The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-08
THE EVENING STORY
Booked for 1Tatrimony.
By Newton Chance.}


Paul Ardmore nodded his thanks
TO the conductor as he swung down
| the car steps to the snow-covered
1 platform and made his way toward
No expectant committee gathered
about the stove, and the only sign of
| life was the clicking of the tele-
graph instruments and a thin film OF
very rank tobacco smoke that curled
from under the closed window of the
ticket office.
/ He waited a minute, then he
| raped on the ground glass, and pre-
| sently face. appearing in the open
| ing, evinced surly interest.
| Il am Prof. Ardmore," explained
Paul, Il am to give a lecture at the
| Gothic church. There is no COM
| rnittee to meet me and there seems to
be no hack about the station"
There is one generally. but Jim got
a job driving a feller over to Moor
! way. He'll be back to meet the 9:s3,
but IT you don't want to wait, it's easy
| to walk there. You go down the road
a piece till you come to Pine street
Then you go over to Maple, until you
come to Spruce. It's just around
the corner on Spruce. Are you that
feller that was to lecture in the Star
course last night and didn't come?
The ladies got up a show, so they
wouldn't give the money back"
Paul elutched at his pocket and ex-
tracted letter. He glanced at the
breathed sigh of relief.
''It is for the 17th,'' he announced
in relief. "I am so absent-minded
that have to be very careful of my
discovered the error and will gather
the audience again tonight. In any
event. it would be best for me to go
over"
He turned up the collar of his
ulster to protect his throat, and, leav-
ing the station plunged through the
drifting snow.
1t was not long walk, for Maple
he was in sight of the church that
was attended by the towns fashion
able families.
To his relief the lights shone out.
and a little knot of people stood about
the door.
They eyed him .curiousiy as he
pushed his way through to the door
and entered the vestibule. Several
young women came forward expect
antly as he entered, and Paul. decid-
ing that they were the committee of
the ladies' guild, grasped an out
stretched hand.
'"They told me at the station that
the lecture was yesterday, or rather
that the audience had gathered yes
terday through some error" he said
cordially. 81 am glad that you were
able to gather them together again
this evening. I presume an error was
made!"
The welcoming smile faded from
the girlish faces. You are the lee
turer?" cried one. I'VE thought you
were the bridegroom
Mercy, mol" exclaimed Paul, col
oring vividly.
1.-THE lecture was announced for last
night" went on the speaker. 1.-THE
guild members organized an i'm
promptu concert to avoid disappoint-
ing the audience. You might at least
have telegraphed when you found that
you could not come"
"But 1 have come" declared Paul
mnnication says very distinctly that
the lecture is on the nth
The girl took the letter unbeliev-
ingIy. then gave little cry of dismay.
you are Prof. Ardmore?" she cried.
'sIt was Burton Brooks, the Egyptoi-
ogist, who was to have lectured last
night Your lecture is to be given on
the 27th. I made the mistake in the
date. This is my letter. I am very
sorry
'I can come again on the 27th,"
promised Paul as he perceived the
girls distress. 81 take it that there is
a wedding here this evening. May
stay until it is time for my train? 1t is
the agent smokes very bad tobacco"
Eyes, we've reported his bad man
hers to the company dozens of times"
was the discouraged reply. You are |
welcome here, but it is a rehearsal for
the bridal party, not the wedding"
She led the way into the body of the |
church, and Paul slipped into pew on
the side aisle, glad of a restful haven |
until train time.
Presently the organ pealed, and. at
the first strains there entered the |
groom and his best man. An elderly |
woman, who seemed to have consti-
tuted herself the mistress of ceremon-
les, shouted to the organist to stop and |
charged upon the sheepish groom.
Go back" she cried. You don't give
the organ a chance. He's got to play
the march all the way through, and if
you come out now you'll have to stand
like a toy figure waiting for the bride
to come in. Don't come until. I say
now,' and then remember the place in
the music"
The groom and his supporter stum-
bled back into the vestry. and again the
organ pealed out the weddin~ march,
Paul turned curiously to look at the
bridal party. and for a moment his
pulse seemed to cease its beat.
The little bride was none other than
Eleanor Kingsiand, the one woman in
he world that Paul worshiped, and his
was not the less intense be-
cause he had never told of his love.
He had thought of her always as a
child for he was very young himself
Tor the position that he held, and in !
felt himself to be tremend- I
)usly old.
He had meant some day to tell his
owe and seek her for his own, but he
lad delayed his proposal until it was !.
90 late. Now she was about to be-
,ome the bride of that sheepish looking !
.hap standing in the chancel /,
He half rose as though to leave, then ,
le sank back into his seat again. He ]
would drink the cup of humiliation to ,
he very dregs. He would see the girl
le loved go through the form of mar
iage, which on the morrow would be !
then he would go back to /
lis own narrow, loveless life bearing i
he knowledge that delay had cost him
happiness. }
Miserably he watched the procession !
90, nd hraaL To form q gain in re- I