The Dolores star., 1903-09-04

Anu tue ncxt e10 - tec2N e2N So0eSuS
came to look forward. unthinginely. TO
SEQ the bright face OF the unknown
One day the chair was vacant, and
Joe. wiyh a sense of deep disappoint-
ment, knew why it was he looked for
ward so eagerly to the noonday meal.
The next noontime he took particular
pains with his toilet and was so i'm
patient that he was nt the table Ave
minutes before his accustomed time.
She was not there, and his heart aank.
A minute later 1t bounded again M he
snw tho pell-known figure coming down
the aisle. As she pulled back her chair
preparatory to taking her seat. some
how or other, joe never quite knew how
it happened. the big blue eyes flashed
for a moment ipto his and he waa on
his feet, bluship0 and bowling.
This was the beginning. and 1t BE-
came customary to bow. later to sit side
by side and talk during lunch, and, II
time permitted. to walk with her as far
as the Monadnock building. where she
was employed. He had vainly tried to
discover her name, but when he had
naively informed her that it was awk
WtATu w Gull uCA suN uuAA oFnSo
him to call her simply Miss Margaret
adding that this WAS what she was most
generally called and was most &C
custofned to.
This went on for several weeks and
Joe had several times been on the verge
of asking for her address. that he might
call, or asking her to accompany him
to the theater. hut he kept delaying, fear
ing that he might rupture the growing
friendship and be left ngafn to himself
and the lonesomeness of feeling that he
knew almost no one.
One nocntime land Joe will always
remember it) she was not in her accus-
toned place, although the day before
she had been speculating what the bill
of fare would be. He ate AS slowly as
he could and spent his whole noon hour
in the restaurant, but when he left the
chair was still vacant. The next day
the same experience. He reproached
himself for not finding out more about
her-perbaps she was sick or had met
with an accident. ~ any rate, she knew
his name and addrrss-why didn't she
at least drop him line? Surely it was
cruel to leave him in SUCH uncertainty.
He brooded over what might possibly
have happened 10 her, till his health be-
gan 10 fail. He never thought the daily
walk Of few blocks could mean 30
much to him.
Several weeks passed by and the chair
still continued vacant On the very day
his two years was up Joe remembered
that she had spoken Of oconomowoc one
day in connection with her family. He
would ask for u few days respite from
work and go up there. He had never
asked for q vacation and they surely
would not refuse him. Besides, it WAS
not far from Chicago and many Chicago
men went up Saturday nights to spend
Sunday with their families who were
stopping there. Anyhow, he would go
for the rest Of the week-possibly he
might see her or hea- OF her and the
change would do him good even if he
didn't
The next morning, Wednesday, he
started. He could Only be spared for
the rest of the week, but what might
not happen in four whole days? When
he arrived at the depot OF the pretty lit
tie Wisconsin town he found himself
anxiously looking around, though he
condemned himself for his foolishnese
in doing so-why should she be around
the depot il she was in the town?
After he had registered at q hotel he
wandered aimlessiy about the town.
odmiring the handsome houses and the
beautiful twin lakes, and watching tn.
launches, filled with happy campers,
darting to and fro. In the afternoon
he hired a boat and tried to fish, but
after q couple of hours effort, when
only couple OF sickly- looking dogfish
rewarded his efforts, he gave it up in
disgust and returned TO the hotel.
At dinner that evening he was made
aware of the fact that CIRQUE was in
town by couple sitting across the
table from him. who had come in from,
the surrounding country and were go
ing. In the barber shop also there was
nothing talked OF but the circus. 1t
made him feel quite at home to see the
enthusiasm created by the mere fact Of
= circus being in town. How different
from Chicago, where nothing seemed to
be able to command but passing in
tercst.
Then he remembered that at home
everybody went TO the circus-why
shouldn't they do it here?-and per
haps she might be there. He would go
to the circus
1t was little late when Joe reached
the tent. He had not calculated on
how many would be ahead of him for
the single BARRIERS chair nor how long
it would take THE hotel bootblack TO
put satisfactory gloss on his shoes.
AS he entered the tent he went down
the open space to the ropes and starting
at one end glanced as critically at eacb
face as the Pickering of the gasoline
lamps would allow. OF sudden he
stopped. rubbed his eyes and looked
again. Yes. surely that was Margaret.
looking fairer and more winsome thar