Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-07-06
ONLY A SHOWER.
ERBERr REP.

ERBERT REP.
!" !: !: :: !: !
"! n to the Fifth ave.
nue. stage at
VNAX @ Blocker street
XW Ef one afternoon In
NV>S ~ the early spring.
He did not care
now long II took him to get up town.
For he last four days he had lost all In.
terest In life, and time was no longer pf
any Importance to him. He was young,
he was ane.looking, he was q rising law.
yer; his mother had been Van Rens-
salaer-yet he sat modify casing ut
the handle Of his umbrella, while the
years seemed to stretch away before
him In unbroken WEAKNESS.
He noticed II was beginning to sprin.
kle when they nearcd Twenty.third
street, and then Cornelia Winchester
came into the stage and sat down di.
fectly opposite him. She gave little
start Of confusion 40 he gravely raised
his hat, and then turned her attention
dxedly out Of the window. Herbert
had cogitatcd good deal over which
would be the most trying way In which
to meet the girl who had rejected him.
He had shivcrcd over Gibson's man
forced to take her In to dinner but now
that he sat opposite her In Fifth ave.
nuo stage he did not know what to do.
He could not bolt. That would hurt
her tender heart, and be cowardly be.
sides. He knew she had tender heart
although It did not beat for him.
His eyes were lifted no higher than
tho hem Of her heliotrope gown, but he
saw that It was tho same ono that she
had worn that dry Mt Mrs. Vaughn
Smiths ten, when he had bcguiled her
into the conservatory to see the violets.
She had hoped that they might always
be friends, and he meant after while,
when he was o little more used to II,
to 60 and see her. just to show her that
he had no feeling. But It was too soon
a. yet for him to nnd It easy to see her
again, and thought he would leave the
stage 1t the club. That would be per.
fectly natural. He could stand It I'm.
I'll then.
II he had looked at her face he would
have seen that she was not entirely at
ease either. Her cheeks alternately
flushed and paled 40 she gased persist.
emily out Of the window. But no did
not see that. 40 he lifted his eyes NO
higher than the tip Of her patent leath.
Or shoe and the edge Of that heliotrope
gown. He was thinking Of her % she
looked when they went into the con.
servatory that day, with her golden
hair coiled under bewitching hat-all
green leaves and viOlets. She seemed
the very incarnation of spring to him.
The driver srowled "Farev" down
through his peephole. She started con.
sci0usly and took out her purse. Her
vis-a.vis held out his hand with "All0w
me" aud the purse slipped to the door.
Their eyes met AZ he restored her prop.
erty, and she blushed wildly. He pug.
sled over this a. he took his seat again
after depositing the fare. "Why should
she be discomposed2 She 10 sorry for
me-" he thought. "she 10 20 sensitive"
He must get out for her sake 40 we'll 40
his own. Where were they, anyway
Only ct Thirty. fourth street! The rain
was now coming down heavily, and she
had no umbrella! He could not ret out.
OF course. unless he could leave his um.
-brells with her. But that would look
% odd. Very likely, BY tho time they
reached her street, the April shower
would be all over. Well. he would ride
on . while longer and zee.
On they went-past 6herry's, where
he had danced with her 20 often; past
the club. where he saw Billy do Pegs.
ter and Remington looking out-Billy,
whom he had decided upon for bis
"best man." on, up into the flfties, past
st. Thomas, where they would never
be married now. The rain was falling
relentlessly. They were almost at her
street. He had decided what to do.
Just before they reached Fifty.sev.
enth street he bent forward.
"diss Winchester, please take my
umbrella" and he held the silver head
toward her.
How she started! "Oh, no, no, thank
you," and she hurriedly pulled the
strap, without giving him time to do
It. and fairly sprang out of the door.
w u0S COuso uO w wv bOJOWy
Az he unfurled the umbrella over her
head they were on the sidewalk. and he
said namely:
"You mustn't spoil your gown. you
know"
"Oh. I don't care about that" she said
impatiently.
"But It's too pretty to SPOIL" he went
on. ~ like that color particularly"
She looked at him curiously. Her
eyes said, II wonder II you remem-
berr'-but her words were:
do you always notice the color Of
gowns?"
~ always have OF yours" he said
simply. He thought he was getting on
beautifully In his role Of friend. They
were walking along Fifty-seventh
street. She was very near him under
the umbrella. He hoped he would be
saved from saying anything that he
would regret afterward. Fortunately.
It would not be much longer.
"This ID very kind Of you after"
She hssitatsd. and her voice was very
low.
mot ct ALL" hs said In . cheerful
tone. mo one could have done any.
thing else"
There was . moments pause and
thsa shs said hurrisdly,