davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16
A MODERN CINDERELLA u WINlFREp ALAN

LYDIA. worrying about her mother.
grieving because she thought that she
had aggravated Toms Illness by taking
him to the ball. and working even harder
than usual. had grown thin and pale,
and there were heavy circles under the
blue eyes.
One afternoon. as she was doggedly
putting the finishing touches to some
dinner cards that were TO be called for
that day. the bell rang
Come in" LYDIA called, softly. think
ing it was the doctor. Go right in,
doctor" she added. without turning her
head. She was not willing that he
should see the traces of tears that
pede her progress
81 beg pardon, but my sister sent
me for the cards. said a voice that
was certainly not the Doctors She rose
quickly
"Oh. pardon me-" she exclaimed. then
stopped short as she recognized her
ball man." as she had mentally termed
him.
Hugh Thurston started eagerly for
ward.
You" he cried. with a glad ring in
his voice. you'll have so often tried
to find you since the ball. But, child.
taking her hand gently in his as he saw
her pale cheeks and tired eyes, what
have they done to your"
The cheeks became so crimson and
the eyes so wide with establishment that
he came suddenly to himself and dropped
her hands.
"of course. you don't understand" he
explained. rather lamely. You've prob
ably never given me a thought" The
blue eyes were suddenly yelled. You
didn't leave any slipper behind that
might know Of, butt found your pin
after you had gone and I wanted TO find
the owner" He had pulled out his card
case while he was speaking. and now he
handed the pin-a lovers knot with
diamond center-to her.
But il is not mine" she said, look
ing I'D with a demure little smile
Isn't it7" he asked supposedly It
| doesn't matter. though -somewha ir-
| reIevantly-''for I've done better than
/ hnd the 'owner'-I've found the prin-
cess and as their eyes met, the prin-
] cess knew the prince had come.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

blushed and went to bench just
around the corner. But the young man
his name was Reynolds. Hugh Reynolds
occupied the bench with her, and
when l went around the corner a half
hour later they had gone. and 1 thought
saw her blue dress going toward the
Poplar Path, so I don't think Mrs Mar
tin came out much ahead.
She referred TO It the next day; said
Helen was a sweet girl. but headstrong;
and that she was so distressed about this
affair with Hugh Reynolds. Not that he
wasn't a nice fellow. Oh, yes, he was a
dear boy. so tender and manly, and so
devoted to dear Helen: but awfully
young-only twenty. Yes. he did belong
to the millionaire Reynolds family: he
was old Peters son, in fact. But money
70 her was nothing beside her child's
happiness, and she didn't believe in such
youthful marriages. told her I thought
she was one of the least mercenary peo-
pie ever knew. and she said she wished
other people thought 50, too. AS she said
that she looked at Mrs. Morehead. who
was doing a horrid tablecloth in Mount
41Gillh NOIh a llIilS way OAl dAO hhCN
she must have been saying something
mean about Mrs. Martin.
l was indignant, for l do not think you
seldom come across a person as unworld-
ly as Mrs. Martin; and l hate gossip. too.
So when l got an opportunity | sat down
beside Mrs. Morehead and led the con-
versation around to Mrs. Martin. l re-
pested what | had lust said and Mrs.
Mcrehead, who seemed to be woman OF
no fine feeling herself. and of nc appre-
citation of it when she saw 1t. said:
"Boshi"
1 hope I looked as indignant as 1 felt,
ard 1 got up and walked away. l sat
down side OF little Mrs. Atherton. who.
Alonzo said. was nice. and ! couldn' I
help speaking to her about IT. She didn' t
seem much impressed by what told her,
and she said:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16
GAME THAT WAS TOO DEEP FOR MRS. HIGGINS aAB G IoN

