Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-03-09
The Man She
Hated


had bought their seats at the last mo.
ment, but they were good ones. They
were comfortably seated, and the cur
tain was about to go up, when an
usher and gentleman came down
the aisle and paused before them, and
speaking to the daughter the official
said:
Beg pardon, madam, but you have
this gentlemans seat"
1T can't be. Here is my coupon"
But he has one also. There has
been some mistake at the box of.
f1ce."
Which shall not incommode the
ladies'. added the gentleman as he
turned away.
Two weeks later Miss Carrie took
the train for suburban town to visit
girl friend. She reached the depot
with few minutes to spare and sat
down in the waiting room. In way
she realized that she sat down be.
side man, the room being crowded,
but she paid no sort of attention t.
him. When the man with the mega.
phone called out her train she rose in
haste to go to the gates.
beg pardon" said a voice at her
elbow, but l think this belongs to
you"
1t was the man Of the theater, and
he held out the shopping bag she had
left on the seat in her haste.
THANK you," was her curt answer.
And this" he said, holding out her
silver purse, which had been care
lessly laid down.
This time she only nodded, and he
saw flash of vexation in her eyes.
Miss Carrie Thornton and her
young lady friend. at the latter's
home, had revived the ancient game
of croquet and were playing it on the
lawn which ran down to the highway.
In making a vigorous strike at ball
Miss Carries opponent lost her hold
on the mallet and Miss Carrie was
knocked senseless
There was weeping and wailing
and wringing of hands when an auto
made its appearance and came to
stop. The gentleman sitting beside
the chauffeur saw that an accide1A
had happened, and he came to the
rescue. Miss Carrie was lifted up in
his strong arms and carried into the
house and was found to be more
frightened than hurt. She might have
headache for two or three days and
then be all right. She opened her
eyes just as the gentleman bowed
himself out
THAT man again! That mani" was
her tragic exclamation.
How did he come here? What
right has he to say that I'm not hurt
much? oh, hate him-hate him!"
why, DEAR" said her friend, that
is Professor Bannister, of our univer-
sity."
Il don't care if he's the professor
of peanut shucks! He knows / don't
like him, and it was a piece of Inn
pudence his coming along here"
After week, and after her con.
valescence was complete, her girl
friend was sent uptown for certain
planned to decorate the ceiling of the
dining room With THAR down and an
old dress on and a towel tied around
her for an apron, Miss Carrie decided
to make a commencement during her
chum's absence. The cook brought in
the stepladder and stood by to hold
it, and the artist began work She
had become very much interested
when voice from the floor beneath
reached her ears:
~ beg pardon, but you did not hear
my ring? l left book here the
other day, think"
That man again! That Professor
Bannister! And he was smiling and
bowling! And Miss Carrie Thornton.
who hated him, was not only scare,
crow in appearance, but was perched
on stepladder like goose roosting
on fence. She blushed. She stam-
.mered She tried to say something.
and then she tried to get down. OF
course she fell, but she was not killed
outright. But her feelings were hurt
as he stepped forward and caught her
in his arms and stood her on her feet
and departed with that patronizing
smile on his face.
When the ceiling had been finished
and admired it was long jaunt in
the runabout. Things went we'll for a
long Is miles. Then an old COW
brought a change. She figured that
she could cross the road and bite at
bunch of grass and get back again
before the machine got along. She
was two seconds out of the correct
calculation, as the profession of
mathematics later informed her.
Down went the COW, and over went
the runabout, and of course the young
ladies screamed for the police and all
| other departments within or outside
of hearing.
And it was that man-that Profess
sor Bannister-that impudent intru-
| der-who came driving up in his auto
to extend aid and sympathy and say: