Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-07-27
DUNHAM GREER.

room. Night was coming on thou
sand lights twinkled In the store
fronts the forms of the passers were
growing blurred and indistlnct. Dun
ham yawned. He was at loss TO kill
time He had just finished his dinner
and the evening was before him.
There were great houses up town
where he would be cordially welcome,
but Durham had no desire TO make
an evening call. lie fancled he would
like something new. some novelty in
the form of entertainment There
were the theatres But no true New
Yorker ever goes TO the theatres away
from home. He remembered being In
Cleveland the preceding summer. and
how he had enjoyed himself at pic
mic TO which he was self-invlted. lie
laughed at the remembrance, aud
picked UP the evening paper again.
And then his glancng eye caught
this item:
"rhe ladies' Of the Barclay Avenue
Free church will give progressive
euchrc party this evening at the home
Of Mrs. James Lemmers No G2
ScrOop court, for the benefit of the
Sunday school library fund. Friends
of the church are invited to be pres
ent, and are assured of n good time.
Take the Rockport car from the
Square at 7:25"
Durham stared Mt the notice, then
he pulled out his watch. It was 7:l0
He tossed the paper aside and stepped
to the big mirror In the lobby. A quick
glance assured him his appearance
was quite satisfactory, and then he
stepped out and hurried to the Square
He had just time to catch the Rock.
port ear and ride of half an hour
brought him to Scroop court, n short
street Of very new houses, amid which
he had little trouble in locating No. %.
81 never went to church entertain
ment," he said with n smile, "where
change was mentioned, and I'm too
old to begin"
A tall young man In long Prince
Albert pale young man with thick
black hair, looked around at Durham
ana gave him a pleasant smile and
nod Durham nodded back, and then
went up the stairs
Dear me-" murmured a voice over
| his shoulder, "but that was stupid"
must have caught my heel on the up
/ per step, New shoes, you know. II was
| awfully good of you to be I'm the way.
| might have progressed down every
step to the bottom. It's Mr. Blossom,
/ isn't itY
Durham looked around. A pretty
girl with glowing cheeks, a pretty girl
| in Il pretty light dress, was looking
/ down on him from an upper step
mo" he said, ut isn't Mr. Blossom;
| It's Mr. Greer, and Mr. Greer is very
/ glad that he could be of some assis.
tance to you during the recent rush"
"Oh," said the pretty girl. II
/ thought it was the minister's friend
from the west ! am May Fleming.
You know Mr. Chandos, don't you?'
Durham shook his head.
"The fact is he said, I'm almost
! an entire stranger"
He put in the almost" because he
| felt that he had some slight acquain
tance with young lady by the name
of Fleming.
81 will Introduce you" she said and
drawing him to the tall young man.
presented him in due form and then
slipped away.
Durham's heart warmed to the
young minister at once. He looked
so earnest, so kindly, so good.
II do not remember to have seen
you among us before" he said.
mo" said Durham. ITS the first
time I've been in this part of the city
I'm an eastern man. a New Yorker
Some free masonry of instinct prompt
ed him to add, Harvard, '96"
Princeton. o." cried the minister
and then they shook hands again
"Your name" said the young step
herd as he beamed down on Durham
"is quite a familiar one At least Il
would be esteemed so by most readers
of the daily press"
"Yes," said Durham. shortly. Ant
he frowned.
He was about to add somethin.
when his attention was drawn away
by the pretty girl whom he met oI
the stairway. She held salver to hin
and from it he drew a card. 1t Dor,
the name Jack"
Dunham showed it to the minister
81 fancy" laughed the latter, "tha
you are expected to look up 'Jill.'
So Durham passed about the some
what crowded rooms, an lol when h,
found his ''Jill' II was the heroine o
the staircase again.
"And Jill came tumbling after" III
merrily quoted as he thrust his car,
before her. And presently they fount
themselves at one Of the little table,
scattered about the room, and whei
bell tangled the playing commenced
Durham had never played in just thi
fashion before but he quickly caugh
the fashion of it and entered into tn
spirit of the business as If he hat
found the one occupation that please,
him most
At just 10 o'clock the playin
stopped and the score cards were al
gathered up by the active small boy
and then Durham understood tina
this meant prizes, He fancied he ha
discovered why the playing was ca,
ried on in such a grave and quiet man
ner.
There were light refreshment
served by the young women and Dur
ham found them good. He strove TO il
terest the people at the table with hir
and soon had them in a jolly MOOD
He told funny stories and humme
the latest popular song for the youn
woman who sang and did a cleve