Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-18
A Dream and the Taking 81 MARY '. BY HASTINGS.

She hesitated Then with deceptive casualness
II guess I'd better get new jacket"
'Humph!"
The woman bent over her dish.
"Ill bet you will, and when you're sick ant
haven't cent, don't expect me to pay the doctor.
I'm not likely to- the girl retorted with dry
Significance
grandmother's illness She stood moment bitterly
reminiscent, then, picking up the youngest child
which seemed to be crying the loudest, sat dowr
to quiet IT, AS she rocked, her frown faded, hel
straight lips curved to smile. She was debating
the delicious question of gold buttons, and with
revived interest in life she decided to try her hail
that way tomorrow.
Whether it was the re-arranged hair, or the
smart pony jacket, the cumulative effect Of
both, enhancing her girlish prettiness cannot, o
course, be ascertained but certainly from thai
next week the dream came closer to reality.
1t began with few words in passing; then ar
idle joke and an exchange of glances-the dark
confident stare from the gray 1t was stare that
thrilled and yet abashed. Her eyes fell swiftly
before it, yet again in irresistible attraction
She read in Leroy's good looks, his gay, ready
laugh his six feet of straight, strong youth all the
fine, wonderful things of a girls first imagnings
She told herself feverishly that he must come to
care for her. He must 1t would be too cruel to
have him turn away now on the very threshold oil
acquaintance. Let him only cross that threshold
and be her lover, matter how short the time
So she prayed the invisible gods of life. She
w
Let her only live-once! -
One night at closing time, Leroy came behind
her the stairs and caught her elbow.
''No need to rush-that steady can wait min
ute," he laughed, for he was in Neugan's Lodge,
where his devotion was an open secret
Hes not my steady" Amy quickly protested.
"Who is then?" -,
She flashed him swift glance. IT haven't seen
him yet,
night?"
Eyes, why?"
"Nothing-only," he pressed her arm signif-
canty, eff you look you may somebody, that's
all"
Doane's was, theoretically, Professor Doanes
Dancing Academy for young ladies and gentlemen.
Open every Saturday evening, admission, per
couple, half-a-dollar; extra ladies, twenty-five
cents Whether there a Professor Doane or
not, there was brassy orchestra, and large we'll
Waxed floor, over emnently respectable drug
store. 1t was considered haunt of fashion among
Amy's friends-the half-dollar entrance fee giving
it tone OF wealth and exclusiveness. Amy, her.
self, went but seldom. She was fond of dancing,
but not with Neugan, who was too short and
bumped great DEAL
This Saturday, however, she would not have
missed for kingdom. The three preceding nights
she sat up late, fashioning new waist by the light
of a SMALL ill-smelling oil lamp.
At the academy Neugan watched her with sort
of bewdered and hopeless worship. He danced
even more badly than usual, treading on her toes
and forgetting entirely to reverse but she did not
seem to mind
From across the crowded hall she was con-
scious of Leroys eyes on her in arrested admira-
ton, then, in deepening significance. When he
came to ask her to dance, she met his banter with
a gaiety that transformed her.
They danced together three times, and at the
end of the third he asked to her home.
1t was the GROWING moment but she remem-
bered Neugan.
Leroy met her explanation with careless
laugh. ooh, all right. won't butt in your
steady
.He isn't my steady" she declared.
'No?" scofingy.
"No, he's not-hes just friend, but don't
want to be mean to him. Any other time"
There's no other time with me- he inter-
rupted grandly. 'If you're going with me at all,
you're going with me now!"
Amys heart stood still in the cold clutch of dread
The story of Maggie's acquaintance who had failed
to keep his engagement, rushed over her. Oppor-
tunity, it seemed, came but once If she denied
him now
She looked up, and his eyes, the eyes of man
who brooled denial, smiled down conqueringy
"Al right then" she yielded breathessly. I'll
IT was no easy matter to explain this to Tom
She sought him, trembling almost and at the first
word of shamed apology he fared into quick,
azed anger.
what do you mean? Are you going home with
him?"
~ didn't want to-" she pleaded, "but Tom, if
don't" her eyes sought his, asking the under
standing that would her further words
He waited stolidly.
Don't you see? If I don't-he-he won't ask
me again"
'It's-oh, Toni" The tears came to her eyes.
"You always said you'd do anything for me, and
now, when it's the thing I want most of all"
He took it without word, considering it slowly,
in his eyes the surprised blink of an animal baked
in its first rush of rage
ooh, all right" he brought out at last "Im
down and out" He turned on his heel.
'Tom-I'm awful sorry" She followed a step
timidly.
;'Forget it," he muttered. GO on, have a
good time
The queer hurt feeling with which she watched
him disappear stayed strangely with her through
the rest of the evening She could not quite forget
it even in all the intoxication of Leroys open at
tachment. They danced the remaining dances
together-the most conspicuous couple on the
floor: men winked when they passed, the girls
giggled and nudged each other
II the cloak room Maggie fell her in rush
of friendly excitement.
"My, you handed 1t to Tom" she exclaimed in
a tone in which disapproval smothered by
Uondarfno admiration didn't think vo, hod