The Washington herald., 1914-07-22
DAILY SHORT STORY.
PREC1PITATING MATTERS.
ny LOUISE OLIVER.
tCopyriEht, 1914.
Hello. Is that you Dickie?"

Yes. How are you today. May. dear
esf?''
''Fine. Say. Dick. dear. do something
for me, will you?'
The very idea OF asking me that. Any
thing I've gots yours. My life! Any old
thing"
We'll. don't want your lfe-or-Or
any old thing. You must not take your
| self so lightly. But TO be serious, I'd like
to borrow a little Of the muscle you an
next on the footbH field. l want you to
help me with something"
I'll move the Washington monument
for you
''sirly! only want you to carry a trav-
cling bag"
"A travelling bag! Are you going
away"
Not very far Only over to the Set
! tIement House on the south side. I'm
! taking over some children's books I've
dug up in the attic and they are heavy
as lead"
AN right. honey. I'll be out right
away"
Oh. no. no. in alarm. Father will
be sure to fnd out II you come TO the
house. / just can't face another storm. I"
"welI?'
Nora is as strong as horse. She can
Narry 1t to the car for me Then IL you
meet me at Fremont street and help me
| across the square TO the Hampton street
car, / will be very much obliged l get
on right in front OF the Settlement
| House and the rest Is easy. OF course, l
I could get a messenger but"
But"
u haven't seen you for almost a
week"
You darling"
AT ), then. ,l!
| At sharp"
"Good-by."
Good-by. Ioveliest girl in the world!'
ner. Mays place across the table was
empty.
Lucy. where is MISS MayT'
81 don't know. Mr.. Milton. I'll ask
Nora" In minute Lucy returned
Nora says she went out al 2:3o.'
Tell Nora to come here"
Nora appeared in the doorway.
Where did Miss May go?''
Il don't know, Mr.. Milton She went
out at 2:SO with a travelling bag I
helped her to carry 1t to the street car"
''Thunderation: Didn't she say where
she was going?'
No, sir.
Mr.. Milton went to the telephone and
called up his sister, Mrs. Morrow.
Kate. do you know anything about
May? She went some place with a trav-
cling bag and left me no word
Now. don't blow up. brother John.
Yes. l do know something and was just
wondering about it, Jimmy was coming
from school at 3 o'clock, when he saw
May and Dick Witherow get into taxi
cab at the corner Of Fremont street and
the square. They had travelling bag"
D. Why couldn't you tell me? It's
too late now
why. brother john
DO you suppose that presumptuous,
overgrown pup has run OF with my
daughter? I'll break his - neck"
II don't suppose anything at all. I
know something though. That II they
haven't run OF. wish they had. II
would serve you right for talking that
way to your sister. Besides like Dick.
u don't, and I'll show him! I'll show
everybody! The gall! The-the-'
Mr. Milton was beyond further speech.
The receiver dropped from his hand.
He paced up and down the hall like
Gagged lion. May, run on with Dick
Witherow, May, married to Dick With
crow, He hated the whole family! One
time Dicks father had cheated him!
What he meant was that one time the
elder Witherow had frustrated an at
tempt on his own part to do some money
juggling.
He ate no dinner. He sat in the dark
ening library watching the clock. Seven
struck and no daughter appeared. The
house was deathly quiet. II seemed as
II some one were dead. May. his little
May, was gone. He was lonely. child
less old man. She would never come
back. She knew he would never forgive
her,
when Mr. Milton dropped the receiver.
Mrs Morrow hung up her own. She
walked thoughtfully into the dining
room and sat down to her unfinished
meal.
"I was Just thinking. believe I'll call |
up Dick witherow and tell him that II he |
hasn't already married May Milton he
may as well do II right away. He's got |
the credit for II, anyway, and brother |
John will be colled OF by the time they |
get home. I know brother John. He'll |
come around, all right"
So Dick witherow, his face half-lath- |
cred, half shaved. answered the phone in !
his bedroom and heard Mrs. MoTrow's |
astounding proposition. And in two min
utes he had communicated the idea to |
May, who was at the Settlement House. |
detained by a wrangle OF the house COM
mittee.
At o'clock, while Mr.. Milton watched
the clock the rector of St Stephens was
tying the nuptial knot, and Dick Withe-
row and May Milton were pronounced
man and wife.
At s o'clock Mr.. Milton tottered to his
room. He had not been so desolate for
years. How could he ever manage to
live without bright, happy little May?
Suddenly a thought came to him. He
need not live without here. What had ever
put such thought into his head? He
would tell her-tell them-to come home.
After all a son-in-law wouldn't make
much difference. Now that II was over
he rather admired the young mans
nerve. He had never given him credit
for v,aurh Nriffa ffva