The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-01
CAUGHT IN A RAIN
BIZ RICHARD HAMILTON POTTS.

10 the right of me, park to the left
of me; a lunch-party four long blocks
ahead of me, my home. in the far dis
tance, behind me; a cloudy sky, from
(which descends a fine, but steady
sprinkle. above mel wish / could
add, and an umbrella-a damp, and
rapidly growing sloppy pavement be-
meath me; no possible car or omnibus.
no cab-stand- Oh, for a plebeian
street, with its multitude of conven-
iences! But my mind refuses to grasp
the bliss therein conveyed. 1t flies,
instead. to the feathers on my hat. the
velvet on my gown.
! had left my home rather hurriedly,
and, deceived by hypocritical little
raw of sunshine, had been lured forth
to find myself in this plight. OF course
] could mount the steps OF one OF the
srreproachable houses that line MY
path; but there should be tied. and
the rain would only increase, and L
should late for the luncheon. No, 1t
Is impossible
I quicken nv steps. l have pro-
reeded to the crossing; the drizzle Is
maturing into well-defned drops that
come faster and faster. Despair has
me in his fell grasp. | see my pet cos
tune a bedraggled and ruined wreck.
j reflect on the state of my finances,
which precludes the possibility of my
rising above cashmere nay, even
serge-again this winter. ! give my
skirts a vigorous hitch that would lead
one to forget my ankles and reflect on
INV knees, and make forward lunge
more remarkab BILE for its desperate en-
ergy than its grace.
"Er-pardon me-" says a manly
voice, q trifie hesitatingly, at my ell
bow.
] start violently and my skirts seek
their proper level A large umbrella
Is sheltering me; the rain no longer
patters among the feathers that crown
my head.
ALLOW me to share my umbrella
with you. ] see that you are without
pne," adds the manly voice.
"Oh, thank you" 1 say, as I recover
somewhat, and gather, from the own
er's general appearance, that he is
gentleman and, in all probability,
means his protection in kindness and
not as a means to getting up tfirta-
tion. Perhaps l ought to refuse his
aid, politely and graciously, of course,
with the simple remark that / have
not far to go and so shall not require
his assistance. Maybe 1 should draw
myself up, in the approved insulted
fnaidenhood style, and say:
''Sirl / thank you, but l can get
along very well by myself"
II he looked a trifle less respectful
and gentlemanly think I would Sac
rifice Nine. Boland's latest, and as
yet unpaid for, effort in my behalf;
but / am sure he is not going TO say
anything the most prudish could OBJ
feet to. At any rate my situation, I'M
til now, has been really pathetic; so l
shall try obeying my own instinct,
and if l have cause to regret it 1 shall
know better in future, and the expert
ence will not hurt me-
We have traversed block in silence.
He walks by my side, perfectly grave
and quiet, and only seems to glance in
my direction to see that / am well
protected l am thankful that took
his offer the way it was meant, and
did not give him reason to regret his
generous impulse. On we pace, and
there enters my mind the quotation:
''Thou art so near and yet so far"
! But, seriously, he certainly is very
nice not to try to get up converse
sion which would only make me thor
pughly stiff and uncomforta BILE. can
just hear an ordinary man beginning:
"It's a damp day." or, pretty wet,
isn't it?" or Have you far to go,
miss?" or addressing some equally
commonplace sentence to rae.
1t seems strange, though, to walk
along SO close to anyone and not utter
q word. l wonder il ought to speak;
put no, he appreciates my position.
What could / say, anyway? | will
thank him when we separate, and
that is all ] can do. ] may not be
gracious enough, considering his po-
likeness, but how can one be gracious
10 stranger? Oh, for a surreptitious
peep al book on etiquette!
: Instead, j take a quick look al him.
He is very frank looking, and he has
straightforward, steady, brown eyes,
hs l discovered in my first startled
glance at him. Altogether, it would
have been impossible to have snubbed
him. Perhaps l am a little shaky in
my conviction. and i am trying to
Justify myself, but
; Here stumble thanks to nv van
ity in wearing French heels, which
did make me a vifie unsteady. and
should fall We're it not for his quick
assistance.
Thanks" I murmur, with nv
rheeks burning. My eyes meet his,
and pause ensues; but then pause
has been ensuing ever since we met
pr-that is-came together.
II hope l am not taking You ont Of
-FOUR way" add, with happy inspir-
stion.
Not at all" he rejoins, earnestly.
II trust YOU viii allow me To see You
10 your destination"
You are very kind. I am going to
nine hundred and twenty-seven on
this street, so we are nearly there
In another moment we have reached
The door. and ! look up at him CRATE
fully, and say:
Il thank You very, very much"
Pray do not mention it." he an
pwels, as he raises his hat and bowling
with charming smile he turns
snd runs lightly down the steps.
Lunch IS nearly over. and I have
been unusually silent and distract.
Even the announcement Of new en-