The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1913-11-08

Old man Opcnta from his position
In front OF tho stove. suddenly GOV.
erod hls face. llc clutched the
scat NJ his trousers with both
hands aud sprang forward, Then
tears came into his oyes and no
began 10 trcmhle.
What has happened 20 you,
tathcrG" cried Opcnta.
Id Is doug" said tho old mau
in n choking voice Il haf purned
my pridgos pohind be"
Oleskalki scowled at the old
man. You ought 10 have known
better than TO stand so close TO the
stove he said. Como. openta. o.
We shall DO latel"
Tho old man scowled At Odcs
kalki
The young mon put on their
overcoats. Opeuta hcsltnted, look
ed for moment sheeplshly AZ
Odeskalki. and then. turning 10 the
little bride. opened his arms with
complete trankness. She ran into
them.
Odeskalh fixed his handsome,
scowi'ng Dyes upon them. Il hope
you viii be happy" no said. but |
do not think much ever comes OF
hoping"
For two hours Odeskalki. Openta
and six other walters worried swift
ly TO promote the comfort ~ 30
young gentlemen who had come 10
sit on tho outer edges ~ hollow
square and make beasts OF them
selves. The hollow In the white
linen square was occupied by four
descending banks OF maidenhRir
and roses which terminated at the
edges OF n square mirror bottomed
tank. In the tank pair OF gor-
yeous ducks swan Occasionally
food was tossed 20 them In tho
shape OF bread pellets. celery ends
and even olives. which they ate
with avidity But the supply be-
came az length greater than the de-
mand, and tho water In the tank
began 10 look less like good Croton
than bad soup. Whenever their
duties brought them close together
Odeskalk whispered sour com
ments 20 Oponta
Let them look TO us for good
manners, That fellow with red
hair has no more breeding than a
hog. Give me wealth and cham.
payne. and would not talk like a
sewer"
He became more and more dis.
pleased with his own lot and WAS
inclined to visit his wrath on iuof-
fensive Openta.
such a husband" he said. You
should have stayed with your wife
tonight, even II you lost your posi-
ton by doing SO Instead. you are
skipping about like monkey and
currying favor with the rich Have
some spirit: initiate me when you
FIJI a glass. 10 not look as II the
act we're a pleasure. but a condo
scension."
Odsskalki. for all his scowllng.
kept ! ready eye on opportunity and
had already drunk enough cham
pagle out OF partially emptied bot
ties 20 make his blood boil. Ever
since the afternoon. when he had
seen Olenka for tho first time. he
had bcen bitter with fate Her girl.
lshness. Innocence and beauty had
exerted n powerful attraction on the
man. and as the champagne mount
ed to his head he began to imagine
scenes In which he figured as he.
lover instead OF his friend. Only
ie, thls silly Openta have a care
he thought
a screen OF leather In ono corner
shielded from view n table covered
with removes and great tub con
tanning Ice and champagne. Sey
eral times during the dinner Odos
kalki and openta found themselves
alone behind this screen. On one
occasion Odeskalh filled two glass
es with champagne. and said
Quick. man--to Olenkn,"
Opcnta hesitated.
Curse you" said Odeskalki in q
fierce whisper. II viii not be
friends with n man who will MOI
drink TO his own wife"
OpeIta had a weak head. and
/ that one glass stimulated him won
derfully II was not difficult fol
Odestalki TO persuade him 10 take
another.
The third glass openta drank al
his own instigatlon.
A few minutes later Opents
dropped an armful OF plates. ant
the other walters cursed him
4 Champagne had made it's appear
ance with the oysters. Signs o.
drunkenness were now beginning Il
be evident among the diners Thu
walters were receiving considerable,
presents OF money and secret dlrec
tons to keep particular .glasse.
filled.
Men left their places and carried
their chairs TO more alluring neigh
borhoods. Little groups surrounded
tho humorists and roared wifi
laughter whenever these spoke
Men whom the champagne affected
TO seriousness drew aside In pairs
and with heads nodding close to
gether, emptied their hearts OF mat
ters which for the moment seemed
OF paramount. Importance. Some
times they sniffled and shed tears
John Tombs snatched coffee
pot from a walter and poured III
contents on the floor Openta. from
whose hands the coffee-pot hai
been snatched. giggled He wa
also drunk.
The dinner began TO break IN
The young gentlemen left tn
room by twos and threes. Down
stairs In the main hall OF tn
restaurant there was a great pu,
ting on OF hats and coats; man
OF the latter we're lined with ex
penslve fur. Electric hansoms re
ceived drunken cargos on NOR
pleasure bent And, like the gees
In the song.
"One flew east and ono flew west
AND one flew over the cuckoo
nest"
HHf tho future 0r1a.-z