The Washington herald., 1914-01-30
Daily Short Story
THE FIRST THAW.
By JOANNA SINGLE.

BY JOANNA SINGLE.
II was lat. I'm January. one OF those
first days of thaw when the sun Is hot
for a few days. and the world seems 10
melt beneath Il. After that things freeze
again. but real spring Is not far away.
On such a day Doris Carson walked up.
II was a simple but strange little cir
cum.tance that walked her. She ove:s
heard what was net intended FOR her-
Her own mother was talking to her
father. and Doris, snoozins on the SOFA
after her hard days work. caught every
word when they thought her safely up
stairs.
Doris is nearly thirty said her
father If she's ever going TO marry
she ought TO marry now. IL Jerry Pier
wants her he'd better marry her. He's
kept ether men off for five years now.
I've a notion to refuse him the house.
John Carson growled and ratified his
paper.
Hes never really made love to her, i
guess" said the mother II don't know
why, but you can't question Doris She
keeps to herself. And he's an old friend
perhaps he's never meant any more
than friendship. Anyhow, j wisht she'd
wake UP. She's always pretty and sweet
That Peter Jeffries would give his ears
to get her. but i don't want her to be
a second wife-with two children TO be-
gin on. But I do wish she'd see that
Jerry is taking all her time and giving
her nothing He's always around here.
should think she'd begin to see that
she's under his thumb"
| shes bound, a Id he's free-it amounts
to that. I'll bring him to his senses IL
this goes On much longer" said the
father rising. Come. let's get to bed
The anxious pair turned out the lights
and went upstairs, but Doris, her heart
in her mouth, lay silent, glad they did
not discover her. So-that's what prob
ably the whole world thought because
Jerry did net ask her to marry him, She
had been very unhappy about this, not
knowing whether he loved her or was
simply a most devoted friend.
Her parents talk stung and hurt both
her heart and pride Was she letting her
| fondness for Jerry Pier destroy all
womanly dignity in herself. Then and
there she resolved to take action-and
her mothers hint about Peter Jeffries.
| She liked the bluff, manly young widower.
Several times he had called on her, but
Jerry had always been on the spot. and
! outstayed him. She stole noiselessly to
bed, but not to sleep. II was dawn be-
| fore she lost consciousness, but she had
decided upon a course of action-Jerry
| should not think that she was wax in his
| hands.
The next morning Doris arranged her
pretty hair in a new and less prim fash
| ion touched up her dark blue office dress
with a fetching crimson tie. and wore her
best cloak and hat. She bought bunch
OF violets for her lapel. and hummed a
song as she walked instead of riding, and
the fresh wind whipped a glow into her
smooth. dark cheeks. Sometimes she met
Jerry, and he turned and walked back
with her a few blocks. But this time
something new happened. She had not
gone halfway to the office before Peter
Jefrries came gayly along behind her,
overtaking her.
well. Miss Doris Carson. you look good
| to me this nne morning. May l walk
with you? For I'm going to. anyhow;
only 1 have to mind my feet. for my
neckl'll be twisted with looking at you
I wonder IL you know her pretty you
arer'
Doris laughed at him, but II pleased her.
She coquetted with him delicately. and
IL had been long since she had played
with any man but Jerry. Now Jenries
marked her flowers.
"vioIetsr'' he said. We'll. IL Pier can
give YOU violets, I can add a pink rose.
Let's stop here" They stopped at
florists, and Just as they came out across
the street Doris saw Jerry himseif. he
lifted his hat. and she bowed and walked
on with the other man. Something made
Jeffries know that his chance had come.
Wont you go with me to see spring
tide at the Met tonight? It's a pretty
NAV. I'm told, and I'd enjoy it-with you.
Please his laughing voice coaxed her:
II should like it," she said. III De
ready. Here's my office.
well, good-by till this evening. In n
, moment he was gone
1 Doris. in spite of a sleepless night,
had a good day. Perhaps 1t was pride,
Il common sense. or pique. but mentally
she seemed to get away from Jerry Pier.
Al the noon hour she went TO good
shop and spent so rear hundred dollars
that she decided not to add up and find
ont exactly how much had gone for gay
,airnent that she did not really need
n pretty oress a pretty cloak. and hat
and gloves. and all in shades of brown
and yellow, to brins out the browns Of
her hair and eyes and the clear pallor
of her skin.
i Jerry Pier always came to Carsons
when he liked without warning. He had
dome so for wears. and always he found
Doris waiting.
He was quiet and a little slow. and
lived with n few other men in a sort
of half-club. alf-bcarding-house fashion
that fosiered the male brute's natural
selfishness-
So Il happened tonight that he came
to Carsons' just as Doris. looking like
a pretty dark doll. trippcd down the
stairs Jeffries had not arrived yet.
where In the world are you going
in all that glory. Doris?'' he asked, his
eyes wide.
ITO the theater-with Peter Jeffries."
she answered gayly. pulling on her
gloves. "How dc. you like my fine
feathers? Do they make a pretty fire
bird?- There was something maddeningly
saucy about her.
The bird was fine without the feathers.