The Washington times., 1902-03-16
By ROLAND BEVERLY HALE.

you! I'm sorry we haven't an extra
ticket. 1t looks so inhospitable," and
she ratified on.
Mr.. Owen came In. too, and Mary
went up stairs to put on her things.
When she came back Mrs. Owen was
still talking, David pretending to lis
ten, and Mr.. Owen reading the evening
paper. Then the three theatregoers
went out with more apologies, and
when their footsteps died away David
went out after them.
He tripped on something at the
threshold and fell down the front steps,
tearing his clothes. When he got up he
laughed dismally at this unnecessary
excess of misfortune.
What a successful evening"" he said
under his breath as he walked away.
He was light hearted when he entered
the house; irritated and cross when he
came out. 1t makes very little difference
at the end of mile run how you felt
before you began.
As soon as David had heard the theater
| mentioned at the Owens he had thought:
Then III go to see Violet Anderson" :"
Pleasant thoughts came back; the
struggling past, the successful present,
the glorious future. Violet would not
receive him as Mary had done. He
rather thought he liked Violet better
than any girl he knew. Marys ideas
were too much like mans. She had a
splendid mind, but after all it is nice
to have women feminine.
tot
Mary could not tell one tune from
another, whereas Violet-perhaps che
would sing tonight. When a man was
married 1t would be nice to have some
one to sing to him when he came home
from battling with the world-and beat
ing it, David added. throwing out his
chest.
He did not want to come home and
argue and get cross and be told that
success was a bad thing He smiled at
this last idea and also at pleasant
contrast which suggested itself next.
Violet was sitting on the steps of the
front porch, near her father and mother,
when David made his appearance. He
smiled as he saw the perfect taste and
elegance OF her simple summer dress and
contrasted 1t with some unfortunate in
harmonious colors which he had seen net
long ago.
After shaking hands all round. he sat
down next to Violet Mr.. and Mrs. An
derson set out to make CALL leaving the
young people alone.
The gentle south wind carried to them
the fragrance OF the lilacs in a neigh
boring garden, In the next street chill
dren were still playing, though it was
high time they were in bed, and their
voices were waited to David /. II Violet,
softened by the distance.
1t was one of those evenings when
somehow. one finds difficulty in loving
ones neighbor. David found none.
How did you like staying at the Cal
lamores'?" asked David. Are young
married people agreeable at homer"
81 didn't have an especially good
time" Violet replied; but they did. Do
you know, 1 rather envied them, and
wished I was married or engaged or
something
If "something" stood for Gin love-"
David began TO feel as If he were some
thing"
1t was pleasant to sit In silence, but
II was pleasanter to hear Violet's voice
on the night air. SO he spoke to her
again, merely that she might answer him.
"The only trouble with being married
or engaged is that you must be married
or engaged to someone
And you think shall find difficulty in
bringing any one TO the point?' she en-
quired, smiling.
He could not help being embarrassed
mo. don't mean that. Only thought