Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1912-01-18
The Girl
He Forgot


Henshaw laughed when he asked
Elizabeth Blake TO accept Wharton,
whom she had never met, as her par
ticular escort 1t the theater party
which Henshaw was planning TO give
the following week.
"TlI be delighted said Elizabeth.
But what's the joker
'Jim Wharton's the Joke. replied
Henshaw. II don't suppose he ever
took girl anywhere ii his life He
boards where do"
The night OF the party Jin's cos
tune was certainly irreproachable,
and but for a certain shyness, which
troubled him more than 1t did any one
else, his manners were irreproachahle,
Elizabeth was the most tactful or
her sex. SO. when she found that her
attempts at conversation seemed
merely to startle and enbarrass her
escort, she alkad most OF the time to
Henshaw and Pauline Curtis, who
were her neighbors on the other side.
Being thus left TO himself, Jim was
free % enjoy the play.
II was several minutes after the
curtain had fallen on the final act be-
fore Elizabeth, who had been buslly
collecting her possessions. looked
around In search or Jim and dIscov-
cred that there was no such person
anywhere to be seen. She gave 4 lit
tie gurgIe OF mingled surprise and
amusement Henshaw turned toward
her at the sound. and when he saw
the vacant chair he. too. laughed.
"Ycu followed instructions too well.
Elizabeth he said = didn't mean
for you to obIiterate yourself 30 en-.
tirely that he could go beating II OF
alone like that
Not until Jim. stiIl chuckling to hirn-
self I'm retrospective enjoyment oR the
play, took out his watch and began to
wind 1t, which was bis first step ID the
process OF going to bed. was be AZ.
sailed By an unpleasant and all too
familiar sensation. He recognized It.
I've lost something" ne said 20
himself. beginning to feel about III his
pockets. He knit his brows and tried
to think Il couldn't have been his
ticket to the play. for he had been
there and come home again. Great
play he soliIoQuized. II don't know
when I've enjoyed anything so much.
y I wonder If Tom"
Here he struck cIew. why,
where Is Tom - he asked, thoughtful.
". we certainly went together :
Then. like q fash, II all came back
In one horrible, overwhelming Hood
When Tom returned and stopped in
Jim's room on his way to his own, he
found d pale, disheveled, detected
creature sitting on the side Or the bed.
one large shoe IA his hand. gazing
wildly into space. Jim turned bag.
gard face toward the intruder
Mice man you are!" said Tom, dis
gustedly. ANY time I undertake To
make social butterfly out 81 you
againi"
wharton groaned aSay." he asked
what does a fellow do when things
like this happen ~
Tom started for the door, smother.
ing q ven Of delight. They don't hap
pen. be said. chokingly. - ne disap-
peared.
About 5 o'clock the next morning
Henshaw was awakened by knock
on his door. When the door was
opened slightly Wharton's detected
countenance appeared In the crack.
TON" he said. rive hardly slept
4 wink. rye Just got TO dc some.
thing
rom reached for a pillow and threw
II at the long, sad face Go and do
It then, he shouted. But Il you
bother me again. TIl-''
The door closed on the uncompletr
ed sentence.
r Wharton could have seen EIiza.
heth's mirthful countenanee that eya-
ming when she read his name on the
card which the maid handed her he
would have been tempted TO dive
headIong out Of the window. When
she entered the room IL which be Was
waiting FIR her. however, she was in
smiling enough
Good evening. Mr. wharton, She
said, with cold pollteness. Wont
you have chair
IA chair" repeated Jim, looking
about wildly don't believe
need one, thank ron. That II. cant
stay but minute. Miss Blake.
wanted Tom to come with nae to xeIl
ynu what fool / am He knew I'd
do something awful He hadn't amy
business I'd make me 60 last night.
Miss Blake / don't know what III
say, he went "a. eheeriessIy sTf
there's anything ! en- ~ 50 sauare