The Portland daily press., 1899-09-20
'"..A.,"..A.s'..A A.. -. -.
HIS INVITATION.
How a Man Who Boosted That
He Never Got Ratified
Suffered From Not /
Adhering to His Rule.


berg made a slip, and for that slip he
suffered severely.
He was all ready to go to the opera one
evening, his readiness including the wear,
ing of very we'll cut and altogether
highly presentable dress suit. He was
scheduled TO call for Clara Wilcs at T:45.
Clara was going with him. He was to
take street car to the Wiles' aud there
q closed carriage was to meet him. All
that had been excellently well planned
with a mastery eye to detail and prop
err regard for the evil consequences OF
getting ratified.
Strombcrg was wondering whether he
would have to wait for car. whether
the car would make the distance to
Clara's home in time and whether it
would not have been wiser, after all, TO
let the hired carriage call for him at his
furnished apartments, and while he Won
dered all these things he ran down stairs,
his light overcoat spreading its tails on
the breeze behind him as he ran.
Just as he was making dash for the
inside handle of the street door his land
lady interrupted him with, Here's a let
ter for you, Mr.. Stromberg."
"rhank you," said Stromberg.
He looked at the envelope and saw that
1t was gray, diminutive and was address
ed in a writing that was not Clara's.
That was quite enough--no time to open
letters now. He jammed it into the inside
pocket of his dress coat and spun out,
his mind still fixed on street cars, car
riages and the keeping of appointments.
Certainly his mind must have been
strangely perturbed that evening, for
Stromberg thought of nothing all the way
20 10 rofe hnt,1a h1t (Hlara md tho tina
and the chances of his being late and
keeping her waiting, and the chance of
his ever being accepted as her escort
or in any other capacity-if he did keep
her waiting this time.
When he approached the door of that
sacred dwelling, the hired carriage was
standing there, looking as if it might
have been waiting an hour.
"Am l lateI" he said nervously TO
Clara, as soon as she appeared, with her
cloak over ore arm.
81 don't know" said Clara with a
rather severe accent, but judging from
your manner should think you must be.
i thought you always kept coolT'
II do Stromberg protested earnestly.
az make point of it. Only, you see-yes,
III wants FIVE minutes of s by my watch"
at never pays to get ratified" Clara
quoted, in an aggrayating calm, even
voice. "Please help me ON with my wrap.
There. You don't think they'll shut us
out of the opera house, do you? It's a
little crooked at the back, isn't it? That's
right. You've got the tickets? Oh, thanks
for the flowers. love chrysanthemums,
you know. You see. I've changed the
ribbon ON them; pink didn't seem to go
with this dress. You like it? Very well,
then, come on. All aboard"
She was in good humor, evidently.
That was happy omen, TO begin with,
and as the evening wore on everything
went in accordance with this beginning.
THANK you so much for taking me,v
Clara said, when he left her that night.
five enjoyed myself so much. Shall
see you at Mrs. Marshall's? OF course.
Good night"
Stromberg was set a-dreaming. He
built castles in the air, with Mrs. Mar
'shall's dance right at the threshold of all
the castles. He would meet Clara at that
dance and make his way with her tri-
umphantly-and so forth, and so forth.
But it was ten days from the date of the
dance, which was to be a very particular
affair, containing the pleasures of euchre
with those of dancing and supper
spread by hostess who was famous for
the elegance and originality Of her sup
pers. This left ten days for Stromberg to
build his air castles, and they amused
him delightfully."- in the intervals of bust
ness, so engrossing him that people
smiled and said, "Old Stromberg must be
in love"
Then came the eve of the dance, and
Stromberg met Clara out walking. She
was very gracious to him, which caused
his heart to futter.
1--WE shall .sneet tomorrow night" she
said. "You know, mamma is going with
me and uncle"
eyes, / know. Don't you suppose
would have begged to be your escort IL
didn't know thatr'
Every likely" said Clara with smile
Then they made arrangements about the
dances she was to let Stromberg have
Somehow he had forgotten to make these
arrangements before, but he was glad Of
the oversight, because it resulted in hi:
discovering that Clara had actually re
served two for him.
can't pretend to say just what til,
particular dances were that he. was t.
have or how the details were arranged
but while they were talking 1t over to
gether, walking along side by side, Strom
berg suddenly stopped-stood rooted t
the pavement.
"What's the matter with your" sal,
Clara.
'I've just remembered that-that
haven't BEEN
What is the matter with you. Mr.
Stromberg? Please come on. People ar
staring at us. What have you not been
Naccinated?"
II haven't been invited"
Nonsense. How could you not hay
been invited? Didn't you write to az
cept?"
Il am perfectly sure didn't write an
such thing"
There was no getting over these fact
Clara was so heartless as not to eve
get over them. She got angry instead.
Stromberg went wild all that afternoo
and evening after sitting in his ow
room for some time trying to think VIII
Mrs. Marshall had not invited him. whe
she had been SO charmingly cordial tn
Hast time they had met. merely seekiu