Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-04-27
HIS USEFUL EVENING.
by w. II. Rose.

tWlnkleu IN the store fronts, the FORMS OF
the passers were growing blurred and in
distinct Durham yawned. He was at
a loss how TO kill time. He had just fin
ished his dinner, and the evening was be
fore him. There were great houses mp
town where he would be cordially well
come, but Durham had no desire to make
an evening call He fancied he would
like something new, some novelty in the
form of entertainment. There were the
theaters. but no true New Yorker ever
goes to the theaters away from home. He
remembered being in Cleveland the pre-
ceding summer aud how be had enjoyed
himself at a picnic to which he was self
invited. He laughed at the remembrance
and picked up the evening paper again.
And then his CHANGING eye caught this
item:
"Tbe ladies of the Barclay Avenue Free
church will give progressive euchre par
ty this evening at the home of Mrs
James Lemmers, 80 Scroop court, for the
benefit of the Sunday school library fund.
Friends of the church are invited to be
present and are assured of a good time
Take the Rockport car from the square
at 1925"
Durham went to the fair As he en-
tered tall young man in a long Prince
Albert a pale young man with thick
black hair, looked around at Durham and
gave him a pleasant smile and nod. Dun
ham nodded back and then went up the
stairs in accordance with the bright faced
young woman's instructions to leave his
hat and coat As he came down the
stairs again he heard a whir Of feminine
drHpery behind him, a little shrek, and
a young woman was precipitated against
him with considerable violence. Dun
ham was quick witted, and his muscles
were tense. Something prompted him to
brace himself suddenly, and the shock Of
contact did not overthrow him.
Dear me-" murmured voice over his
shoulder, but that was stupid. | must
have caught my heel on the upper step.
New shoes, you know. 1t was awfully
good of you to be in the way. | might
have progressed down every step to the
bottom. It's Mr.. Blossom, isn't it?"
Durham looked around A pretty girl
with glowing cheeks, a pretty girl in a
pretty light dress, was looking down on
him from an upper step.
mo" he said, cit isn't Mr. Blossom;
it's Mr.. Greer and Mr.. Greer is very
glad that he could be of some assistance
to you during the recent rush"
"Oh," said the pretty girl, 81 thought
1t was the minister's friend from the
west. am May Fleming. You know
Mr.. Chandos, don't your"
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 acquaintance
with young lady by the name of Elem
ing.
Il will introduce you" she said, and
drawing him to the tall young man pre-
sented him in due form and then slipped
away.
Dunham's heart warmed to the young
minister at once. He looked so earnest
80 kindly, so good.
IL do not remember to have seen you
among us before" he said.
'No," said Durham. ITS the first
time I've been in this part Of the city
I'm an eastern man. a New Yorker"
Some Freemasonry of instinct prompted
him to add, Harvard, 49,"
princeton, 81" cried the minister
and then they shook hands again. your
name," said the young shepherd as he
beamed down on Durham, sis quite a IA
miliar one. At least it would be esteemed
30 by most readers OF the daily press"
YES" said Durham shortly. And he
frowned.
He was about to add something when
his attention was drawn away by the
pretty girl whom he met on the stairway.
She held salver to him, and from it he
drew a card. 1t bore the name Jack"
Durham showed 1t to the minister.
Il fancy" laughed the latter, that you
70 G.
Durham passed about the somewhat
crowded rooms, and, 10, when he found
his "Jill' it was the heroine of the stair
case again!
"And Jill came stumbling after" he
merrily quoted as he thrust his card be-
fore her. And presently they found
themselves at one of the little tables scat
tered about the room, and when a bell
tangled the playing commenced. Durham
had never played in just this fashion be-
fore, but he quickly caught the fashion
of it and entered into the spirit of the
business as If he had found the one occu-
patton that pleased him most. For it
was business, and a serious business at
that. They played in a grave and quiet
fashion, broken in upon only by the Jan
Cling bell, the swish of garments as the
players progressed and by the coming of
an active small boy who hustled about
with a railway ticket punch puncturinE
the progression on the players score
cards. There were 20 of these tables,
and 1t seemed to Durham as if he would
surely visit them all with his astonishing
run of luck.
"How Is the climbing, JackT inquired
jill when he passed her for the second
line. Durham held up his card. "Oh,"
she cried, 'h's like porous plaster"
At just 10 o'clock the playing stopped,
and the score cards were all gathered up
by the active small boy, and then Dun
ham understood that this meant prizes.
He fancied he had discovered why the
playing was carried on In such a grave
and quiet manner.
There were light refreshments served
by the young women, and Durham found
them good. he strove to interest the
people at the table with him and soon
had them In jolly mood. He told funny
stories and hummed the latest popular
song for the young woman who sang and
did clever trick with the cards for the
young man who wondered how profess
sionals could become so expert in han
ding the magic pasteboards. When the
refreshments were cleared away, every.
body was expected to join in social con.
verse, and Durham sought his new
friend, the minister.
"You seem to be having a merry time"
said the latter.
THAT is what l endeavor to do wherev.
Or l CO." said Durham, with a smile,
"and 1t has required no effort whatever