The Western news., 1903-08-12
For J. Dillingham; Hodge there


and achievements of the stage. He
/ didn't even think of asking the name
of his divinity till the intermission,
and then, with unspeakable rapture
he heard it. "Niss Grace she whis-
pered, that will do for the present"
Never. mind what Hodge said He
said everything he could think Of,
and therefore was silent, except for
his speaking eyes and blushing ears.
Would she not like little lunch
con? he managed to ask her as he
helped her out of the elevator with
one hand and counted his remaining
dollar with the other.
$50 kind of you, Mr.. Hodge," she
Uttered. Yes, just bite. It's per-
fectly dreadful for me to be out so
late with a perfect stranger, but
you've been SO perfectly kind and.
er-natural, he, he, he, ha-a, 1 was
going to say just like an old shoe
but you know what l mean. Feel
like I'd known you for years"
'Oh, l don't know" thought
Hodge. 81 guess I must be poor
A'"AA' ~ Ii''>ihS q
He escorted the fair Grace to a
fashionable cafe, and when she had
discussed her "bite" and the bill was
paid j. Dillingham; had two dimes
eft. He gave them to the waiter
with the grandeSt air he could COM
mand and then began to screw up
his courage to the ordeal of hiring a
~ II arE1it - ha
to take Miss Grace home, but when
they reached the sidewalk she put
an end to his glorified agony thus:
''Now, you must leave me, Mr..
Hodge" smiling radiantly at him.
you know | live at the Audito orium
and | couldn't think of your coming
there with me at this hour
Then the desperate j. Dillingham;
waxed eloquent indeed. He begged
her to permit him to at least accom-
pany her part of the way. She yield
ed on condition that he rest content
to part block from the hotel.
Then he besought her for her full
name, and with wondrous impor-
tunity asked that he might have the
honor Of visiting her.
You may write to me-" she said,
after pause in which he felt as if
some splendid sibyl were about to
pronounce his fate. "And now, good
night"
Her thrilling voice fell to a per-
fumed whisper as she added:
"Grace Miller. Write to me. Good
night"
for two days after that. He wrote a
letter to Miss Miller the next day
and stayed at home the second so
he'd get the answer the moment it
came. 1t didn't come, but he was
not to be denied. He wrote again
and again. For five days he poured
forth his callow soul in words so
eloquent and periods so sonorous
that all his former efforts at poesy
seemed tame and trite. Then he be-
gan to blow himself" for gayer and
more costly raiment. He limited to
his fellow clerks that he was tired of
the life of 4 bachelor and meant to
marry very soon.
'Who is she?" grinned Schwartz,
| the woman hater.
"Oh, never you mind" sneered
Hodge. "She's not in your set in
society. Lives at the Auditorium,
that's all. Millionaire father and an
only child"
And the magnificence of j. Dillig-
hams new garments seemed to give
verisimilitude and certainly color to
his boasts.
Yet he waxed thin waiting for the
letter that never came. He felt that
his Grace had been already strangely
gracious and began to suspect that
she was now trying to discipline her
impulsive heart while at the same
time checking his too ready ardor
Bat after two weeks waiting he
could stand the suspense no longer
Arrayed in all his sartorial glory
his hair parted into football tufts
alum in his pimples and nosegay in
his lapel, he braved the a.rsty OF
the hotel clerk, and extending 6
new, engraved card, asked that it b,
sent to Miss Grace Miller.
The clerk smiled as he summoned
Buttons"
The boy grinned as he darted to
ward the elevator.
]. Dillingham; Hodge fumed ant
wondered at the impertinence as h,
imRatNntly paced the. lobby.
J a;A'This way, Mr. Hodge,,1 said tn;
hellhoy, touching, his arm. And theil
the ardent lover followed that ,bo,
through the dark and devious hall
ways, up queer and misleading stair.
and around food-smelling regions o
the hotel.
"See here. boy" at last yelled tn,
painting Hodge, 'where is Miss Mil
Ter? Did she say she'd see me in he
apartments or in the parlor?"
"She amt got no say about it,
snapped the lad. "She'l see yer il
tn laundry r she won't see yer I
tall. See?"
Look here, my boy" gaspe,
HODGE slinn;nr n nna rter into III