Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-03-27
THE LION OF
THE EVENING
By BEArRrx MALLAM


JACK Leyuen d1iiy put ONT nanO
Opened a bracket cupboard that wai
within reach of his comfortable chair
and distracted therefr0m a spoon. Ht
held It out to his friend.
"Ohl how extremely funny you are
this evening. my boyl' said Teddy
you must really save such brilliant
Jokes for your next book. Think of the
trouble you'll have to find another!"
There there" said Leyden, sooth-
ingly.
"Beastly sell your going to dinner
party tonight continued Teddy.
Perhaps you'll do my dinner party
for me instead?" suggested Leyden.
You're welcome to it. for Of all the slow
institutions a dinner party Where you
don't know a soul is the worst.
what, when you are the lion of the
evening?" said Teddy, enviously. Sud
denly he was all alive. Tell you what.
lLeyden-I've an idea (''No?" inter
polated theo other in so gentle voice that
Teddy flowed on undisturbedl A rip
ping ldeai You know how often we've
been mistaken for each other?"
Teddy" and Leyden sat up in his
chair, IF you are about to suggest the
extremely original idea that you should
so to that dinner party as the famous
novelist (ahemD Ellison Ward, allow
me to tell you on good authority that
Queen Anne is dead.
Teddy looked crestfallen.
But listen" he said. persuasively,
walking up and down the room. After
all there's nothing new under the sun
And. d'you know only yesterday great
giant of fellow came up to me and gave
me a resounding slap on the back with
hearty: Well, Jack. my boy! We've
both got blue eyes and lightish hair, and
we're pretty much the same build, ami
you only know your hostess, and THAI
very slightly, and I'm sure not to meet
anyone | know"
But you haven't even read the book
through, Lave your" asked
Leyden of his scatter-brained friend
"Oh, that's soon remedied. You lend
it to me for one hour and III engage to
be letter perfect by the end of that time
Il don't see how you are to manage it."
said Leyden. weakly. but Teddy was
half way down the stairs.
H.
You must let me introduce you TO my
laughter. she is most anxious to know
,ou.' said Mrs Leland 20 Teddy in her
most gracious manner.
AS the latter followed his hostess
.cross the room he felt, to use his own
picturesque phraseology that he was
n for it now and no mistake" However.
iince retreat was impossible, he re-
iolvedto pull himself together and to get
s much fun out of it as was possible.
rs for the book. he had read it through
most thoroughly. all but the last chap
er, which he had only time to glance at,
nut he could certainly guess at most of
What it contained.
Mrs. Leland came to a stop before a
retty dark girl standing in a little |
ircle of people
Elsie" she said, this is Mr.. Jack
4eyden, who writes, you know"
Teddy bowed. He resolved that moth |
ng should make him commit himself to |
my fact about that book. He would |
'e very lawyer for caution.
However, either Miss Leland did not |
hink it in good taste to begin about his |
'ook, or she felt shy.
How thankful Teddy was! Seems to |
ne understand what gratitude really
cells like. for the first timel" he thought. |
But just as he was in the middle of a
citation of one of his most barefaced ex-
'loits, and just as his auditor was giving |
i'm most interested and bewitching |
lance out of her violet eyes. who should |
le see across the room but a great pal of
lis, by name Harry Ross.
why, Teddy, who'd have thought of |
leeting you here?" cried his friend.
Teddy's smile of welcome was truly
iabolical to witness.
81 say, Ross, you know, +" he said with
What he battered himself was admirable |
Il wish you wouldn't
all me nicknames now, it was all very
veil at school, This was accompanied |
~ an expressive frown, for had not Mrs. |
leland distinctly introduced him to her
laughter as Mr.. Jack Leyden?
Ross face expressed bewilderment. |
He could not imagine what Branscombe |
meant by grimacing in that awfuLway |
It him.
why Bra" he was beginning. when |
Teddy seized his arm and dragging him
away. said in low tone-men can'r I
whisper
I'm Jack Leyden tonight. Jack Ley
len remember" And as the other stared |
1lankly at him, everybody began TO go IL
% dinner and little Mrs. Leland was at
lis elbow again saying:
You will take my daughter in"
AS soon as they were seated at the |
TEDDY took a glance at the
ady on his left. He gained an impress.
ion of a handsome warm-b brown fringe
which refused to melt into the full brown
lair at the sides of the head, and of an |
'xpanse of bony neck and shoulders.