoWled al mt. and the young fellow with
the clerical lock and gold rimmed eyeglasses
valnly attempted to withcr me with his
gaze. The young lady perceived these well
meaning attentions of her escorts and be-
came very gracious in her bearing toward
me
Even married man is temptcl to dis
pense with his wife and children when he
gets 100 miles from home and meets pret.
" woman who beams delightfully."-, charm
imgiy upon him. saw that had created
the impression of single man, and | ad-
Justeu my faciHl expression so as to look rs
Juvenile as possible My uucrr.monious
coming In had cast dampcr upon the lit
tie dinner party, but their conversational
powers soon revived under the coaching Of
Miss Wcsterner
i don't agree with you at all about the
Nolnah's building, Mr opinks, she said ia
tones. i think it il the most com
plete department of the fair II thorough
ly represents the status of woman in art
industry, domestic life everything. Now,
don't you think sos' The little fellow in
the gold fiInncd glasses shifted in his chair |
ana smiled all over himself at the pros spect !
of an argument and the more delightful
prospect ol convincing his pretty sweet
heart for that . what she was-by the pow
er Ct his eloquence.
"'ArtisLically it is very good, he said,
'but IL is somewhere iacking-there's d
missing link. It's hardly the thing YOU
know, for II woman to put up buildings
Ind fill them up with trinkets OF her own
make. It's out of her line. Woman'- and
he beamed upon the young lady--'woman,
Miss Silvey, IS in her sphere in The realm
Of home. There she is queen, but when
she leaves home and goes o drawing plans
Tor houses and setting up exhibits and run.
ning things she spoiis it all and drops peg
Or two from her diviner sphere 1
~ agree with Miss Siivey altogether
said the hale and hearty Young man dog l