Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-12-30
Her Unluckv
Day


group. She tipped her hat thought
fully over one eye and then smiled at
those about her
Il take it all back" she said cheer
fully, about my not being supersti
tious. I've become terribly supersti-
that Wednesday, the 22d day of any
month, particularly September, is I'M
lucky How do know that particular
day is unlucky? Well, | have a tale
TO unfold
You see. Anne Ridgeway, whom
to big evening reception which we
would not have missed for anything
We PASSED the whole day getting
ready for the evening. Annes new
Gown ard my lace CONNECTION were
e'.ch dreams that we had them spread
cut all afternoon just SO we could
look at them and realize more for
chilly the tremendous sensation we
we're going to create.
We'll, toward evening it began to
rour rain in a steady, business-like
way. but we had ordered a taxicab
anyhow
When we were dressed Anne sug-
gested that we go down into the en-
trance OF the apartment building and
wait for our taxicab so we shouldn't
waste any time that would be charged
M 10 rs Of so much a tick Presently
tie machine Whirred up and we made
dash for 1t, the porter sheltering us
with umbrellas. Anne got in first and
when Ecr skirts and wraps were adj
listed climbed in It took me long
time to get fixed and then l told the
driver the address.
"He cid not move. / repeated the
address and he turned on me the most
surprised face | ever saw. I began to
wonder if he were a millionaire author
IN Disguise collecting material for
book and wanted an Introduction be-
srfdcniy | realized that something was
railing at my arm. l looked down
and on the pavement stood a small,
shrinking little woman.
"'NFhat 90 you want?' cried sharp
ly fc~ she had frightened me-
'FXcuse me-Tm sorry she gasped
in q b~oatb,ess sort of way, "but you
know You're in my machine l was
just coming out when you and your
friend dashed ahead of me and got
in Tits my own, you know
by this time I was clambering out,
dragging Anne with me. l was so en-
ragged with the shrinking woman for
her delay that l forgot to be even
arologetic.
IF It hadn't been raining | should
have been tempted to Stay her On the
srot, AS it was we dashed for our
entrance and stood huddled there till
our own machine arrived. We were
trit1e damp, but our spirits rose.
presently we rose, too-for the car
struck a pile Of paving material and
after sailing through the air landed
with a crash that shook our carefully
arranged hair almost down and made
us clutch each other in terror Turn
ing the next corner we skidded into
a lamp post. 1t didn't hurt the lamp
post, but It effectually put an end to
the onward progress of that taxicab.
There we were sitting in that
wrecked machine on a lonely corner
in the pouring rain while the still
muttering driver went to telephone
for another machine. And time was
passing. Anne nearly wept.
"The light from the street lamp lit
us up and presently an electric cab
drew up alongside of us-and when
| saw the man who was in it | felt that
my lace dress was not wasted after
ALL He wanted to know If he might
be of assistance and if we were at all
hurt and II he couldn't take us where
we were going For. l suppose, he
said, on second thought, you were 60
ing somewhere?
"'Oh, MOI l gurgled Historically.
We put on our evening gowns and
had our hair done up this way for the
express purpose OF coming out to sit
under this street lamp in the rain!'
Just as Anne began to explain that
I was not actually demented the fresh
taxicab came for us most inoppor-
SO We udu 10 dUduUOu Tie
lovely man with the electric and start
out for the third time in our machine
l felt depressed.
ITO cut my wonderful tale short,
this new driver took us six blocks in
the wrong direction and then by way
of apology ran down woman and
we all had to go to the police station
Somehow a lace gown and a satin
wrap make one seem rather over
dressed in a police station. Anne's
puffs and hair waves seemed to create
interest too We certainly couldn't
complain at not being the center of
attraction, but l was disappointed, for
I really had wanted to go to that re-
ception.
When We got out of the police sta
ton it was midnight and so we had to
go home. If we had gone to the re-
ception then people would have
thought we just came for something
to eat Nothing will ever convinoa