The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-05-26

DON 4 1OO FhEl, LII, SAID AILEtN.
she had acquaintance she said TO each
of them modestly, as one whose merit
needed no bolstering:
"A gentleman insulted me today in
the restaurant. He put his arm around
my waist and kissed me"
The diners accepted the revelation
in various ways, some incredulously,
some with congratulations. Others
turned upon her the stream of badi-
mage that had hitherto been directed
at Aileen alone. And Tildy's heart
swelled in her bosom, for she saw at
last the towers of romance rise above
the horizon of the gray plain in which
she had for so long travelled.
For two days Mr.. Seeders came not
again. During that time Tidy estab-
lished herself firmly as a woman to
be wOoed. She bought ribbons and ar
ranged her hair like Aileen's and tight
ened her waist two inches She had
thrilling but delightful fear that
Mr.. SeederS would rush in suddenly
and shoot her with a pistol He must
have loved her desperately. and i'm
pulsive lovers are always blindly jeal-
Gus.
Even Aileen had not been shot at
with pistol. And then Tidy rather
hoped that he would not shoot at her
for she was always loyal TO Aileen
and she did not want to overshadow
her friend.
At 4 o'clock on the afternoon of the
third day Mr. Seeders came in. There
were no customers at the tables. At
the back end of the restaurant Tidy
was reflling the mustard pots and
Aileen was quartering pies. Mr. Seed
ers walked back to where they stood
Tidy looked up and saw him, gasp
ed and pressed the mustard spoon
against her heart. \ red hair bow was
in her hair. She wore Venus Eighth
avenue badge. the blue bead necklace
with the swinging silver symbolic
heart
Mr. Seeders was flushed and embar-
raised He plunged one hand into his
hip pocket and the other into fresh
pumpkin pie
Miss Tidy" said he. Il want to
apologize for what l done the other
evenin'. Tell you the truth, | was
pretty well tanked up or l wouldn't
of done it. l wouldn't do no lady
that away when l was sober. So
hope, Miss Tidy. you'll accept my
'polOgy and believe that | wouldn't
of done it if I'd known what l was
dom and hadn't of been drunk"
With this handsome plea Mr. Seed
ers backed away and departed. feel
ing that reparation had been made
But behind the convenient screen
Tidy had thrown herself fiat upon
table among the butter chips and the
coffeecups and was sobbing her heart
out-out and back again to the gray
plain wherein travel they with blunt
hoses and hay coiored hair. From her
knot she had torn the red hair bow
and cast it upon the floor Seeders
she despised utterly. She had but tax
en- his kiss as that of a pioneer and
prophetic prince who might have set
the clocks going and the pages to
running in fairyland. But the kiss
had been maudin and uumeant; the
court had not stirred Mt the false
alarm: she must forevermore remain
the sleeping beauty"
Yet not all was lost. Aieen's arm
was around her. and TilIys red hand
CROPPED among the butter chips till it
found the warm clasp Of her friends.
Don't you fret Til" said Aileen.
who did not understand entirely.
THAT turnip faced little clothespin
of a Seeders amt worth it. He amt
anything of gentleman or he wouldn't
ever Of apologized."