ried today. and Mrs Martin said that
she couldn't appear TO give the marriage
the sanction OF her approval by being
there. and she asked me to so. and to
give the bride away
was about speeches.. but l did have
breath enough to gasp out something
about Alonzo's duplicity-
And Helen and Hugh?"
"Oh. they invited me on the links
yesterday morning. and they said to
bring you too
You can imagine that l was stunned.
Simply stunned. l had thought that I
was on the inside of this affair. and
here Mrs Martin had been making
cat's-paw of me, and IT was Alenzo who
was right in the swim Of the thing. and
had thought that he hadn't had an idea
In his head but golf all the time,
II was no use spelling the wedding By
being cross, so ! beamed at the bride
and bridegroom when we drove up to.
the church and found them waiting for
Us, and 1 did the matron-of -honor act
and Alonzo gave the bride away, and
then read parts OF Mr.. Reynolds let
ter to them, and we all had a funny
wedding breakfast at the little hotel.
and then we saw them on the train for
New York
When we drove under the porte-co-
chere of The Upper East scottypaw
House Mrs Martin was waiting for US.
She looked rather red around the eyes,
and she seemed to want to stop US. 1
really couldn't speak to her-her double
dealing was too fresh IN my mind-so
swept by her with all the dignity I could
command and left Alonzo to break the
news" to her. Break" IL. indeed, And
mighty glad / was that we took the early
train the next morning and I didn't have
TO explain 10 everybody in the hotel
how It happened that I was matron of
honor at a wedding 1 had opposed as
yehemently as / had this onei-New
York Times.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16
:: THE WAGER Adapted From the Russian :

and see the SUM- / consider IL necessary
10 say a few words. Before God and
my own clear conscience. declare here
by that I despise liberty. life. and
health-everything that is called in
your books the bliss of life.
For fifteen years ! have carefully
studied earthly life. True. I have seen
neither the earth nor the people. but
in your books 1 drank fragrant wine, l
went deer hunting in the forests, sang
songs, / loved women. Airy
queens, created by the magic of your
great poets, visited me by night and told
me wonderful stories which intoxicated
me and made my head reel. In your
books I climbed the peaks of the tallest
mountains and from there saw the sun
rise in the morning and then pour his
golden rays over ocean and mountain
and dale. l saw from there
how lightnings flashed, rending the
clouds asunder; saw the verdant for
ests. fields. rivers. ponds. cities; l heard
the songs OF the sirens and the sounds
OF the shepherds reed-pipes; 1 felt the
wings of the beautiful spirits who came
10 me TO converse about God.
In your books l flung myself into bot
tomless abysses. l performed miracles.
killed people. / set cities OF fire. ]
preached new religions. l conquered
kingdoms.
Your books have given me wisdom.
All that tireless human thought has
created during so many centuries =
compressed within my skull.
And ! despise your books; I desire
all the blessings Of the world. and
desplse wisdom All is perishable. frail.
Elusive and delusive, like a mirage. No
matter how proud. how wise. how beau
tiful you may be. death will wipe you
off the face Of the earth together with
the lowest of animals, and your poster
ity. your history. the immortality OF
your geniuses viii freeze or burn to-
gether with the globe of the earth.
ITO show you that really despise all
that by which you live. refuse to ac-
cept the two millions, of which l kss
one time dreamed as of paradise. and
which I despise now. To forfeit my
right to the money. / will leave this
cell Ave hours before my time has ex-
pired, and thus break the agree
ment ."
When the banker finished reading his
letter he put It down on the table, kiss
ed the sleeping man on the head. burst
into tears, and walked out OF the room.
Never in his life did he experience so
much contempt for himself as now
I When he came home he laid himself N
/ his bed, but could not sleep-he was
choking with tears and emotion.
/ In the morning of the next day The
frightened guards informed him that
/ they saw the prisoner climb through
J the window into the garden-and then
/ he ran out of the gates and disappeared
! In order 10 prevent any undesirable ru-
/ mors, the banker locked the letter q
/ remuneration in his fireproof safe.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

" on may remember that when re-
ceived telegram from Alonzo,
telling me TO join him at once at
Upper East Scottypaw I thought he
must be i'll, and rushed off to him
heller SHELTER, without so much as
brush and comb. l admit that in my
excitement l did take a few unsuited
things for travelling, but nothing that
stay at a hotel with seventy-ive other
women
II was annoying. but It was misun-
Outstanding that couldn't be helped out
had to be circumvented as far as posi-
Bile. That meant that l telegraphed to
Bridget and Della 10 pack up every gown
they could find and send them to Inc by
express Immediately: and then went
at once to my room and rested from
the journey" for three whole days.
1 was truly tagged out. but Alonzo
said that the relation between the
amount of repose needed to recover in
and the length of time it took that
trunk to travel from New York to Upper
East Scottypaw was the most evenly
balanced thing he'd ever seen.
Alonzo can be so sarcastic. l didn't
feel perfectly sure of what he'd told
people about me downstairs. although
he stuck to IT that he hadn't given me
away. The first night l went down I
went on to the veranda with something
that felt good deal like the bashful-
ness that I remember in the summer of
1888 as Alonzo says. making my knees
shake, although 1 knew I looked pretty
we'll in my pink crepe. and that's al
ways a great encouragement. But all
the people Alonzo had gotten acquainted
with came up and told me how sorry
they were that ia had such a fatiguing
journey and how they hoped l was feel
ing quite we'll now. until made up my
mind that AIorzo must have turned over
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

