Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-07-23
TWO AND A
GUIDEBOOK
BY n. MAGELLAN HEILlwELL
Copyright, 1913, by I. c. Mcclure

w
How it did rain! Barbara pressed her
woebegone face against the window
pane and strained her eyes in a vain
endeayor to catch a glimpse of the
cleaning white Of the distant monu-
ment. She had been In the beautiful
capital of her country nearly twenty
hours, and she had seen nothing-abso-
lutely nothing-of ii. Nearly twenty
hours of the few precious days of her
visit gone in impotent, heartbreaking
waiting for Jupiter Pluvius to exhaust
himself and retire In favor of old Sol.
As a fresh gust of wind drove a vol
ley Of raindrops in a yet fiercer on
slanght against the glass and dashed
them in sc'irrying streams down the
dripping asphalt the girls head dropped
despairingly and she sighed.
The young man who for some time
had been watching her sympathetically
over his book now threw 1t aside and
stepped to the other window.
what a day. he said as the Ivy,
clinging desperately to the wall, was
tossed hither and thither by the bois-
ferrous wind.
The girls face frightened. and she
turned to him i~mpetuously.
ooh, thank goodness you have spoken
at last / was going 10 start the con
v%ersational ball myself. l simply
couldn't stand the silence any longer.
DO you know / have not uttered one
word this morning since | ordered my
breakfast. It's an unprecedented rec
ord, but the strain has been awful"
She dimpled roguishly, and n faint flush
rose In her cheek. He might think her
very bold, this handsome young stran-
ger, but she really could not help it.
The limit of her silent endurance had
been reached. She must speak or--per-
ish.
But the idea of boldness never enter
ed the young mans head. He was
thinking how very pretty she was, how
soft and curly her hair, how piquant
her dimpled smile and how becoming
the little tinge of pink in her round
cheek. He laughed in compromising
sympathy.
"Why, / wanted to speak to you long
ago, but didn't like to venture. Isn't
1t the very dickens Of a day? Who
could go sightseeing in this?" as a
fresh fury ratified the windows.
The girls face fell again.
"Who, indeed?- she echoed disconso-
lately. Think OF coaxing all winter
for just three days of Washington and
having the whole of one of them like
this,''
.It is rather rough said the young
man. sTm In precisely the same, box
myself-that is. for coaxing. read man
aging. But 1T only increases ones ago
ny to look at 1t. Won't you sit DOWN."
He turned a rocking chair with its
back to the window, and rs Barbara
dropped into it he threw himself into
the sofa corner opposite.
rs this your first visit to Washing
ton?' he asked.
MY very first. Father comes here
on business every spring, but he hates
to be bothered. and I could never per-
suade him to bring me before. He
poked his head into my room before /
was up this morning to say that he
would probably not see me again to-
day as he had oceans of business to
do and an official dinner tonight, and
he enjoined me most emphatically not
to think of going out as long as 1t
rained. I have written letters to every
one I can think of, and If it doesn't
clear after luncheon I'll 20 to bed!'
The young man laughed and looked
at his watch.
why, it's a quarter to 2" he said.
you will honor me, and perhaps the
outlook Will be brighter by the time
we have finished"
The girl rose with alacrity.
I'm ravenous," she declared, but
/ simply could not face that great din
ing roc again all by myself. l posi-
lively cannot swallow unless / have
some one to talk to while Pm eating.
My breakfast this morning was mar
tyrdom."
That luncheon was tie ~jolliest meal
Barbara had ever eaten and. she main
tains, the most delicious. When it was
over and they adjourned To, the stately
drawing room her companion left her
for a minute. When he returned he
brought with him d couple OF books and
a huge bunch of violets.
These" he explained. when Barba-
ra had arranged the flowers upon her
person to her satisfaction. are guide
books-one to Washington in general,
the other TO the Congressional library in
particular. AS the rain god is still in
command of affairs, suppose we just
do the capitol and library right here
where we are. It's really, when you
think Of 1t, much the more satisfactory
way. If we went to the actual build
ings we'd have to walk our feet off on
the hard floors. We'd have to lose our
breath climbing innumerable stairs or
else have our brains added by being
ierk al nm and doxvu IN plpyafnrS Wp,d