The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-07-19
HIS USEFUL EVENING
BY W. R. ROSE.


Durham Greer looked out through the
big windows of the hotel reading room.
Night was coming on, thousand lights
tWnkled III the store fronts the forms Of
the passcrs were growing blurred and in
distinct. Dunham yawncd He was at
loss how to kill time. He had Just fin
lshcd his dinner, and the evening was be-
fore HIM. There Were great houses up
town whore he would be cordially well
come. but Dunham 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
theatcrs but no true New Yorker ever
goes to the theaters away from home lie
remembered being in Cleveland the pre-
ceding summer and how he had enioyed
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 glancing eye caught this
item:
The ladies of the Barclay Avenue Free
church will give progressive euchre par
ty this evening At the home of Mrs.
James Lemmers. 62 Scroop court, for the
benefit of the Sunday school library fund.
present and are assured of a good time.
Take the Rockport car from the square
Mt 7:25."
Dunham went to the fair As he en-
tered tall young man in long Prince
Albert, pale young man with thick,
black hair, looked around at Dunham and
gave him 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 whir of feminine
drapery 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. l 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 % 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, ''it 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 II thought
It was the minister's friend from the
west. am May Fleming. You know
Mr.. Chandos, don't youW
Durham shook his head.
The fact is" he said, Pm 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 Flem-
/ ing.
Il will introduce you," she said, and
drawing him TO the tall young man pre-
sentsd him in due form and then slipped
away.
Dunham's heart warmed to the young
minister at once. lie looked SO earnest,
so kindly, so good.
81 do not remember to have seen you
among us before" he said.
NO" said Durham. "It's the first
time I've been in this part o1&A city.
I'm an eastern man, a New Yorker"
Some Freemasonry of instinct prompted
him to add, Harvard, '96."
Princeton, 81 cried the minister,
and then they shook hands again. Your
name said the young shepherd as he
beamed down on Durham, "is quite IA
miliar one. At least it would be esteemed
so by most readers of the daily press"
Yes" said Durham shortly And he
frowucd.
He was about to add something when
his attention was drawn away by the
pretty girl whom he met on the stairway.
She held a salver to him, and from it he
drew Il card. 1t bore the name Jack"
Durham showed it to the minister
Il fancy" laughed the latter. that you
are expected to look up 'Jill'" So
Dunham passed about the somewhat
crowded rooms, and, 10, when he found
his 'Jill' it was the heroine of the stair
cascsaglin,
and Jill came stumbling after" he
merTly quoted rs he thrust his card be-
fore her. And presently they found
themselves 40 one of the little tublessscat-
tered about the room, and when hcll
tangled the playing commenced. Duuham
had never played ia just this fashion be-
fore. tHt be quickly caught the fashion
of it, and entered into the spirit of the
business MS If be- had found the one occu-
putun TINT pleased him most. For it
was business. and a serious business at
that. They played in 4 grave aud quiet
fashipd, broken in upon only by Tie jan
Cling bell, the swish or garments "a, the
players progressed and by the coming Of
an active small boy who hustled abYat
with 1t rai!way ticket punch pauctuaiug
the progression on the players score
cards. There were 20 Of these tables.
and it seemed to DurhGm as if he would
surely visit them all with his astonishing
gtin Of luck
How is the climbing, Jacif' inquired
Jill when he passed her for the second
time, Durham held up his card oh"
Ghe cried its like a 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 @ grave
and quiet manner.
There were light Refreshments served
w. the young women, and Dunham found
them good. He strove to interest the
people at the table with him and soon
had them in a 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 profes-
sionals could become so expert in han
ding the magic pasteboCds. When the
refreshments were cleared away, every
body was expected to join in social con.
verso. aud Durham sought his new