The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-03
ALLAN'S ASH WEDNESDAY.
BY F. H. LANCASTER.
copyright. laOs. paIIy story PuD. 2

Copyright. 1906, Daily Story Pub. Col
 The discussion had begun while they Allan and his sister Maria--waited Tor breakfast. It was the morning of Ash Wednesday,. They had both been up late at Mardi Gras ball of the night before and were each feeling more or less sore and savage and ready for fight So 1t was only natural that Maria. knowing her brothers opinion on the subject should remark with the air of martyr that she intended to keep" Ash Wednesday; and that Allan should scoff down the spurious virtue of fasting with manly disdain.
 "Oh, of course, you don't approve of fasting because you can't do it. Men like to think they are a great deal stronger than women but the truth Is, they are the weaker vessel. Women are stronger to bear pain; rtronger to resist emptation--compare the percent age of drunkards. A woman can say no to herself; a man must gratify his every desire. Take his dinner away from him and he doubles up like broken reed"
 "Bahl could go without eating for a week and never feel it. Women make such terrible to-do over every little sacrifice"
 '. 'oh. they do! I bet If you lasted for one day you'd be as sorry looking as a sick kitten by night"
 "stuff!''
 "You dare to try it? You'n have half the doctors in town working over you"
 Well. my Lord. Maria! If nothing else will satisfy you, l will try 1t. I'll go down town now without my break fast and stay there till dark You needn't have any dinner prepared for me or supper either. But mind, don't mean that I approve of wasting bodily energy in this way. A man puts his vitality into his work, not in useless self-mortiflcation." And with this part ing shot, Allan departed for his office for the first time in his life without good breakfast inside of him.
 For a while all went well. Tired as he was from loss of sleep and the ex- citement of the present day. Allan real ly felt no desire for food and this nega- tive pfoof of his assertion cheered him through the first hours of the morning work. But a head that has long been daily coddIed with a cup of coffee, does not tamely submit to the denial of it's needs. By 12 o'clock Allanss head was raging with pain and feeling as heavy as though loaded with lead. T suppose it will pass" he reflected largely But 1t did not pass. The luncheon hour tor- mented him with its suggestions, but Allan's square jaws meant something else beside an ability to eat. He turned down all temptations and settled to the afternoon work. His headache stead fly grew worse until the tapping of the typewriter nearly drove him mad. By four o'clock he was feeling sick ana wretched. He put on his hat and went out to seek relief from fresh air' Ana as soon as he was out. fled like crea. ture driven from the din of Canal Street.
 His flight carried him to the resi- dence districts. Into a quiet street where gray old house looked over a rusty gate upon an empty square Myrtle FIemming lived in that house.
 Allan knew Myrtle very well. So well that he fancied if he went in there now--in a morning coat--and asked 10 be allowed to look over the paper in peace if she would let him do 1t without any fuss. Myrtle Elem ItinE. he rrhected was tits mJs- Een- sible woman he had ever known.
 And she was. She opened the door to him herself because the rest of the family and their one servant had gone