The Washington herald., 1914-07-20
cUPD'S GINGHAM APRON.
NJ LOUISE MEsERvE.

invftanon u contained was oouoly A.
turing.
Don't you want q breath Of country
air?" It read. II know where we can get
lots Of 1t and q good country dinner, too.
Please come, won't you? Yours most
hopefully, Jimmie Dulin.'
The bell boy wan moving about uneas-
iiy. He had been standing at least five
minutes now and Il seemed TO him that
the pretty young girl with the very
black hair and the very blue eyes was
slow OF decision. Suddenly, however, she
spoke
you can tell Mr.. Dulin that I'll be
down In the hotel once In q quarter of
an hour" she said, and then she fairly
showed the small messenger out Of the
room for fear that she would change her
mind.
For she couldn't help owning that what
she was about to do was q rather uncon-
ventional thing. this going for a Jaunt
into the country with a man to whom she
had never been formally introduced. And
the fact that she had been in vaudeville
for some four years and had never be-
fore dreamed OF accepting an invitation
from a travelling man she did not know
did not make It any the easier.
She argued with herself all the time
that she was arranging her hair and hat.
II was different this time. Jimmie Dulin
had been making the same towns with
her for over six months now. Again and
again she had seen him on the streets.
run across him in hotel ofnces. In fact.
she had even picked him out in various
audiences when the theater was SUM-
ciently empty to allow OF easy recognI-
ton of friends.
II was only In this last town that the
waiter had put him at the same table
with her. and as they were the only oc-
cupsnts Of the table and practically alone
in the entire dining-room. II was
no more than natural that they should
have fallen into conversation. And when
she turned the key in her bedroom door
Il was with the resolve in her heart that
she was going to have a pleasant time.
whether she had broken all the proprie-
ties or not
He was standing by the desk waiting
for her and he held out his hand in cor
dial greeting.
I'm awfully glad that you'd come" he
said. II thought at luncheon you looked
as though a taste OF the country would
agree with you nightly. But II took me
some hours to get my nerve to the asking
point
Kitty laughed happily. and returned his
confidence promptly.
Same here. Mr.. Dulin. II took me some
minutes TO get my nerves to the accepting
point. But was so dreadfully lonesome
that my scruples Just seemed TO vanish
away"
Jimmie Dulin nodded understandIngly.
II know how you feel. and lonesomeness
isn't any fun. The queer part OF II is
that you don't get over it with the years.
Now here I have been drumming Il
over eight States during the last eight
years, and honestly, I get Just as blue
and lonesome and disgusted at times as
4 did the very first year I was out How
long have you been trouping it?" he
asked.
work because singing and dancing were
the easiest things that did. and have
stayed in II because they are the only
things ] can make any money at. OF
course. it's worse sometimes than others.
Often have friends playing on the same
bill with me, or again, there are nice
people with whom get acquainted. For
the last four weeks, though. it's been
just dreadful"
Queer the waiter put US down at the
same table. I've been wondering all
Do you know how long II has been since
asked rather abruptly.
I haven't an idea" she answered.
We'll, do II was the 6th OF last Sep
tember. in Sioux Falls. I made up my
mind then that II lived and you lived
I was going TO have this very walk in the
country with you, some time. somehow -
They talked on. one subject leading nat
urally enough to another. Jimmie Dulin
seemed in a most confidential frame OF
mind and Kitty was an absorbed listener
You know I am not going to keep at
this sort Of wandering much longer. At
the end Of this year I'm through with il
all. and it's the quiet business life in some
small town for me-"
What are you going to do?''
They had come to a small cottage now
II was all white and green and stood
back from the walk.
Why. am going to build some such
place as this and run a retail store In
some such town as this" He stopped
short. This is where we are going to
get that home-cooked country dinner
promised you. A distant relative OF mine
lives here and her home is always open
to me and my friends whenever I am in
this town"
The woman that answered the door bell
had such a merry pair OF eyes and such
an all-embraclng smile OF welcome that
Kitty felt at home at once
You folks are a little early for that
fried chicken you smell" she laughed
But just make yourselves comfortable
out on that side porch till the gravy gets
mixed and the coffee boils."
At dinner II was the aunt who was the
mirth OF the occasion. She was a woman
long past fifty. but her laughter was as
CONTAGIOUS as that OF a girls. and the
"reminiscences she told OF Jimmie's boy
hood made Kitty feel as though she
were already an old-tirne friend.
It's awfully lucky that I don't have
the chance to eat like this every day
said Kitty as she finished the last Of her
cherry pie and shook her head reluctant
ly over the impossibility of devouring the
other piece still on the plate. Il would
have to give up singing and dancing for
q living"
Afterward Kitty insisted on helping
with the dishes, and as Jimmie an
nounced that he was going to be her side
partner, the aunt was forced to retire to
the porch.
My, but you sure do look a picture in
ardently. He was plainly too absorbed
in Kitty to be Of much practical help to
her.
dress?" she asked.
"A thousand times so! Why L could
just"
told. A crash of a huge platter inter-
rupted. Kitty had dropped the dish she
had in her hands. and chicken and gravy
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