Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-08-31
A New Cinderella
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1ACK BERE.,SoN caught sight of
nj her as he was going TO the office
after lunch He frequently caught
sight of her, but this was the extent
OF their acquaintance. He had groan-
ed more than once to think convention
atty forbade more extended one.
She WAS not the kind of n girl With
whom one might scrape up a bowling
recognition, to be later elaborated into
an interchange of commonplaces that
might culmlnate in permission to call.
TIndeed, If she had been, it is safe to
conclude Berensen would not have
troubled his head about her, for he
ID social position to maintain, a.
deal tof personal pride and more
Shan the average sense of exclusive
ness.
''Hallor he said. suddenly, and stop
ped short.
The girl ahead had paused. SHE was
evidently In some predicament, for she
stepped MS though to eXtricate herself
or to pick up an article dropped AL
most at. the same instant, however, a
tremendous dray, piled with boxes,
bore down upon her, and ut the shout
OF the driver, who was striving TO
rein in his huge Percherons she
sprang toward safety and reached the
sidewalk.
Berenson let the dray pass. Looking
down directly on the spot where the
girl had hesitated, he saw that which
had arrested her. and bending quickly,
lie pulled out of the thick, black, sticky
mud IN absurdly small rubber. with
Its wrinkles holding the arch of a high
little instep.
WELT" lie calculated, there's luck!'
He felt ridiculoGsly elated. So
pleased did he look, in fact, that
friend tosiling him rs lie reached the
opposite sidewalk remarked his salts
faction.
Wheat gone up, Berenson?'
..No-rubber.. laughed Berenson.
And his friend walked off, wondering
what there was in fishing footwear out
Of the mire to make a fellow look so
idiotically pleased.
at was mighty muddy, toc.'' he
commented disgustedly.
This accusation could not be made
/. against 1t an hour later, cleansed and
polished to the highest possible degree
by the man who kept the shoestand in
the office building where Berenson had
In suite. He took his prize upstairs,
yand deposited ii, wrapped in tissue pa
her. OIL the top of his desk.
y Then lie sauntered to the window
10 look over at the skyscraper across
The way, where Mt certain window,
n h certain tier, he had often seen
certain head. 1t was shapely head,
! klngleted as close rs baby's with
amy. brown curls. Indeed. SO fire.
J @Iuently of late had he gone to his own
basement to discover if that particu-
Mar bonnie head and rose-leaf face
We're within range of his vision that
HIS business began TO suffer from such
eSratic absences.
Not that Jack Rerenson was bother
ihg himself about business. During
those minutes he stood, absorbed in
day dreams, staring apparently at the
embarrassing wall of an uninteresting
building, lie was thinking for the most
part how strange it was that he. who
had como gaily up the road Of life,
heart whole and fancy free, until he
had reached his thirtieth milestone,
should all at once be beset by the
most chimerical hopes, the most fu-
tile desires. the most glorious of cha
otto imaginings.
It was lunacy, he told himself
stark, stirring lunacy-that he should
q 70 on his way with a bounding heart
and feeling Of the most senseless
exhilaration. just because he had pass
led girlish figure OH the sidewalk,
met the Indifferent glance of violet,
0olack- dashed eyes, looking forth from
beneath white brow, or caught the
faint, elusive perfume other demure
garments. And the worst of 1t was
that he could not bring himself to be
indignant with himself for being such
fool!
You like to be fool!' he told him
self angrily, you're hugging your fol-
ly! And much good 1t will do you!
You've not got enough sense. Jack Be
,renson, to last a crazy man till break
fast timer,
With which final shot lie was apt to
break away from his vigil, return
Stsrnly 70 his desk apd plunge into