Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-02-12
corsnIonr, 1901, uY JAMES rAnsrs.

g CorfRIoHT, 1901, uY JAMES BARNES. v
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1T was ueaasifui day, ana Went
up in my room to dress. had not had
a black coat on my back for months
/ observed in the glass that was look
ing very we'll and suddenly it crossed
my mind that my abstinence on drink
it was not i pledge. you know-was up
this very day. rang for cocktail 1t
tingled me TO the end of my fingers.
and so took another and another and
q fourth. Denny, when l stepped out
on tile sidewalk owned the world and
would have given half of it for one
kindred spirit who would understand
my mood went into Delmonico's.
hoping to find familiar face. No one
was there but some fools cabling in
the corner. | longed for some place in
the fresh air. but longed still more for
some one to talk to, to rhapsodize at,
for l was alive from pulse to brain.
The Claremont! thought, and l went
outside. The driver of hanson cab
held up an interrogating finger"
wondered If Charlie had borrowed this
from Walt Whitman. He had Il nice
horse and nice trap. called him
across The Claremont. up the river.
said 1.
''As we drove up Broadway owned
it all We passed under the elevated.
and as l looked out | saw figure
standing at corner
Charlie had now begun to talk
through his teeth and merely with a
movement of his lips. He was breath
ing hard. 1T was tall woman in
sheeny gray silk. leaned forward and
looked out the corner of the window.
She bowed, or | bowed first, | forget
which. Well. you know, it was about
time that had got over boys foolish
ness. But why not? threw open the
little trapdoor in the roof of the cab
with my stick. Stop said l. The driv-
er drew up to the curb. Strange to say,
MS came down the sidewalk. waiting
stepped to meet me. All Mr.. Cum.
mings,' she said, with a slightly for.
eign accent.
"'Pon my word, was knocked al
most off my feet. There was nothing
for it, however, but to pretend that
had known her.
1T was the same old stereotypet
way: Haven't seen you for some time
Where have you beenY viii you evel
forget the last time etc.-noncomnit
tai phrases, word fencing and all that
you know-rank nonsense.
well. the upshot of it was asked
her point blank to have dinner will
me. She laughed, accepted, and in .
minute we We're up the avenue. Lie
me give you a hint of what she looked
like, old chap. You may have reat
about it." said nothing. Her fac,
was as clear as wax, without bit O
color. Her eyebrows We're straigh
and narrow, and her hair rose from
her white forehead as even as a char
coal line. Her eyes were so pale tina
the black dots of her pupils could b.
seen a dozen feet away, but her lip
were as red rs blood Blood" he re
peated. "She was the strangest ant
most beautiful Thing alive. God! Yes
she was.
well, do my best, could not fin,
out how she knew my name. grey
serious, but she laughed that off. The
grew interested. / could have sworl
that 1 had never met her, you sec
Suddenly she turned to me and spok
in French, and, although there were
few conversational bitches, we talked
on in that language. Sic was clever
she was bright, she was uncommon
place, and insensibly she made me kee]
my distance. At last we stopped a
the frame house on the hill overlooking
the Hudson. There were a number O
cabs and carriages waiting. The vel
anda was filled with well dressed pee
pie. Wine was being opened. Silk
and satins and bad English--you know
| that set.
1--WE dined together at little table i
the corner. If ever a man made love,
did. didn't know myself. was swer
away. Den, believe scintillated.
could see nothing but gray eyes lookin
at me across the cloth. l could hea
nothing but the low purring laugh an
the caressing tones of her answers. NJ