to lack of Judgment on Mrs. Martin 8
part and regretted it,
When l really care ABOUT anything
that is. when I'm opposed enough-I'm
pretty persistent. and / did make some
converts. They were mostly people who
came after ! did, and / sa " to It that
their views weren't biased by those un-
kind creatures who didn't like Mrs. Mar
tin.
The whole hotel came to be divided
after while into two factions. the Mar
tin and the Martin. II came out
that the Reynolds family didn't approve
of the match, and the serenity of Helen
and Hugh In the face of all the opposi-
ton was wonderful Helen allowed her
self to be separated publicly from High
at least once a day on the piazza. and
they never even sCowled. either of them.
It was the burning topic of conversation
the affair.
I hated to think of going away with
the thing unsettled. but AIonzo's vaca-
tion was ended and we had to 60. The
morning of the day before we were to
ACdN0 AAOhNV LOOh INT " uElNt AS He
turned the buggy into the road that
leads to Lower West Scottypaw I said:
why are you going to town. AIonzo
It's so ugly"
Were going 70 a wedding" he said.
"A wedding? whose?" 1 cried; and
then I had an inspiration. 1T isn't
Helen and Hugh's2''
Yes. It as
But. Alonzo. how can we go
('With this horse and buggy" Alonzc
interrupted, fippantly,) and give the
approval of our presence to a wedding
that both families disapprove? Mrs.
Martin is a great friend OF mine
and" Well, you can guess how
tore the atmosphere with objections.
After long time / stopped for breath
and Alonzo said. Got through? Rea.
this, then" and handed me a letter.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

You must admit that Mrs. Martin
gives the young people plenty of chance.
Mrs. Higgins"
/ didn't admit it. for hadn't she made
Helen stop walking with Hugh last
evening and sit down near her? / told
Mrs. Anterior so, and she said:
THE bench was around the corner,
wasn't it?"
That made me see that she was just
as pTeiudiced as Mrs. Morehead, and
went of and talked to some other people
believe me- But men are so illogical;
they all twisted what l said into rea-
son for paying me compliments and ad-
miring my earnestness, and one of them
said that he always liked to see one wo-
man defending another
But I'm not defending Mrs. Martin,
l cried. and l nearly wept with indigna-
ton. I'm just telling you what I'm
sure Is true"
1 confess I didn't have much success
with the women. Either they told me
right out that they thought that Mrs
Martin was mercenary or else they said
they didn't blame her for wanting TO es-
tablish her daughter we'll, but why
should she try to humbug people into
thinking she didn't? 1 couldn't even
get any satisfaction out of Alonzo- He
merely told me that I'd better not bother
with what didn't concern me.
/ never was so worked up over any
thing. 1 had a long talk every day with
Mrs. Martin, and I certainly did think
she was a sincere woman and a good
mother, and every day / stood up fol
her to somebody. until felt like honTc
missionary. The only thing could criti-
else her in was that she let Helen anC
Hugh spend every morning together OF
the links. They often left the hotel witt
Alonzo. and he confessed to me that tn,
three of them didn't stay together al
the way round. But even the wisest oil
US are foolish at times. so / put IL dowr
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

7 UST as the benedlction was pro-
nounced down came the rain The
weather had been so fine that few
people had brought umbrellas girl
stood near me in brand new hat and
suit looking at the sky dolefully. Al
the moment noticed in a rack beside
the door an umbrella I seized it and
offered il to her.
Cant we share it," she asked.
I opened the umbrella. she gathered
up her skirts. and we sailed forth
why, Mr.. Sturgis." she said, sud
denly. 81 thought you were off on your
vacation"
How did you know my name is Stur-
gis?' 1 asked. taken back.
why. there it is on the inside"
l looked up and. sure enough, there
was walter V. Sturgis" painted In the
pIainest of white letters Walter Stur-
gis was assistant rector of the church
we had attended. l was anything but q
clergyman. I lived at a club and at
the time was accounted a trihe gay.
ana my umbrella mas the honor 10
shield?"
"A guest of the Van Wrinkles. l have
heard a great deal about you from Alice
Var Wrinkle. They attend your church.
you know. This morning Alice was in
disposed and was obliged to go alone.
How is 1t that you are not officiating
today?"
''H'm-er-well, you see. I'm supposed
to be on a vacation
"But your dress is not clerical"
My dress-I-why, don't wear cleri-
Gals when on a vacation"
THAT IS singular"
How far do you go?"
"Only around the corner"
Around the corner WAS pretty near for
me. who, If seen by the Van Wrinkles,
would be In an awkward position.
Pardon me-" / said, looking at my
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

