The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1914-12-10
OLD MRS. DOLLAR.
Copyright 1918. By W. Werner

made an acquaintance She is differ
ent, just as | am different. It's hard
sometimes to he different I'm going
over to speak to her"
Miss Sue was timid hut determined
She closed her book and went over aud
sat down In the vacant chair beside
old Mrs Dollar And she said the
only thing she could think NJ Just then,
which was, Isn't the sea beautiful
This, however, was enough to start
the conversation Old Mrs. Dollar
was very intelligent, with shrewd
estimate " human nature II freshen.
ed Miss Sues wits Ia keep mp with
her. She laughed u great deal. Old
Mrs Dollar laughed, too. They soon
forgot everybody hut each other II
was amazing how far they went along
the way Of friendship In a single hour.
After that they were much together
I They walked together, sat on the
rocks together aud always talked Mrs
Dollar was reserved but entertaining.
The sea was no novelty to her She
sometimes mentioned things and places
she had seen abroad, yet she never
gave any direct information about her.
self She did, however, with consum-
mate cleyerness learn the whole story
~ Miss Sues life-how she had strug.
gled for an education and then taught
school and taken care Of her paralytic
father until he died how absolutely
alone she WIS, and what a reckless
extravaganza she was committing In
staying nj the Sea View. using money
which she some time might wofully
need
but when look in the glass and
saw all those gray hairs on top Of my
head" confessed Miss Sue, II got
frightened. | just made mp my mind
that I'd have my good time anyway
! shan't mind pinching when have
the beautiful memory Of all this" She
waved her hand toward the sea, dark
blue and ridden by white caps. while
old Mrs Dollar considered her at.
tentively.
After a week old Mrs. Dollar went
away She didn't say she was going or
even bid Miss Sue good-by. II was,
Miss Sue reflected, u bit " her &c
centricity to depart In this noiseless
manner. Yet after 80 much companion.
ship Miss Sue felt that she was bound
10 he more lonely than ever. She miss
ed Mrs, Dollar exceedingly
She came back to the little hotel
one afternoon 10 find a new arrival
ii handsome. elderly man who seem
ed 10 he creating something Of sen
satlon among the ladies'. Later she
] learned that his name was Dempster,
and that he was very much somebody
or other In fact, she remembered To
have seen his name In the papers con.
nected with some phllanthropic move.
ment He looked like man who
would do kind, unusual, beneficial
things, Miss Sue told herself.
She could not help watching him
whenever he was In her presence. she
thought he was the grandest man she
I A"N WV Hffh nv AhlhAf ~ NNhiAlNt ~
magnificent. She understood that he
was unmarried, and II seemed a pity.
II, was his own fault clearly that he
was not married, for every woman at
the Sea View, young, old and other.
wise, fluttered around him. He re-
garded them all with beautiful i'm,
partiality which allowed OF no con.
cessions He seemed TO be waiting for
some one that did not come, but
whether man or woman nobody knew
Miss Sue came to his attention at
last She was sitting on the sand M
der parasol, reading. In attempting
TO turn refractory page she lost con.
trol Of the parasol, and II went bowl.
Ink away provokingly before the
strong breeze. She sprang W and
ran after II, but II was headed for
the water, and she would never have
got II again had II not been for Mr..
Dempster. He had come out on the
sands 10 smoke. had seen the runaway
parasol and was quicker than she. He
snatched II Just AZ II was about Ia
collide with wave, and restored II
TO her Miss Sue was very grateful
and abe tried TO tell him No. The In.
cldent acted as an Introduction. and
after that they always spoke. Once
or twice he even talked TO her little
while at the table, much to the an
Loyance Of the lady at his right and
tho other lady opposite him. II sad
dened Miss Sue a little that the other
women should find her so different a,
to feel II remarkable that Mr.. Demp
ster should even speak TO her
4 II was Joyful surprise TO her when
without any previous announcement
old Mrs. Dollar returned 40 joyfu
that shc gave little cry and klsset
the ugly cheek nearest her Old Mrs
Dollar did not look displeascd.
"My-,lear child believe you'v,
missed me-" she said.
Missed your" stammered Mlsi
Sue,
Well perhaps you1l understand
bow much ! have missed y0u when
tell you that only one person has talk