The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-03-13
A First Impression


full half hour went by md she was still
puttering about the room, busting this
and rearranging that.
A knock on tie door startled her from
her absorption. Before she could answer
the door pushed onpen from without.
There stood Christopher, the Armenian,
who did chores and waited on table.
The sigh of Miss Warren rather dis
concerted him. He vas not familiar yet
with the English language, and his vocab-
ulary possessed few verbs.
Gentleman he exclaimed, with 9
backwar gesture into the all, Then,
with a forward gesture, Room"
Delight, peering beyond him into the
shadows, perceived the individual whom
he had Indicated.
IF the room is not quite ready began
the new arrival, in a deep, musical voice,
II will not disturb you"
Delight was regarding him in consterna-
ton, all at once intensely aware of hel
apron and dust cap.
The man who %darkened, or rather
frightened, the doorway, was so SUI
premely unlike the one she had pictured
tina the shock of seeing him drove he1
wits from her for the moment.
Come right in," she said hurriedly. 81
I was just helping Miss ~Chickering with
the room-it is almost ready-indeed-
| quite ready
She felt sure his gaze took in the SCOT
| spot on her chin, the dust upon her heat.
| ed forehead. To think that his first i'm.
preston Of her should be such!
And first impressions are always last
ing she murmured miserably as a mo-
ment later she hurried down the hall tc
her own room. 'What handsome eyes he
had, and what a direct, flashing glance.
II suppose" she reflected, facing the
mirror, that all the bachelor maids in
the house will be making for him at once
Well, J for one shall waste neither time
nor effort on him. l shan't even try to
correct that unfortunate first impression,
He'll see that I don't care. l shall wear
the simplest, plainest thing I possess toI
dinner and be studiously indifferent II ne
if he glances my way"
The simplest, ~plainest thing" turned
out to De an exceedingly becoming wa1s'
of heliotrope. In her hair she wore 9
jaunty bow Of black velvet.
Perhaps if Hollingsworth had not beel
placed directly opposite her at table il
would have been easier tQ preserve the
studied indifference which she hac
planned. But under the circumstances
talked SO e~ntertainingly. And then tina
direct, flashing glance Of his-she could
not easily avoid it, sitting opposite.
The various bachelor maids looked OF
with growing comprehension from day t.
day. The fact that sH~ol!inSsWorth wa:
prolonging his stay Unfortunately could no
but cause comment. One week had length
ened into three and yet he had not gone:
And 1t came about one day hat NJ
plainly told Delight the reason.
II shall not CO." he said, unless 70,
accompany me as my wife. Haven't YOU
guessed it, dear-from the first?'
mot from the very first she replied
archly. "You couldn't have loved MI
then"
but I did!' he insisted. On thu
spot! That was just 1.-THE cap Al,
apron and all. I made up my mind Ions
ago that the woman who could win m!
love attired in plain working dress woult
be the one.I should ask to marry me. Ant
you are hat woman-my hearts De
light"
Sometimes it is just as well that frs
impressions are lasting.