Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-04
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? By Sarah Lindsay Coleman
Copyright, 1909,
by McClure's Newspaper Syndicate
By Sarah Lindsay Coleman


The car that went to Overlook park
was crowded; it usually was when
there was promise of a fine sunset.
Brooks gazed steadily from the Win
dow on the unpicturesque side of the
car. Even when the passengers crowd
ed to the other side to look into the
valley far below them and at the
ountains-mountains piled on top of
mountains-he sat motionless.
AS the Country club was passed. he
showed some interest.
1t was Miss Hilderbrand's afternoon
to pour tea there. Six months before,
when Miss Hilderbrand had poured
tea, Brooks sat on the clubhouse steps.
The laughter of gay voices had drifted
through the open windows to him. The
club members seemed very gay. Brooks
was club member, but he was not
gay.
An illness had sent him to the resort
town to reruperate. Most of the hotel
people belonged to the club. and he had
joined. 1t seemed to him good way
to get rid of the time that hung so
heavily on his hands.
But he didn't care for golf, ne
couldn't dance, he knew so little of the
new books and the old pictures, the
thousand and one things they talked
about He was an alien Looking up,
he saw Miss IIilderbrand on the step
above him.
Miss Hilderbrand was the leader of
the fashionables that ran the Country
club. Her clothes were initiated, her
speeches repeated.
Brooks had wondered that so re-
served a woman could be as popular.
He had noticed that the chain of dis
tinction was in her high bred face,
and then thought no more about her.
Women We're not much in his line
either.
Miss Hilderbrand had smiled down
on him and said that she wanted him
to come in and drink tea with her.
And when she smiled the question of
her popularity was settled.
After that day Brooks became real
member of the club. The women left
younger men to talk to him; the men
slapped him on the back, invited him
to drinks and voted him q fine old
chap.
He began 20 enjoy the life and the
new spirit of friendliness that per-
vaded the atmosphere. There was no
more talk Of leaving this circle of
bright, pretty women and jolly fellows.
Brooks realized that he owed the
change to Miss Hilderbrand. Once he
asked her why she had taken him up,
and she replied that she was sorry for
lonely things.
Six months had made new man of
Brooks, and still he fingered.
People had come and gone, as they
do at resort hotels, but Miss Hilder-
brand had not gone.
The afternoon had again come for
her to pour tea for the club members,
but she had sent her excuses.
Johnston, a friend and fellow citizen
of hers, said that she had gone on the
mountain to be alone and get grip
ON herself; that a telegram had brought
her bad news.
The car climbed slowly.
Brooks hadn't the slightest idea what
the trouble was nor what assistance he
could render. There was but one de-
sire in his honest heart, and that was
to help her. How he would do 1t hadn't
been revealed but, with his usual di-
rectness. he had followed her to find
out.
On the mountain top the band play
ed, and gay groups Of people moved IN
every direction.
Brooks came upon Miss Hilderbrand,
solitary in the midst Of the crowd.
The glow of the sunset was on her,
and as he came up she smiled I'M
steadily.
''I'm sorry you've heard it. leave
tomorrow. l hoped it would not be
found out, but of course everybody
will know"
I'm not everybody" said Brooks
stoutly. II came because l want to
comfort lonely things. What can j
dOw
Miss Hilderbrand's glance went over
Brooks stout figure and came back to
his clear eyes. The two faces were in
sharp contrast = in his the rugged
strength of more simple civilizations;
in the girls the suggestion Of extreme
culture.
I'm glad you came" she said quite
simply "rll like to remember it when
I've become a dressmaker. That's what
I've been up here deciding-what to do
with myself now that the moneys
swept away. Dressmaking is my only
real talent, and" with another attempt
at smile, I'm thought to be such an
accomplished young woman"
but there's McAdoo." Brooks spoke
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