Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-03

Would She not like lIIle Iunch- con? he managed to ask her as he helped her out of the elevator with one hand and counted his remaining dollar with the other.
 'sSo kind of you, Mir. Hodge" she Uttered. "Yes, just bite. Its per- fectly dreadful for me to be out so late with a perfect stranger, but you've been so perfectly kind and, ler-natural, he, he, he, hn-a, I was going to say just like an old shoe,' but you know what 1 mean. Feel like I'd known you for years"
 "Oh, l don't lxnow!" thought Hodge. q guess must be a poor hand at picking winner"
 He escorted the fair Grace to fashionable cafe, and when she had discussed her ssbite" and the bill was paid J. Dillingham; had two dimes left. He gave them to the waiter with the grandest air he could com mand and then began to screw up his courage to the ordeal of hiring a cab lon credit.'' Of course he meant to take Miss Grace home, but when they reached the sidewalk she put
 
 ''Now, you must leave me, Mir. Hodge" smiling radiantly at him. "You know I live at the Auditorium and I couldn't think of your coming there with me at this hour"
 Then the desperate J. Dillingham; waxed eloquent indeed. He begged her to permit him to at least accom- pany her part of the way. She yield ed on condition that he rest content Then he besought her for her full name, and with wondrous impor- tunity asked that he might have the honor of visiting her.
 "You may write to me-" she said, after a pause in which he felt as if some splendid sibyI were about to pronounce his fate. And now, good night
 Her thrilling voice fell to per- fumed whisper as she added:
 ''Grace Miller. Write to me. Good night.'
 She was gone. Hodge trod on air for two days after that. He wrote a letter to Miss Miller the next day and stayed at home the second so he'd get the answer the moment it came. It didn't come, but he was not to be denied. He wrote again and again, For five days he poured forth his callow soul in words so eloquent and periods so sonorous that all his former efforts at poesy seemed tame and trite. Then he be- &o 1 f<&~. . more costly raiment. He hinted to his fellow clerks that he was tired of the life of a bachelor and meant to i marry very soon.
 'Who is she?" grinned Schwartz, the woman hater.
 "Oh, never you mind" sneered Hodge. She's not in your set in society. Lives at the Auditorium, that's all. Millionaire father and an only child.'
 And the magniicence of J. Dillig- verisimilitude and certainly color to his boasts.
 Yet he waxed thin waiting for the ' letter that never came. He felt that his Grace had been already strangely gracious and began to suspect that she was now trying to discipline her impulsive heart while at the same time checking his too ready ardor I But after two weeks waiting he could stand the suspense no longer
 Arrayed in all his sartorial glory, his hair parted into football tufts alum in his pimples and nosegay in Il |. T .4 the hotel clerk, and extending a new, engraved card, asked that it be sent to Miss Grace Miller.
 The clerk smiled as he summoned sButtons."
 The boy grinned as he darted to. ward the elevator.
 J. Dillingham; Hodge fumed and wondered at the impertinence as he impatiently paced the lobby.
 ''This way, Mir. Hodge," said the bellboy, touching his arm. And then the ardent lover followed that boy through the dark and devious hall ways, up queer and misleading stairs and around food-smelling regions o1 the hotel.
 s'See here, boy," at last yelled the panting Hodge, where is Miss Mil Ter? Did she say she'd see me in hel apartments or in the parlor?"
 "She ain't got no say about it, snapped the lad. shell see yer ir tn laundry r she won't see yer g tall. See?''
 Look here, my boy" gasped Hodge, slipping quarter into ths hand of the surprised Buttons, 'sstop Tell me. Who is Miss Grace Miller?'
 The boy stared second at the quarter before he answered.
 Grace is de head laundress. Gc t de end O dis hall an'-"
 But J. Dillingham; saw an oper door that led into the alley anG thither he ded.-Chicago Record-Her ald.
 X-Rays for Smuggling.