Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-25
THE EVENING STORY
ALvERsoNs ADVENTURE.
BY STACY E. BAKER.

/
the house just opposite. 1t was 104.
Il have a letter for Mrs. Won Kru
ger he explained to the tidy mai.
answering the bell Il -
You are expected. sir" answered
the servant, with neat little bow
This way, please"
| But " objected Alverson.
Too late! The maid was already OF
her way With a resigned sigh. he fol
| lowed
Mrs. Won Kruger swept gracefully
across the velvet ca,pet and extended
well manicured hand on the artistic
level of the young mans chin. Sht
was tall, portly dame middle aged
ard with the confident air Of the sue
cussful social leader,
Il knew you instantly" she smiled
into the face of the surprised Alverson
INSTANTLY" she reiterated. releasing
his hand. BE seated, please. Dolly will
be in in a moment
Alverson gave over to the woman
the letter which she carelessly laid or
O convenient stand-unopened
You see continued Mrs Won
Kruger YOU had been so thoroughly
described to me that l have had mind
picture of you for months. Tail
broad -shouldered curly huir, blue eyes
resolute jaw. high cheek bones, and
let me see-good conversationalist.
Are YOU good conversationalist? You
haven't proven that OF me-"
Alverson, had he been an i'll bred
youth. might have answered to the eff
feet that his hostess had so far monop-
oliZed that end of it-but he didn't.
Again, he might have explained to the
lady that she was installing him for
some one else-but he didn't. Instead,
he smiled and answered.
L believe, Mrs. Won Kruger. that
you put me in the position of the
American humorist who was invited to
dine at the house of a certain we'll
known society woman. During the din
and. finally, as the lion showed no
signs of saying anything funny, tip
toed around to his chair and asked in
a well-defined stage whisper: When
are you going to hegin?'"
The lady laughed. You have proven
yourself to be the capable youth | have
been led to expect" she said appre-
ciatively.
Alverson mentally summed up, the
situation. Here was he, a soap sales
man out of Chicago exchanging airy
persiflage with hostess who certain
ly entertained under the delusion that
her visitor was some one expected
And he was poor enough to sit here
and accept this same hospitality. He
squirmed, metphorically, in his chair
and cursed his own stupidity in not
explaining.
This last mental racking was
brought about by a keen glance at the
slim girl who had drawn aside the por-
there's that curtained the entrance to
another room, and now stood, slight
flush on her fair cheeks, revealed
in all her dainty loneliness.
Mr.. Alverson. my daughter. Dollic
you have often heard me speak of the
Alversons of Chicago. This is one of
them"
Alversons heart leaped into his
throat. How did this woman know
him? He had never heard of the Won
at home, and he was quite
certain that had the family been as in
innate with them as the words of his
hostess seemed to imply he would at
least be familiar with their names.
But the girl For the second that
their hands met in brief contact, all
flashed from their mind. She was a
dream! A revelation.
Her hair was a ms. Of threaded
copper, as finely snun as silk, and her
eyes were an elusive hazel that baf-
fled description She had the complex
ion of the perfect beauty of her type.
Alverson sighed as the soft, warm
Idllu uTeW llSelI from MS.
i am pleased to meet you He
heard his voice respond to the intro
duction as from a distance His senses
swan. Magnetism is closely akin to
hvpnotisnn.
What do you think of New York,
Mr.. Alverson?" asked the girl
1T was on the tip of the youths
tongue to say that the novelty of trip
to the metropolis had worn away sew
eral seasons ago, but he suddenly rec
objected that he was undoubtedly sup
posed to be a stranger in the city
From what / have seen of New
York today ! cm much impressed" he
declared. his mind, as a conscience
easer. reverting to the several substan-
tial orders he had filed.
Mrs. Won Kruger. after several con-
ventional phrases, suddenly excused
hrslf and lit tn room.
No sooner had the portieres closed
behind her than the girl leaned for
ward in her chair and with a steady
1ye on the youth. asked:
And now ] am ready for your eX-
olanation., Who are you, sir?"
The man gasped at tho suddenness
'f the question. Surprises were the
5r6er of the evening.
Why-I--, he suffered and then
with a determined effort to brazen it
ai'i'' Sill " i'eLl W. S''U llleuIl on
2eard your mothers Introduction, did
yon not?'
Mother" explained the girl, "is--er
mon cornpos mentis. and the Alver-
son she speaks of has been dead for
thirty years. At the time she was
stricken she was expecting this person
o pay her a conventional call and she
las never gotten beyond that day.
Now, If I may repeat. who are you?"
And Alversor explained
The soap salesman was struck with
'ham as the tale progressed, but the
'erious face of the girl did not show
he contempt at the completion that
he drummer had believed it would
Had our regular maid been on
luty," continued the girl, this would
lever have happened. But mothers
title failing has never been explained
o our new acquisition" She turned,
Utmost timid eyes toward the man.
However, IL don't know but what
I'M glad it happened This may have a |
endency to do away with her-er-
Then my calls should continue"
the travelling man.
What do you mean?"
Why. that l should be allowed to |
ome here often, If the subterfuge is to
'e kept up. In the interests of cure. |
-ou know"
of course, she agreed, "if it will re-