Evening journal., 1907-03-11
cesyasht. 1906. BY Thomas II. Mckee.

I" XCEPTING for Mesh and the two women
waiting ahead of him at the ticket window
the lobby of the theatre was deserted. II
lacked only twenty minutes 10 three, when he
glanced more impauenty az his watch
Behind the drawn curtains of the auditorium ripples
I'd laughter scattering volleys of applause, told that
the usual Saturday matinee audience was getting its
usual enjoyment out of the latest popular play sun
running TO full houses when other theatres had al
ready begun to close for the summer he man m the
box-ofice was at the telephone, the irritating de6er-
alton of his answers being plainly audible from with
out He had nothing left for tonight nearer than the
nineteenth row. No, nor for next tuesday either.
Wednesday the house was practically sold out two
large theatre parties. Thursday He might do better
for Thursday Hold the wire please.
1t seemed to Melsh hardly worth his while 10 wait
lie knew from experience that was unwise to offer
Nora tickets for the nineteenth row. she would rather
never see the play at aL ihe women m aneaa ol MN nm
evidently shared his dscouragement The younger one
was bewaing the necessity of exchanging her tickets
for some evening next week. IN place OF tonight oncn
good tickets too Il was so like Harry TO forget ana
make am appointment with business friend My DEAR
during business hours Harry simply doesn't remember
that I existw
Vcaed themselves ON his thin face lie wished that he
shared the ability Of this unknown Harry, the ability
Of the average unmagnave' tranquil nusoana 10 @ snue
domestic cares behind him when ne stepped OUT over
his threshold In the morning. He wished that JUST
for busy harassed day he might forget that there
was such a person as Nora In existence lie knew that
n would be better for his peace OF mind better for
his business interests, If Noras face did not hover so
often between him and the letters he wrote the sales
thought-Nora, with her small, red, mutnous mouth,
her aureole of hair like spun copper her chidike ap-
peal her wide gray eyes avidious OF admiration lie
wondered vaguely whether other men. outwardy hap
PLY married had their Joy cankered by gnawng sus-
rcions intangible doubts nsidious microbes, that
found a lodgnent in the brain, and thrived and bred
q fever OF unrest
The wife of the ahsent-mnded Harry having at last
won attention from the box Office and accepted under
protest an exchange for the third in the balcony
made way for Aiclish With the spasmodic brusquc
ness of natural timdiw he demanded the tickets she
had lust surrendered and somewhat 20 his surprise,
obtained them They were splendid seats, nine rows
from the stage on the middle aisle the sort OF seats
that Nora always expected him 70 get II was charac-
terstic Of Nora always 20 expect the best OF every
thing and usually to end by getting IT, Equally char
actcrstic was her pretty impcriousncss which for
time had almost blinded him to her nborn selhshncss
From the theatre Mellish turned down Madison
avenue 20 Iwenty-sixth Street and thence westward
along the northern boundary of Madison Square not
because it shorter way 20 his home but IN obe-
dience to a sudden unreasoning impulse TO pass the
restaurant where his wife had told him she would be
lunchng AT this late hour it quite possible that
ic had missed her. yet Nora was one who loved &c
finger over a lunch table forgctiu OF the fight OF
time There was still chance that he might catcf
glimpse Of her through the windows on the FifH
Avenue side or even have the luck 20 meet her Just
coming out IN an the pride of her raiment I'll,
knew already how extremely well it became her. II
had come home from the dressmakers only the nigh
before and had put her IN gracious mood or th'
whole evening She had even donned It Tor his PR