Connecticut western news., 1902-05-01
0 OO-o-o-oo-Oo o-OO-U-c- 2 ZONE OPERA
 3 CLOAK, $25O"
By FRANCES CROFT
Copyright, 1909, by the

i. A ~ s. 8. Mcclure Company CO c-c-o Miss Lillian Fairweather's state of mind was far from pleasant as she sat in one of Schenck & Schenck's stuffy little fitting rooms. Nicholas the Meek, Nicholas the Downtrodden, had turned. The words of his letter stood out vivid | ly before her eyes:
 Jacob served seven years for Rachel | and then got her sister. l have served i've years see no hope of getting you in <, seven, and you have no sister. Unless | you say yea in a week to the question I | have asked you so often I sail on the | Mesaba for Europe. Remember, at a | signal from you I shall turn back at the l last moment, but my terms are uncondi- | honal surrender.
 Nicholas had been the subject of gibes, both to his face and behind his back. One that she had coined she gave current issue among her friends because she fancied 1t was clever:
 "Church on Sunday, theater Monday, flowers Tuesday, candy Wednesday, new book Thursday, dinner Friday, dead sick on Saturday of Nicholas Purdy."
 It did not seem so clever to her now, after a week during which there had been no one to carry her prayer book to church, no one to take her to first night performances, no flowers, no candy, no books, no dinners, no Nicho- has Purdy, but there had been a wea- ried feeling. Much to her own surprise she found that she missed the man more than his attentions.
 This was the day of sailing for the Mesaba. From some feeling-curios- l ity, of course-she knew the pier from to it and the time it took to get there. She certainly would not give in to him, l especially after the insolent tone of the letter. Yet 1t was from a fear that she might so far forget herself as to go down to the dock and lose her suprem- acy over Nicholas forever that had brought her here. Her suit very op- portunely needed alteration. Miss Macy, the head filter, had hurried of with it, promising to send something to throw around her for the few min utes till it was ready.
 Then girl had appeared with a gorgeous pink opera cape. Such raj ment was far beyond the slender means of the struggling artist, but for once she forgot to revel in its richness. She was looking anxiously at her watch. Three-Quarters of an hour and then the Mesaba would clear her docks.
 How fast the minutes flew byI Half an hour now!
 She pounded on the door. Miss Macy hustled in. "I'm so sorry, Miss Fair weather. I've been delayed with some customers. You shall have your dress shortly"
 "But must have 1t at oncer'
 "Impossibler' And Miss Macy bus tied of.
 Lillian was now frantic.
 She caught the next girl that passed.
 "Give me a dress. any kind of a dressF'
 A moment later she was tearing a price mark of a sloppy dress of dirty chocolate color. She rushed into it quite unmindful of the fact that 1t was two sizes too large. long waisted and bulging at the hips. Throwing the opera cape around her, she stuck on her blue hat and rushed madly from the store
 She hailed passing cab. Five dol lars if you get me to pier 17 before the Mesaba sailsw
 It seemed an eternity until she was rushing down the long wooden shed Pushing aside the man who demanded her ticket, she ran up the gangplank and her feet had scarcely left it when 1t was withdrawn. No Nicholas was in sight. She approached the steward and asked him where MT. Purdy's stateroom was. He replied that nc such party was booked.
 Then Lillian gave gasp. She ran to the end of the steamer nearest the dock only to find that the vessel had begun to move. She uttered a cry which attracted the attention of 6 youngish man sitting on the piles al the corner of the pier hanging his heels over the water.
 He jumped up and whistled, for ht realized the full enormity of the situa ton. She was going, and he was to bt left behind. The ocean would separate them, besides a sea of misunderstand ings. His bluff had worked beyond his expectations.
 He ran to the steamers starting place and found a stout commercial looking man in state of great excitement bar gaining with the owner of a small tug to take him to the outgoing steamer Nicholas Joined forces with him. 4 common object-to catch the steamer bound them together.
 The thing was all arranged in few minutes. They quickly got alongside and hailed the steamer. There was already great excitemen aboard the Mesaba. A woman in { dirty brown gown, pink opera cloal and blue hat was begging hysterical ly to be taken back to land.
 The captain saw peace for him wheI he perceived the tug. The steamer stopped, and Lillian was transferred t. meet her shameless lover and the just ly indignant costumer. She began tt , upbraid the former when the commer cial man interjecIed:
 Easy now, easy. What about m! two hundred and fifty dollar wrap, no to mention the dress? I see you hay, damaged the cloak so we can't take i back. Now, how do know you caJ pay for itr s.-..
 Poor Lillian! Two hundred and lift, dollars on demandl Her cheeks burn cd as she faltered, "I can't"
 "Well, then, will have you arrested ] for grand larcenyr' cried the irate Mir Schenck.
 But Nicholas now interrupted angri : ly. How do you dare, sir, to speak & to my wifer'
 Your wife? She Is Miss Fairweath CT, and we have her name on ou , books"
 My wife. We were starting for Flu rope today, but were both detained, a