watch. II had forgotten an engage
ment-a bit of parochial work. Take
my umbrella. ! must leave you" And
despite her protestations l thrust it into
her hand and took my departure. In q
few minutes was in my club endeavor-
ing 20 compose my somewhat unsettled
feelings with a tumbler of amber liquid
Il don't see what harm can come of
it," solaced myself. IF I hadn't done
it, the girls clothes would have been
ruined" Nevertheless IL occurred 10 me
that trouble might come.
One evening I attended a ball at the
academy. The men were bachelors, and
the women. while respectable. were not
'in the swim" In one OF the boxes
were some society people looking on
and as walked by, with my hat on tnf
back OF my head and cigar IN M
mouth I locked up and saw-the girl of
the umbrella Fortunately at the mo-
ment she was not looking my way. and
I turned my back in time TO prevent
catching her eye. Later l reconnoltered
the box from a distance and saw that
she was not with the Van Wrinkles. but
with the Grosvenors.
That's lucky" said to myself. The
Grosvenors don't know either me or the
curate: the Van Wrinkles know US both.
However, l doubt if the girl saw me"
This ali happened in June In July
went abroad and did not return till the
following November. Sauntering into
nv club the day after my arrival, l took
up a paper. The first item that caught
my eye was this:
The trial OF the Rev. Walter V
Sturgis for conduct unbecoming the
cloth will take place this morning in
the vestry room OF ST. Marks Church.
Great Scott" ] cried. springing up.
I'm at the bottom OF thisl"
Hastily pulling out my watch, l saw
that il was II o'clock.
''Waiterl cab, Be Quicki"
In ten minutes l drove TO the St
Marks Church and. making my way
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

Dear Higgins" Il said MY boy
writes me that he wishes to marry a
girl, Helen Martin. who is staying at
your hotel. His mother and I object on
the score of his youth. and have writ
ten him TO that effect But as he In
herits my temperament-not to speak Of
his mother's-I have no doubt that he
will go ahead and do II Just the same
Therefore 1 venture to ask you to play
the heavy paternal to him when the time
comes: be at the wedding. give him my
blessing, and tell him he can have The
Long Island place for the honeymoon.
Yours faithfully and gratefully,
PETER REYNOLDS"
you mean thing. Alonzo Higgins.
I'll leave 1t to any woman with nus
band II 1 hadn't right to be in per-
feet rage.
THAT let's you out" 1 went on. but
you've no right to drag me into the
thing when you know how Mrs. Martin
objects, and"
Now. listen. Mamie" said Alonzo.
Ibid you see Mrs. Martin and me talk
ing under the big poplar last EVENING"
81 did. indeed" I said promptly. Il
ought TO. for every woman on the yeran-
da pointed you ought to me-"
Mrs. Martin confded TO me that real
ly she didn't object at all TO Helen 5
marrying Hugh"
"Wha-a-t?"
But that since old Mr.. Reynolds OBJ
jected she felt obliged to object. too"
But she told me day after day
Yes. she said that you were such a
good little thing about standing up for
her; that she couldn't have had better
agent to advertise her pretended obiec-
ton"
The horrid. mean. Old
TITS a compliment to, your thorough
ness. my dear. Helen had told her
mother than she was going to be mar
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16
:: SAILING UNDER FALSE COLORS:.

