Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-03
THE EVENING STORY

BY Harriet Lummls Smith.
Copyright 1910 by Associated Literary

BY Harriet Lummis Smith.
Copyright 1910 by Associated Literary
Press.
She stood in the lobby of the the
alter, looking alternately from the dial
Of her watch to the door,. and then
back again. The air Of vexation which
would have made an ill-natured girl
ugly, only added a piquant charm to
her prettiness. A young man. moodiiy
surveying a life sized photograph OF
Maud Adams, hanging high on the wall
allowed his attention to wander to the
severe little frown creasing the smooth
forehead where frowns hardly seem
ed at home.
People were hurrying in. The or
chestra was playing. In minute the
curtain would 60 up. Peggy looked
desparingly at the watch, hopefully
toward the door. But there was no
sign Of Violet and the red in Peggy's
cheeky deepened.
ut was so foolish to leave Violet to
buy the tickets" Peggy told herself,
swallowing uncomfortable Jumps In her
throat which would not stay swallow
ed. It seemed incredible that she
should not have tforseen what she saw
SO plainly. OF course Violet would be
late. She was always late. Her prom
ise to be on hand at 2fo'clock meant
absolutely nothing. Violet's tardy ar
rivals were never her fault. Invariably
she came full of excuses which no rea-
sonable. person could refuse to accept
but there never was an occasion Wnen
excuses could be dispensed with.
Peggy blamed herself for not having
taken this into account in her plan
ming. 'is'% t@A3sN ~
she was going to be late. Peggy
blinked and swallowed. tits a shame"
she declared, just as the young man at
her side uttered an impatient exclama-
ton. Involuntarily they turned and
stared at each other and he lifted his
hat. II beg your pardon" he said in
terrogatively.
"I-I didn't mean to say it out loud
Peggy explained But thought it
so hard that it just popped out. I'm
waiting for friend"
80 am H. said the young man
gloomily. HE promised to be on time,
but he never is" He sighed.
"And neither is Violet Peggy ex-
claimed. "And how could have been
SO foolish as to leave her to bring the
tickets, can't imagine"
Haven't you got your tickets,
even?" asked the young man with sym.
pathy.
mo. OF course not. shouldn't
wait If had. Have you yours?"
He drew two tickets from his pocket
and displayed them. She looked en-
yiously at the cardboard slips. 20
why do you waltz" she cried, 81
wouldn't. Very likely he won't come
till the second act. anyhow"
Perhaps he won't said the young
man thoughtfully. He looked at the
tickets and then at Peggy. Then he
looked at the photograph Of Maud
Adams.
ut seems a pity for you to miss the
opening OF the play said the young
man diffidently. with a second ticket
in my pocket. why shouldn't you go in
with me? Since your friend has two
tickets you need not feel any scruples
as far as she Is concerned. And we
can adjust matters in the first inter.
mission
There was long pause. The young
man began to he afraid that Peggy
was too much offended to reply. He
turned his eyes from the picture on
the wall to the picture at his elbow.
But, Peggy was not angry. Her eyes
were shining, her hands were clasped,
her lips parted.
"Do you-do you think it would be
awful of me to say yes?" Peggy in
duired anxiously.
II think it would be very sensible OF
YOU" the young man replied, and that
seemed to settle the question.
They went in swiftly and took their
seats just as the curtain went up. And
Peggy straightway forgot her escort.
and the unconventionality of her &C
ton in accepting his invitation, and
laughed and cried and enjoyed herself
after fashion incomprehensible to
the blase theatergoer. The young
man gave comparatively little atten-
ton to what was taking place behind
the footlights. Instead he watched
Peggy.
He was sorry when the curtain fell
at the end of the first act, and glad
that Peggy was rather slow in coming
back to the world Of reality.
"Oh," she exclaimed at last, with a
start, II forgot she looked at him
guiltily.
"Ill step out into the lobby and sec
if Rodman Is there said the young