Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-03-18
ON OPERA
CLOAK. |. | $3.50, :
High Handed Methods Won
Where Weakness Had Failed.
BY FRANCES CROFT.

BY FRANCES CROFT.
Miss Lillian Fairweather's state Of
mind was far from pleasant as she
sat in one of Schenck & Schenck's
stufy little fitting rooms. Nicholas the
meek, Nicholas the downtrodden, had
turned. The words of his letter stood
out wildly before her eyes:
Jacob served seven years for Rachel
and then got her sister. have served
I'VE years, see no hope Of getting you In
seven, and you have no sister. Unless
you say yes in q week to the question
have asked you 50 often I sail on tho
Mesaba for Europe. Remember, at q sig
nal from you I shall turn back at the
last moment. but my terms are uncondi.
ttonal surrender.
Nicholas had been the subject Of
gibes, both to his face and behind his
back. One that she had coined she
gave current issue among her friends
because she fancied it was clever.
"Church on Sunday, theater Monday.
flowers Tuesday, candy Wednesday,
new book Thursday, dinner Friday,
dead sick on Saturday Of Nicholas
Purdy."
It did not seem 80 clever to her now
after a week during which there had
been no one to carry her prayer book
to church, no one to take her to first
night performances, no flowers, no
candy, no books, no dinners, no Nicho-
las Purdy, but there had been a wea-
rted feeling. Much to her own sur
prise, she found that she missed the
man more than his attentions.
This was the day Of sailing for the
Mesaba. From some feeling-curiosi-
ty, Of course knew the pier from
which it started, the car lines leading
to it and the time it took to get there.
She certainly would not give in to him,
especially after the insolent tone Of
the letter. Yet it was from fear that
she might so far forget herself as to go
down to the dock and lose her suprem-
acy over Nicholas forever that had
brought her here. Her suit very op-
portunely needed alteration. Miss
Macy, the head filter, had hurried of
with it, promising to seek something
to throw around her form few min
utes till it was ready.
Then a girl had appeared with q
gorgeous pink opera cape. Such raj
ment was far beyond the slender
means Of the struggling artist, but for
once she forgot to revel in its richness.
She was looking anxiously at her
watch. Three-quarters Of an hour and
then the Mesaba would clear her docks.
How fast the minutes flew by! Half
an hour now!
She pounded on the door. Miss Macy
hustled In. "I'm so sorry, Miss Fair
weather. I've been delayed with some
customers. You shall have your dress
shortly"
"But I must have it at once!''
"1mpossible!' And Miss Macy bus
tied OF.
Lillian was now frantic.
She caught the next girl that passed.
"Give me a dress, any kind Of
dress!''
A moment later she was tearing a
price mark of a sloppy dress Of
dirty chocolate color. She rushed into
1t, quite unmindful Of the fact that it
was two sizes too large, long wasted
and bullying at the hips. Throwing
the opera cape around her, she stuck
on her blue hat and rushed madly
from the store.
She hailed a passing cab. give dol
lars If you get NE to pier II before the
Mesaba sailsv'
It seemed an eternity until she was
rushing down the long wooden shed.
Pushing aside the man who demand
ed her ticket, she ran up the gang
plank, and her feet had scarcely left it
when it was withdrawn. No Nicholas
was in sight. She approached the
steward and asked him where MI.
Purdy's stateroom was. He replied
that no such party was booked.
Then Lillian gave a gasp. She ran to
the end Of the steamer nearest the
dock only to find that the vessel had
begun to move. She uttered a cry,
which attracted the attention OF a
youngish man sitting on the piles at
the corner Of the pier hanging his
heels over the water.
He Jumped up and whistled, for he
realized the full enormity of the stu
alton. She was going, and he was to
be left behind. The ocean would sep
arate them, besides sea Of misunder-
standings. His bluff had worked be-
yond his expectations.
He ran to the steamers starting
place and found stout commercial
looking man in state Of great excite
ment bargaining with the owner of a
small tug to take him to the outgoing
steamer. Nicholas joined forces with
him. A common object-to catch the
steamer them together.
The thing was all arranged in a few
minutes. They quickly got alongside
and hailed the steamer. +
There was already great excitement