Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-08-23

Steve grew red and gray by turns, but
he went back to his table and sat like
craven image for whole minute.
Then lie twlddled his watch chain
furlously for another minute. Miss
Glendennin, who sat next to him, no.
ticed the ruby Chinese ring he wore on
the chain and leaned over to examine
1t. Here was a brief but priceless
oasis In the desert of his troubles. He
felt the pressure of her perfect hand
upon his arm. He caught the vague
fragrance Of her ebon hair. But Now
att came around suddenly, shook hands
with Steve, ana said good-by. Cald.
well could have throttled him as he
stood an instant grinning into his face.
1t was evident that Jerry understood
the awful predicament his friend was
in and was deliberately deserving him.
But the economical villain gave Steve
no chance to say n word, much less to
make a quick and deXterous "touch."
He bowed grandily to the ladies and
was gone like flash.
AS Caldwell turned round he caught
a fleeing look of puzzled curiosity up.
on the expressive face Of his idol
shes on to me-" he thought, and
blushed like schOolboy. Mrs. Glen
DENIM was getting nervous. The
waiter had brought the finger bowls
long ago and was skulking near a pill
lar with anticipation Of liberal fee.
Steve's right hand wandered aimlessly
into his trousers pocket.
"Eighty-five cents. count 'em," he
thought. grmly biting his mustache.
Then his fingers stole up into his vest
pocket. He felt hard. round bit of
metal. clutched 1t, looked at Miss
Glendennin and turned purple. He
pulled out n $40 gold piece and tried
to look his gratitude at her He sue
ceeded In looking foolish, but she
smiled family and sighed with pleased
relief. The old lady noticed nothing
Steve paid the bill and gave the bob
bling waiter dollar. When they
walked into the cool air Caldwell fell
as man feels whose reprieve is de-
livered Mt the gallow's trap. He was
sure now that Anne, his Anne. was an
angel. Such tact. such sympathetic
acumen, such cOnslderate regard for
his feelings, his dignity, his vanity!
He told her, in whisper, that she
was a goddess. In the evening he
found that Jerry was yet out on the
water, so he borrowed a $40 gold piece
from the hotel clerk and FASTENED to
his tryst with Miss Glendennin. 1t
was midnight when he returned to his
room and found Mowatt in paiamas
smoking pipe.
Jerry" said Caldwell, "'m going to
marry that girl-yes, Miss Glendennin,
II can, and think can. You didn't
see that was broke to-day at dinner.
did you? OF course not. You found
1t easy to go blind, deaf and dumb all
at once. But I forgive you. Do you
know what she did? She saw 1 was in
fix about settling the bill and she
managed to slip a $40 gold piece into
my pocket while she was examining
this watch charm. I'd die for q woman
like that, Jerry"
But are you sure? How do YOU
knOw?"
II made her admit 1t tonight First
She said no, of course, and tried to get |
angry when I insisted on paying her
back, but"
But what?"
FINALLY. when she saw that 1t would
crate on my pride to resist longer, she
took back her ten"
Mowatt smoked furiOusly for five |
Steve. speeches. with ex.
element. began to lose his temper.
"Well," he bawled at last, "aren't
you going to say word?"
"Steve." drawled Mowatt, lollIng
back in his chair. "if We're you |
wouldn't have anything to do with
Anne-Miss Glendennin."
"Why?" snapped Caldwell.
swell, she bunkoed you out of that
ten, that's ALL"
But don't you see 1t was her ten, l
was paying 1t back. She put it"
mo, she didn't. I slipped that ten
into your vest pocket myself."-John
H. Raftery, in the Chicago Record.
Herald.