The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19

were plain people. with no pretense at FASH
ion, and that ring spoke volumes.
4 remarkable him followed the placing
Of that little hand upon the table. Several
young women in the immediate ~neighbor-
hood Strengthened I'D ~perceprbiy. stared 4
brief Instant hsughtily at the newcomer
and then exchanged glances OF M-concealed
scOrn: one smiled audibly. A trim little
person near me smiled in gentle sympathy.
Her ringer bore \ cirClet less costly. but Of
the same purpOrt.
At short intervals. the hand was raised
from the table TO the back OF the head. This
was accompanied BY . pretty extending
OF the fingers and ! movement which re-
Semb!ed the striking OF several chords upon
an Invisible harp. l was uncertain whether
the seat Of the trouble lay in the hair or
IN the air back OF it. The ladies in that
quarter. however. seemed 10 understand
The action. which invariably produced in
them q slight wTithing movement. q fash
ing or the eye, and, as said above, in one
case. an audible shifting. So / Judge that
they are afflicted at times with the same
aiIment. Physicians should look into this.
It Was my fortune a daySor- two later 10
lunch at the same cafe. Before my meal
was half over the two vacant seats directly
opposite were taken by the seltsams couple.
This answered my second question. Lunch
ing together Was not a casual affair. but
evidently the regular order OF business.
liz DAatE HtulDrE IN IRIS sentimental
partnership with fine courtesy handed the
bill of fare to his fair companion. This was
as IL should be. and I was pleased. But
n minute later when the waitress stood be-
hind their chairs the lady. with a disunct
~ proprietary air. proceeded to order for
both. This Jared on me, and / said to
myself. She is q self-asseFtiys little miss
and means to usurp mans h~eayen-given
~prerogauva- She intends TO be the head OF
the family" 4 second look at her square
set face and chin confirmed my opinion.
She appeared 10 be quite unaware that
when 4 man is present a woman is entirely
helpless in the presence Of a bin of fare.
Nor did she seem to know that men. being
the natural leaders. like women to be cling
ing. trustful and dependent .
1 was rapidly losing the sentimental in
terest / had begun % feel in these young
people, when a little action. strangely hu-
man, set the current flowing in the right
direction again
1 heard him say. Let's have ham and
eggs or Z small steakTI' These were 70
cent dishes. Men are naturally eXtrsva-
CANT. She laid that little hand with the
the ring upon his sleeve. and with a pretty
gesture pointed 10 two less expensive
dishes, saying at the same time. And then
We can have conse!"
Evidently the assumption OF authority
on her psrt was intended as a check upon
unEtse expenditures. and by agreement
was understood and permitted by the male
member Of the firm.
During the winter months our lunch hours
conceded three or four times q week. Ere
qnsRtly they sat 50 near me that scraps OF
conversation and little actions fun OF
meaning easily came under observation,
and my interest In this young couples man
ner OF life and future plans did not abate.
One day l heard her call him Frank.
and not long after he addressed Der as
sally" Their personalities were becoming
intensely real to me.
About this time their talk one day
touched upon their positions in business.
Sally was asking questions, and II de-
veloped that she and Prank" were not
employed by the same company. he had
been promoted recently and had a number
Of girl clerks under him. They had been
asking him about approaching vacations.
and he, with commendable conservatism
and business tact. was arranging q vaca-
ton schedule for the Office. His eyes
sparkled with a sense Of authority.
Sally. it seemed, had asked her employers
for "a raise" OF FIVE dollars. but the capt.
talists. naturally unfeeling, compromised
on two.
As the weather grew warmer and the
half-holidsy season drew nigh the talk at
lunch time became very animated. Evil
IDENTIFY out OF town trips were being dis
cussed and planned for.
An action OF Sally's that caught my rye
for the nrst time about then puzzled me
considerably. When IL came time TO paw
their bill she would open her poeketbook
and slip. more or less surreptitiously, some
money under the table to Frank.
/ could not account for this satisfactorily
and as I was taking considerable pride IN
the theory I had set up about this couple
IL bothered me.
Several little things seemed 70 indicate
tina she was not passing her companion
simply her share of the lunch bill Then IL
occurred to me, with rather a sickenins
sense OF disappointment. I confess, that
these two young people were prosaicaiiy
married. and. as happens in some families,
the wife was holding the purse strings.
Any married woman can tell you whst ex-
traragant fellows husbands are.
This explanation would not satisfy. I
simply would not nave it. It obbed the
whole affair OF sentiment, and / felt that I
must have romance or perish. Besides.