Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-04
A Knight and a Lady

ihstead or laying his heart at her feet
pressed upon her his bag of molasses taffy,
winch. considering the age of the knight,
was. 10 MS mind. a possession quite as val
liable
The knight was nine years old. Hts ewes
were i'ioe and he carried. a great bag of
something. He sat in a 18th street car
going southland the Knight was lost
The Lady was more than nine. Her sx.x
were not blue. but her hat was She sat n,
me other side of the car, and of the peoule
mere sne looked to the knight like the one
,ios. lkeiy TO help person who was lost
AZ ieast when q large fat gentleman who
nad been sitting beside her left the car the
Knight. after some hesitation, slipped
acr1ss. bundle and all. and took the place
poes this car go to Dupont Circie7p ask
ed the Knight of the Lady
NO, answered the Lady do you ua,,,
TO go to Dupont Circle?"
I've got TO go there" said the knight
m taking this package"
After some further exchanges of conf
aehces the Lady discovered that the Knight
mad taken the car at L street and that ii
was the wrong line of cars He was going IN
New Hampshire avenue near Dupnn, Str.
Gle. and must be back by ) O'Clock. and he
mad no idea where he was Then the LADY
ana The Knight left the car at 18th street
and according TO the clock on the tower IL
was twenty minutes of 5.
SuSDiciCuSlN.
lie was such little knight and maybe he
was really lost. At least he could never
get TO the place he was going In time he
told the Lady hopelessly. though he tried
TO look brave. But the Lady thought may
be he could, especially when she discoy-
cred suddenly that she was going lust that
very way And when the knight heard
that' he frightened up anu thought so,
too. -
They took the car to Georgetown. and as
there was but one vacant seat OF course
the Knight pointed that out to the Lady
Whlle ne stood manfully holding the big
bundle, which, he confided to her was full
of coffee and weighed five pounds But
presently the Lady put her arm around the
Knight and squeezed him in beside her
she wasn't very big Lady and he was
little Knight-and he sat with his curly
head against her shoulder. turning every
now and then to smile wistfully from the
corner of his eye.
They got off at New Hampshire avenue
and the knight evidently felt the time
had come for action. He handed out the
taffy. The Lady thanked him effusively
selecting small piece, for it was yellow
and sticky.
Such a little piece" objected the
Knight.
ITO begin on" explained the Lady.
And If you like it, pursued the knight
generously. take a big one"
The Lady nodded politely. Conversation
and tany at the same time had suddenly
become q physical impossibility.
Getting lost, 1t developed, was not the
only trouble that had beset the knight.
So much he confded to the Lady as they
threaded the mazes of New Hampshire
avenue toward the number the Knight had
pointed out. An evil-minded and unre-
strained taurus had once charged upon him
in a country field, with no warning other
than one fierce roar, which the knight I'M
itated with so much fervor that 1t startled
two pedestrians on the other side of the
I, f- nrfsV
knight had run and run and run. and
finally regained Hfe. liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness 10y leaping a rail fence
most as high tree! But ii takes high
fences to held en-" he added by way OF
explanation.
The Lady was so alarmed at this recital
and so overcome by the knights valor.
that he was moved to recount yet another
story in which. however. he did not figure
SO herocaily. 1t was the tale of a naievo-
lent billy goat that had once eaten the
Knights Sunday hat. Cost three dollars
and half in the store, too-my best
hat"' he said. But when he was dope
with it there wasn't bit left. / had to
wear my old one. They're bad-billy goats
are" And the Lady, with every expression
of sympathy. agreed they were.
And the Knight had yet another story. It
was about a teacher. But the Lady side
tracked him there. She knew something
OF teachers herself. And the Knight. being
a true Knight, understood like the wise, to
whom a word is sufficient. But she GER
tainly was a awful lady he breathed with
regretful reflections. as he abandoned the
story.
But by this time they were nearing their
destination-t a store that was watt
ing TO receive the coffee-when the Knight
suddenly halted and spoke anxiously to the
Lady
Say, don't you go into that store" he
told her, "'cause he's nice man. and
like to carry things for him. But II ne
knew / got lost the catastrophe was
left to the eloquence of the Knights blue
eyes and the imagination of the Lady. For
tunately the Lady had an imagination.
mo, indeed, L don't want to go into the
store she said, I'm just wait on the cor,
ner till you come out, Ihen III tell you
how to get home"
The knight sped away. Almost In a mo-
ment he had returned, his countenance
beaming with entire satisfaction. It's all
right now. he cried, Take some more tai
fy" And the Lady In consideration OF the
occasion, selected another fragment from
the crumpled bag.
''Oh, more!' urged the knight earnestly,
That's nothing"
..But it is, It's big piece" protested the
Lady II couldn't eat that much in
week"
ut won't last you over night he re-
turned confidently But he put the bag in
his pocket and they walked on toward the
car track at the Circle.
Don't you know" said the knight. II
think I've seen you somewhere? I'm sure
I've seen you before.
s.Perbaps yo,r have" assented the Lady.
eat school. or at church, or on the street."
She was trying hard to remember the
Knight but among the many she had
known. she could not place him.
where bouts here do you liver" was the
next question.
.'I?'' returned the Lady. surprised Into
an admission. ooh, don't live up here.
My home Is down there near the Circle
where we get off, you remember"
Don't you live here?" exclaimed the
Knight, standing still for a moment. "Did
you come way up here for me?
The knights mouth was serious and red,
and his blue eyes were full of affection
For the moment the Lady desired nothing
SO much as to kiss him. But she only
smiled and nodded slowly,
oh" breathed the Knight, suddenly,
with little catch In his voice, and started
on.