Evening journal., 1902-12-23
Only An
incident
. UDITa. In chat vast audience. fo

- UDlld, in that vast audience, felt
as much alone as though she had
found herself cast upon some
> desert island. The p.ay at first
had Interested her. IL was curicusly
fascinating to watch the gamut Of
emotions depicted by the great actress
who spoke only I'm soft, foreign
tongue. Then all at once she felt en-
gulfed In EOmbreness and gloom. The
audience seemed TO grow Thin and cold
and melancholy. The light glimmered
fuully, and as the curtain rose for the
last act, the notes of the orchestra died
away in e m0mnful wall
Judith half rose from her seat. then
sank back. resignedly. She might az
well stay now until the end. Besides.
she would not care to disturb the peo-
| pie she would have to pass. Then a
singular thing happened. Her hand
was taken IN q soft, warm clasp. Too
surprised even TO think. she allowed
her fingers 20 lie passive in a broad,
: masculine palm. Then O sense OF COM
fort and sympathy stole over her and
she had no inclination TO resist IL.
Here she, Judith Grant, regarded aa
the coolest and most conventional girl
lof her set, sat In a place OF public
amusement her hand warmly clasped
10y man upon whom she never had
set eyes before.
dior cheeks burned. but she defiantly
admitted TO herself that she liked Il.
AT last the curtain began its hna
descent. her hand was slowly relin.
lquished and she was gazing into {
pair oi grave, gray eyes set deep in q
rugged bronzed face. Then, with {
silent bow the man turned away anC
was lest in the crowd.
That had been several weeks ago
and the incident, ia the gayeties tina
b had followed Il, had almost faded iron
J Judith's mind Why # should reour Il
her now with such pcrsistency. as sh
b was speeding on her way to Maryland
: lwhore she would spend the holiday
b with her former school chum, Juditl
/ impatiently wondered and frowned a
the remembrance. Grace Carroll wa
J the first person upon whom her eye
lighted when the train pulled and pant
= ed into the little country railway sta
ticn and I'M the warmth OF her WelcOm
and bright chatter Judith's spirits ros
, and she asked and answered question
with a hearty good will
Marjorie Lee came down this morn
ing" chatted Grace in her pretty
Eastern sho' accent, "and Hau.
White win De here tonight / believ
sthey are engaged. but Marjorie say
he is too fat, that she prefers thin men
Cousin Dell IS here and the Smith girl
and Bess Summers. Charlie Summers
Bob and VIII ingram win be down AM
brother Jack has brought a frienl
home with him. he Is a collage pro
fessor and awfully digniied and In
girls all stand in awe of him."
What a hOuseful OF people" cx
claimed Judith. 'Will they all sta,
the week out2"
eyes, indeed" affirms Grace, "an
1--we have such lovely things planned
Tonight we shall have a dance at home
and tomorrow night the Christina
tree. After it Is unloaded we viii 3
Ito a dance at Browns and il the sno'
stays. we win drive over in slelghs.
The girls fan to discussing thei
lfrocks and friends and almost befor
they knew 1t they reach The big raml
liing cid farm house which Grace call
her home and Judith is being welcome
with a warmth that goes straight to h'
heart. She rs almost bewildered b
the babel of voices the greeting OF ol
friends and introductions. when hS
hand IS taken in a strangely familis
clasp and she looks up into the dee
gray eyes she last saw in a Boston plal
house while Grace says:
MY big brother, Jack Carroll. NJ
dear friend. judith Grant.
Judith's heart gave a jump and q
most stood still She bowed then huI
ried up stairs afttr Grace.
"Grace's brother the man who he
my hand. What lucki" she groan'
20 herself
IL proved worse luck 10 Jack ca
roll While gracious enough TO q
others. she was cold and distant wi
him. and whenever he approached 81
became silent and bored.
But for the presence OF Jack Judi
thinks she never knew such a hapl
Christmas. The young people dam
in the great day and drift off to be
In the morning they so to the lit
country church. where GraCe's visito
prove TO be the centre Of interest. A
ter dinner, that wonderful count
Christmas dinner where the table ia.
- ly groaned with its burden OF turks
spareaibs. hominy. oranberries. We
,etables. pies and plum pudding, ia
approached Judith in the hall a
said:
I'VE are going sleighing after awhi
Will you 30 with me?'
h Thank YOU" is Judiths answ
Il think l shall write letters this
ternoon.'
She watched the others drive on a
regrets that she did not go with the
She soon tired of her own thousl
and wandered down stairs. TO find
whole house deserted. D0nning
|. wraps she starts for walk.