The Democratic advocate., 1909-08-27
B|LLIARDS--AND
SOMETHING ELSE,
The Chance That Came With a
Lesson In the Game.
BY M. j. PHILLIPS.

7~7-rf 7~~Ts - ~--s-~~-@~~~1 ANAN~NNAy ,
Press.l
The trouble was that, while Carrick
admitted his offense and was anxious
to present his excuse, Miss WelIand
by her manner ignored the existence
Of an offense and SO made excuse inn
possible. At first blush that sounds
all rigat. but It wasn't.
For bow could fellow secure free
dom from his grieyous dungeon when
the pardon board publicly and official
ly pretended to believe that he was
enjoying the sweet atmosphere of lib
erty? That was the question which
bothered Carrick.
He felt that five minutes talk with
Miss WelIand would set everything
right. But she was graciously and
firmly unapproachable She insisted
on treating him just the same as ever,
only more so. And Carrick ratified his
dungeon chains. while Miss Welland
smiled sweetly ON Purves Bland.
Carrick wasn't really to blame. They
had been going to the theater Wednes-
day evening after having waited three
weeks to get tickets because every
body else seemed to want to go too.
And that very Wednesday afternoon
the manager had sent for Carrick.
"Be here at o'clock tonight" he
directed. There win be a special
meeting Of the board for the purpose
Of discussing your carbon improve
ment plan. If we take It up His
pompous smile was rich with promise.
For young man whom opportunity
had seized by the nape of the neck and
was thrustlng headlong into prosper
ity Carrlck was singularly unapprecla.
tive. He knew how Miss Welland was
anticipating seeing What q Woman
Would Do" and the impossibility of Sc
curing other tickets during the re-
mainder Of the run. Miss welland's
slightest wish was more important Just
then than a good many other things.
so he mentioned another engage
ment."
Then you must break 1t. Mr.. Car
rick" said the manager quite decided
ly. "Mr. Kern, who Is our president
and heaviest stockholder, win be here
from the west tonight on his way to
New York. He can stay only two
hours. We can do nothing without his
approval. SO you see how necessary
1t Is that you attend the meeting
There seemed no way out Of it. Car
rick wrote note to Miss Wellapd ex.
planning the circumstances, scaled 1t
and rang Tor a messenger. When a
diminutive representative Of the A. ID.
I. arrived Carrick was smitten with a
brilliant idea. Why not send the tick
cts so she could go anyway So he
wrote another note, inclosed the tickets
with 1t and handed both envelopes to
the messenger. And the one contain
ing the tickets was never delivered.
All unconscious Of this fact, Carrick
went back to the Office at 8 O'Clock.
Fifteen minutes later word came that
Mr.. Kern was delayed by a wreck and
that the board meeting would be held
next morning.
On the chance that he might yet be
In time to escort Miss welIand to the
theater he rushed off to flnd her, only
to be informed by the maid that she
had gone out. He went on home then,
where he was promptly pressed into
service by his sister Beatrice. who
wanted company as far as Gladys Bur
toms And at the Burton door they
had encountered Miss Welland.
That young lady had smilingly cut
short his explanations before they
were begun. Later, when he heard Of
the nondeliyery Of the tickets, ne tried
again. But Purves Bland was now In
the play. and explanations were impos-
sible. He never saw Miss Welland
unless the hint-impervious Mr.. Bland
was at her elbow. He haunted balls
and recitals and tea fights In an en-
deavor TO tell her of the meeting that
didn't come Off, but in vain.
Weeks OF plotting and planning and
waiting for opportunities that never
came left him worried and hungry
looking. Why rejoice that his carbon
improvement scheme was go when
the only girl in the world--it had
reached that wouldn't look at
him or, worse still. looked at him pre-
cisely as she looked at everybody else2 2
But his persistence won finally. BY
the assistance OF Dick Sargent, en-
gagged and consequently sympathetic.
he was assured of monopoly of Miss
Welland and the billiard room during
q dance at Burton's one night Dick
promised fifteen minutes IL he had to
tie Purves Bland with the portieres.
Miss Welland." he began breathless.
~ when Bland had been lured away
by Dick and the future Mrs. Sargent.
''you know the night of What Won.
an Would Do'"-
but you we're to teach me to play
billiards, you know" remarked Miss
Welland.
"But ] want to explain" he urged.
Il got your note" Miss WeIland re-
minded him. And Beatrice has told
me about the loss OF the tickets. SO
that's all over and forgotten"
Being equipped only with the slow
going mental processes OF mere man,
Carrick was somewhat dazed by this
Information. For weeks he had been
preparing himself to take the enemy's
fortiications by storm. To find that
there was TO be no war was surprising.
to say the least
"You know all about itT he queried
stupidity
eyes"
"And it's all forgottenr
Eyes
forgiven tooT
II suppose so."
'Then," satd Carrick, with a radiant