Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-18
A Borrowed Dress Suif
By ]. "A. HAMMOND


 bD EGRET quite impossible to let
 n you have suit for this even- ing" -..-
 For the fourth time Smithers read the telegram through. He felt that his posi- tion was critical It was already past five o'clock. At seven he ought to be entering the dining-room at DulWich with-he hoped 1t would not be with Mrs. Rogers, though he regarded her with the tender interest due to the mother of Miss Emily. For the past week he had dared to dream that per haps Emily's arm might be allowed to rest within his own. He had gone fur ther. He had even hoped that during the evening he might feel emboldened to ask for more than the lady's arm for something far more intimate and tender-in fact, for Emily's heart. Now all these entrancing visions were help lessly dashed to the ground. Why had hebeen such acredulous fool as to believe in a tailor's promises? How he cursed the day when he had been attracted by the advertisement, "Why wear old clothes, when they can be made as good as new by William the Conquering Tail or?" True, the waistcoat had failed to keep pace with his waist and the one time silk-rolled collar had begun to re- veal secrets that even the skilled appli- cation of ink could not hide Still un- der the kindly gaslight 1t might have done duty once more.
 Smithers stared gloomily out of the window. There was nothing to see but the house opposite, but suddenly from that opposite house came an idea. Johnson had gone to Margate for a weeks holiday. He was not likely to have taken his dress clothes with him. and he and Johnson were more or less of a size. It would not take long to run across to Johnson's rooms. He could easily smuggle the clothes out without the landlady's notice, and if Ing who would be the wiser?
 Ten minutes later Smithers, rather male and little out of breath, was back In his rooms disgorging the dress suit from under his overcoat After all, '' he reflected. as he shook the clothes carefully out Fate has not served ma badly. hardly dared hope to get it out unseen" He surveyed himself in the glass anxiously. They're bit large, but they might be worse" he said as he took flower from off his sponge end placed it in his buttonhole.
 Such was his anxiety not to be late that he was at Rosa villa fully half an hour too soon.
 Perhaps 1t would hardly be good manners to arrive quite so carly" he observed, as he looked at his watch I'd better walk up an down few times.
 Precisely at three and one-half min. utes to seven he unobtrusively pulled the bell It occurred to him after some minutes of patient waiting that perhaps after all he had not made himself heard. This surmise was probably correct, for the second time his hand was still on the bell when the dool sprang open.
 Mrs. Rogers was delighted that MT smithers had been able to come Tn, Misses Rogers were equally delighted And Smithers, catching sight of hi! clothes in a mirror, felt that he, too had every reason to be glad that he va, there.
 The clock had already struck tn quarter and a general air of expectancI pervaded the room. Mrs. Rogers. eyi dently getting fidgety, rose and held whispered consultation with her daugh ters. Conversation, which had beel terky, Jagged and finally stopped alto gether, when Mir. Rogers appetite. get ting the upper hand of etiquette. ex claimed:
 My dear, don't think it's any goo, Saiting any longer for Johnson" ~Johnsoni But surely he's at Mar gate" stammered Smithers. thinkin, he could not possibly have heard alright 50 he was, but he's due hack thi afternoon, and he promised he wouldn' fail to turn up te dinner. eh. Ethel."
 The younger Miss Rogers blushes and looked coy.
 As they went into dinner SHlithers dream vas realized and Miss Emily fei fo his lot, but the haunting thought tha perhaps at this very moment Johnsoi might be searching for his clothes com pleteIy robbed him of his anticipateI eIessare-