Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-10-25

~ 49, HlHb All xmas OF CDlNrS
ana was acting IN n way that puzzled
me then. Despite all my years in New
YORK l was ignorant Of the elaborat,
socia! distinctions that had crown ~
In us fifth avenue quarter. | knew
or course. n a there was a Fashionable
society and that some Of the most
conspicuous of those in II seemed uu-
bic To get used TO the idea OF beinp
rlcn ana were in q state OF great agl-
tation over their own Importance. I'M
portant they might be. but not to me
| knew nothing OF their careful grada-
ions OF snobbisIn-the people to know
socially, the people to know in IL bust
ness way, the people to know In ways
religious and philanthropic, the people
10 know for the fun to be got out Of
them. the people to pride oneself on
not knowing ut all; the nervousness,
inc lysterih about preserving these
disgusting gralations. All this. say.
was an u"ndreaIned-of mystery TO mo
VINO gave and took liking in the sensi-
BILE. self respecting American fashion.
80 didn't understand why Sam, as
l almost dragged him along. was STAN
mering: THANK you-but-I-shc-
me lact Is, we really must get uptown
Ry this time | WAS where | could
look into the b%rougham. ~ glance
Fan see much at Il glance. as can any
man who spends every day of every
year in an all-day fight for his purse
and his life. with the blows coming
from all sides. | can see much at a
glance: often have seen much; | new
err saw more than just then. Instant
~. i made up my mind that the Ell
lerslys would lunch with me. You've
got To eat somewhere" said |. in n tone
mat put an end to his attempts to
man'ifacture excuses. "ll be de-
ngh'ed to have you. Don't make up
any more yarns
He SLOWLY onapcd tho d,or "A,t,, -
said he. MI. Blackjack. He's invited
us to lunch.
lifted my hat. and bowed. kept
my eyes straight upon hers. And it
gave me more pleasure to look into
them than i had ever before got out OF
looking into %anybody's. am passion
ately fond OF flowers, and of children:
and her face reminded me Of both. or.
Iatner. II seemed to me that what
seen. with delight and longing. in
mplet In their freshness and beauty
una charm, was now before me in the
tuliness. felt like saying to her. II
nave heard OF you often. The children
and the flowers have told me you were
coming" Perhaps my eyes did say 1T.
az any rate. she looked as straight nj
me as 1 at her. and l noticed that she
paled a little n shrank-yet con-
.inued to look. as IL l were compelling
her. But her voice. beautifully
clear. and lingering in the ears
IKE resonance OF the violin after
tne DOW has swept its strings and
urted, was perfectly self possessed. as
she said to her BROTHER: THAT will be
deIishtful-if you think we have time"
saw mat she. uncertain whether he
wished 10 accept. was giving hin a
chance to take either course. He has
tlne-nothing but time said 1. His
engagements are always with people
VINO want to get something out of him.
And they can wait" l pretended to
think he was expecting me to enter the
Trap got In. seated myself beside her,
saio 10 sam: i've saved the little seat
Tor you. Tell o u man to take us to
the Equitable building-Nassau street
entrance"
talked n good deal during the first
nalr or the nearly two hours we were
,osether-partly because both Sam and
MS sister seemed under some sort OF
strain. chiefly because 1 was deter
mined to make u good impression.
TOLD her abo:!. myself. my horses. nv
mousse In the country. my yacht. J. tried
TO show her l wasn't an ignoramus as
70 books and art. even lie / hadn't beer
to college. She listened, while Sam sat
embarrassed. You must bring your
sister dow to visit me-" 1 said finally,
III see that o both have the time
or your lives. Make up a party OF your
friends. Sam. and come down-when
snail we say? Next Sunday? You know
you were coming anyhow. I can change
the rest of the party"
Sam grew as red AS IL he were going
into apoplcxy. I thought then he was
afraid I'd blurt out something about
VINO were In the party l was proposing
to change. I was soon to know better
Thank you. Mr.. Blackjack" said his
sister. But have an engagement
text sunday. have a great many
engagements just now. Without look
ing at my book I couldn't say when
can 60" This easily and naturally. In
her set they certainly do learn thor
oughly that branch OF tact which plain
people call lying.
Sam gave her a grateful look. which
he thought 1 didn't see, and which
didn't rightly interpretation.
Wen fix 1t up later. Blackjack
said ne.
al right" said 1. And from tina,
minute l was almost silent. 1t was
something in her tone and thai
wasn't making as good an impression
as I had been flattering myself.
When n man has money and is will.
Ing to spend 1t he can readily fool him.
self into imagining he gets on grand,
with women. But I had better grounds
than hat for thinking myself not un-
attractive to them. as a rule. Womer
had liked me when l had nothing
women had liked me when they didn't
know who / was. l felt that this WON.
an did not like me. And yet, by the
way she loked at me in spite OF he,
efforts not to do SO. I could tell that
l had some sort of unusual interest fo,
her. Why didn't she like me? She
made me feel the reason. l didn't be.
long to her world. My ways and M,
looks offended her. She disliked me =
good deal; she feared me a little. She
would have felt safer IL she had beer
gratifying her curiosity. gazing in a,
me through the bars Of q Gag
Where I had been feeling and show
Ing my III assurance, I now became
Ill at ease. I longed for them to be
gone; at the same time I hated to lei
her go-for. when and how would ]
see her again, would l get the chance
q remove her bad impression? It ir.
ritated me thus to be concerned about
the sister of a man into my liking for
whom there was mixed much pity and
some contempt. But I am Of the dispo-
sition that, whenever I see an obstacle
OF whatever kind. I cannot restrain
myself from trying to jump 1t. Here
was an obstacle dislike. To clear II
was Of the smallest Importance in the
world. was a silly waste Of time. Yet
! felt I could not maintain with my
self my boast that there were no OBJ
stacles I couldn't get over II I turned
aside from this.
Sam-not without hesitation, az I re-