hack 10 the yestry. entered. There sat
a grim array OF churchmen and laymen.
the Rev. Walter Y. Sturgis among them,
the picture Of despair.
Gentlemen I said, will you please
tell me what's up? Perhaps I can throw
some light on this case.
The rector looked at me over his spec
tacies aad frowned.
''our younger brother. Mr.. Sturgts.
he said, has been accused OF returning
10 town from his vacation without max
ing himself known: also attending sfball
of questionable character. The prinei-
pal witness IS unfortunately i'll and can
not testify. but
! walked I'd TO Mr. Sturgis and grasp
ed his hand II have a confession 70
make I said. I've evidently been
raising merry thunder without knowing
it." Then, turning to the others, told
the story Of the umbrella.
And now" I added. Mr.. Sturgis'
before leave want your forgiveness
1T is granted on one condition.
Name -.
Attend this church regularly here
after. and give me an hour day Tor
charity work"
That's a pretty steep penalty"
''It was a pretty steep offense-
fright you are. III 80 you
One morning a few months later was
emerging from the vestry with a sack
of provisions on my shoulder when /
heard a merry laugh. Looking through
the iron fencing between the church
and the sidewalk. there stood-the UNI
brella girl
Good morning. Mr.. sturgis." she said.
Where shall / return your UMBRELLA
"Oh. give it to the curate. 1 said
He's usually hard up, living, as he
does. on a pittance. / don't need IL
myself"
/ am now confirmed churchman and
confirmed married man. my wife being
the girl / sheltered under Rev. Mr..
Sturgls' umbrella.-Detroit Tribune.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

ward Thurston-"had Just offered to 20
in search Of you
Tom turned TO Thurston and thanked
him briefly. explaining his own delay.
LYDIA bowed a slight acknowledgment
as they passed. but something in his
eyes as they met hers made her heart
er flush 10 her cheeks.
who on earth can she be?'' Thurston
wondered. Evidently they had not come
in carriage. for she wore hat. and a
dark ulster hid her ball gown. and he
knew from her accent that she was Eng
lish
Looking down, he saw little gold pin
lying in the corner where she had stood
while waiting for her brother. Picking
searched the corridor for her, but she
was nowhere to be seen.
Thurston started to take the pin TO
the desk. but he changed his mind, and
tucked II away in his card case Then
be went back to the ballroom and tried
to find out who she was. But no one
seemed to recognize his description. In
such a crowd. in fact. there were many
who might have answered to II, so
Thurston was forced to leave without
obtaining any clew to her identity.
He marveled at the depth Of the i'm
preston that this girls face had made
upon him. His wealth and good looks
won him so much favor among women
that he had come to regard them with
great Indifference.
He inserted an advertisement concern
ing the pin. but no answer ever came,
and he strove TO forget the owner, but
many times the blue eyes seemed 10
look at him through the smoke rings,
or come unbidden between him and a
printed page.
The day after the ball. poor Tom was
In a raging fever. and the weeks which
followed were anxious ones indeed in the
stuarts' little home. for Tom had q
bad case of typhoid.
Their small savings dwindled rapidly
end LYDIA worked necessarily to renew
resources. Mrs. Stuart became so worn
by her vigil at the sick boys side that
the doctor feared that she. too. would
be attacked by the disease.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-16

planned to him how they happened to be
at the ball. so he took great pains to in
troduce his friends. and after that she
cid not lack for partners.
Flushed and happy. she finally went to
prepare for her homegoing When she
emerged from the cloakroom she expect
ed to find Tom waiting for her. but he
was nowhere TO be seen. and she stood
rervously watching for him.
AS she looked rather anxiously about
for her brother, she happened to encoun-
Ter the gaze OF a man who stood near
He was distinguished looking. and LYDIA
had noticed him several times during
the evening. secretly wishing that she
might have met him.
AS she looked up he seemed to realize
that he had been staring at her. for he
started little and turned away.
LYDIA did not know what to do. Where
ecrld Tom be? n only one of the men
che had met would pass that way. Her
trepidation increased. Noticing this. the
man who was still covertly watching
her approached.
Can l be of any assistance to your
he asked courteously; perhaps I could
ind the person you are looking for7'
1T is my brother" LYDIA half gasped
raising a pair of very frightened blue
eyes. Meeting his kindly, encouraging
lcok. she hurried on.
II thought he would be here, and can
not understand what keeps him. All,
there he Is! Thank you, so much.'' as
Tom hurried to her. looking very white.
why. Tom, what is the natter
she questioned anxiously. noting his
pallor
Hugh Thurston stepped aside. wish
ing devoutIy that Tom" had not ap-
peared quite so soon. OF course, he was
glad that the sisters anxiety was re-
lieved. but he very much wanted to
know who she was.
why. had sort OF giddy faint spell
little girl" Tom explained hastily. My
head has bothered me all day. Awfuliy
sorry-hope you have not been fright
ened."
II was rather. but it's no matter. I
am so sorry you are ill; why didn't you
say so, and we could have gone home
sooner. This gentIeman"-noddl to-