The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-11-18

WRITTEN TOE THE SUNDAY REPtBLlC.
After a Juvenile courtship. lasting some
two years. Bob ar: Winnie had at last dis
agreed Not that any particular reason for
such a state Of affairs existed. but simply
because. as Bob expressed 1t. "a fello"
Cont want TO ba tied down 20 one girl All
his lie" and as Bob was more than IS
years old he considered this ample reason
for a revolution IN affairs. Ills efforts to
create discord had resulted IN 4 cooiHess
between Winnie ard himself, ba,r he had not
yet succeeded IN breaking away as he
told one OF his conGGentos. In the limited
circle of society In which they moved in
the small illinois town. they were generally
spoken OF rs going together.' and Winnie
was known az Bob's girl" As T:nnle's
yellow Isob.s duties We're very light. He
>di5 not cnil on her every night, az ne did
7 on other young ladies when he became older
and more experienced, partly because he did
not care TO. but principally because Win
mes father objected.
Among the younger set parties and enter
taiEInents were o; weekly occurrence, and It
was then Bobs duty 10 pencil a formal
rots TO Winnie. asking for 'the pleasure
OF her company" and stating at what time
he would call for her, always inferring that
she would accept his offer to be her escort.
Il invariably happened that after they had
arrived at the party, Bob would devote him.
self TO some other girl during the whole
evening. lest ZONE one should whisper that
he was afraid 10 leave Winnie's side. BY
10 doing. he meant to indicate that ne could
prove his Independence.
When the gatherings broke uD for the
night. which was generally about Ii O'Clock,
Tor Bob and Winnie were but l6, the two
would hasten TO Winnie's home. As soon as
Bob had performed the chivalrous act of
ringing the front door bell. he would retreat
to the foot of the veranda steps. When the
creaking OF the door announced that Win
MICS mother wes ut hand. Bob's hat would
como of with a jerk, and. bidding Winnie
a hasty goodnight" he would slowly
sarnter down the street Until her form had
Y vanished inside the door. then. breaking
\Rto a run, would cover tho remaining dis
. t'Atce to his homo In q remarkably short
4 pace OF Tina
On Friday evenings a literary" was held
In the chapel of the small college, situated
on the east side OF the town. nearly a mile
from Winnie's home. Unless he could give
some good excuse, Bob was expected to
call promptly at Z o'clock every Friday
evening and escort Winnie to the literary"
Once there. both would occupy one seat
we'll to the front of the room. and Bob would
sit through the evening with a reconclled
air. not daring to lock about. lest his eyes |
should meet those Of some Of tho boys, who. |
more fortunate than himself, had pleaded +,
sickness as an excuse for breaking engage |
nents for the night, and WHIT would break
into a sickly grin.
Lately. however. Bob had been having i
trouble. He envied the several boys who ;
had no regular company" and who chose |
companions from among the young ladies' |
similarly situated. and when one Of these
black sheep one night escorted Winnie |
home from a party where Bob had failed
to appear. he ct once seized the opportun.- ;
~. assumed the cir o: the injured party
and was freezingly civil to Winnie, who
tried in vain to ascertain the reason for his
actions. Here at last was C. chance for re- |
4 venge, thought Bob. |
Z The lns. literary of the season was to ,