The Western news., 1903-08-12
Hodges Roof Garden
Rhapsody
BY JOHN H. RAFTERY.

j. Dillingham; Hodges mind was
made up. MEl. Luuetta, the clairvcy-
ant. had told him HAT he would make
his fortune through cupid, a d there
fore he bucklcG down to the bus ness
Of winning his Way. l,e had reached
that u"e when his compieNion worried
han. Nature had not done much for
him. a d therefore he began to heed
those arts which are supposed to mi; lle
the Old young aud the yeung mature.
il, iGG te&an to shave, Lui The h,rsttte
res@l,s were as yet hardly tang i3le.
Then there were those dis figuring
pimp,es! Nothing seemed 10 quite
reache them lie spent good part of
his sa.&rl buying hair grove rs and IT.
mato. seal curcalls, hor;ng~aga
hope that soon the day would. come
when he would sally forth with waNed
mustachios and an incompatible com
pleNion to win the heiress.
No matter how gavlv he attired his
gang,ug form. the girls. or at least
the desirable, well-groomed. knowing
ones. never gave him second glance.
He followed the fashions as closely as
an $1S-a-week clerk sn follow them,
but it was no 90. lie couldn't win
anybody on his looks. The big bows
in his low-quarter shoes and the drop
stitch socks of vocal designs didn't
help him at all. He began to think
that he was foreordained to failure
and that. being doomed to loveless
life. He must be genius. Then he
began to write poems" about the
moon and let his hair grow down over
his raglan.
He was well launched on this phase
of his decline when he met her. He
was coming uptown on Cottage
Grove avenue car when he noticed
standing on the back platform the one
girl. She wore maroon automobile.
a Gainsboroueh hat, a diaphanous veil
so palely blue that it glorifed the
wonderful beauty of her face, white
gloves and a lot of other things that j.
Dillingham; couldn't name, but which
eXhalea WondrOuS perfume and tlut-
tered in the evening breeze like an
angels wings.
ho iiS i''hNt dl ltSI SllS scented 10
regard him with a lingering interest.
AHA though j. Dillingham;. AT
last | am discovered! Now. indeed, I
know what love at first sight is.'
He began to hope that the train
would collide with something so that
he could rescue her. He speculat ed
upon the possible conduct of her rich
father when they should arrive at the
mansion. whether he might offer a
mere pecunary reward and how he, J
Dillins ham Hodge, having deposited !;
faintis" @irl upon the $4eo drvan
would spurn her fathers gold ard lie
mand BIS dauohter's hand. When she
sigma the conductor to stop j. Dill
linghan sprnng to his feet and bea1
her to the car step. He wanted tc
make ~ that nobody joss led her. but
the be, le could do was to glare at a
cab dl y.'r whose vehicle came rattlne
along hundred feet away.
The - some errant knight of old
he de med to follow her like &
guard =nirit, unseen but ever pres
eht, r 'tN al a moments warning tt
rush her rescue. She seemed to fl
along "a jdewalli. so nimble was he1
gracet stride, ;hShN lh4Me I'll es,se.real
lied II he had fbflo@ed ,,her. 'tw3
blocks he found 'hfNself, close at hle,1
dainty military Sheels as she flutte1'et
into Il sievator of the Masonic Tenn
pie and eoyly gurgled: "Top floor
please
"Joy. joy" murmured ]. Diling
ham, fnnhling the Sc that lay in his
trouser> pocket. "Oh, joy! At leas,
l can - and watch her divine face
till tn, show is over"
But was destined to yet greater
happil S. She had no sooncr
reache6 he roof garden door tha,
she be an to tumble in her purse. ]
pretty frown' fretted her beautiful
brow; she stamped her little foo
fercely on the tiles, bit her lip an,
snapped:
Left it at home! How stupid"
She was talking to herself, but MI
Hodge heard her, and, with a reck
lessness that brought his hear
humping against his wisdom teeth
he accosted her with:
II beg your pardon, madame, but
SEQ you have forgotten your tickle
and perhaps your money. May
have the honor of getting one fol
you7"
II wassa audacious move, but tn.
ardent Hodges narrow chest heavct
with conscious pride as he saw tn.
demure smile of appreciation anf
even admiration that spread beneath
Der veil like a halo of warm light.
I"Oh. thank you." she cooed. read
ing his card while he bought tickets
for two.