Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-20
Evening Story
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
BY Dorothy Douglas.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

Copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Mary Gordon's eyes withdrew from
the eager questioning in Thompsons
faithful eyes.
Then you do not love me, Nary
he said in hopeless, tired voice.
Mary turned abruptly toward him
and spoke rapidly, nervously. "Why,
Jack, I've never even thought of such
a thing short laugh echoed
through her words. "You have al
ways seemed to think as much of Kate
and Julia and Mabel as you did Of
me-"
81 might have known your refusal
was a foregone conclusion" put in
Jack quietly, 80 I will not press the
matter further. You and have been
thrown together enough for you to
realize just where I stand in your af-
fections." He rose and extended his
hand. ''Forget this little incident,
Mary, and our friendship will continue
as before"
A slight frown puckered the girls
brow, whether from pique or sense
Of indecision she knew not. She rose
and gave him her hand, but there was
q lack of o4d-time warmth in her wig
ers. 1t was as If they were shaking
hands for the first time.
When he had gone, Mary sank into
a chair and her eyes remained fixed.
Nov, why in this broad green earth
has Jack singled me out of all the
girk?' He is the best friend a girl
could have, but as for marrying him
-n Mary laughed lame little laugh;
It was but an echo Of her habitual
Joyous outburst. "He is too deliberate
have to have the patience of Job as
veA - the energy of Turk. Jack is
% perfectly insane on the subject OF
enAart1fning his friends" Mary let
I'm q reg1etful sigh. Perhaps Jacks
Eaual oompanionship was thing Of
the past. 'Tor meat least" she
ended and realized that she would envy
that privilege Kate and Mabel and
JulA retained.
When Mabel telephoned, later in the
day, to get her receipt for favorite
layer cake which they were going to
bake for Jacks birthday, she was sur
prfsed at the sense of irritation that
f~s~NO~
came over her.
II will give you the recipe" Mary
said over the telephone, but I have
changed my mind about going to his
party tonight
The surprise in Mabel's voice at the
other end Of the line brought a guilty
flush. to Mary's cheeks. She was I'M
usually peevish to her dearest friend.
When she had hung up the receiver
she was sorry for her hasty and I'M
premeditated refusal
"They will have d dandy time" she
sighed. Jack always knows how to
make people enjoy themselves. can
at least 20 over to brother Henrys
and watch the party from his win
dow"
In the evening forlorn figure sat
in the darkened room of brother
Henry's" apartment Fortunately for
her lone watch Mary's brother had
gone out and she was left to witness
the festivities in Jack Thompson's
bachelor suite There was distance
of but twenty-five feet between the
windows.
Later. when she heard the CHEEKY
congratulations of Jacks friends
when they arrived, Mary felt very
small and mean. She realized that
her absence was the one discordant
note in an otherwise harmonious
evening.
AS she watched and listened it
dawned upon her with compelling
force that her self-imposed martyr
dom was not only selfish in the ex-
treme, but also bar to her own hap
piness.
n want to be there" she told her
sell with a little twisted smile. II
nm one Of Jacks friends
During the next hour she felt very
mach Ike spirit joining in that happy
thsung. She was there, yet not there.
T1,At they were having splendid
evening was evident from the peals of
IsaghAer that rang out across the
court. Jacks laugh was frequent and,
It seemed to Mary, spontaneous.
But friendship is gifted with keen
eEa9. md those who knew and loved
Jaek Thompson discerned the shadow
behind his laughing eyes and the
bRenk tn his laughter. Perhaps for
thAt reason the gayety was exagger-
xted. One and all seemed willing to
aid Jack In his endeavor to enact
1flBeeent robe.
Il don't think Jack cares for me one
BIT" sighed Mary, and was not aware
that the realization hurt. My absence
doesn't seem to have the slightest
effect on his pleasure. After ALL
am not very important person
1t that moment Mary leaned for.
ward the better to hear the converse.
ton of Mabel and Julia. They had
entered the small room adjoining the
diningroom in order to make the
necessary sartorial touches before en-.
joying Jacks special brand of rarebit.
whats up with Mary that she did
not Gomez Julia asked. do you
think anything has happened-be
tween her and Jack?"
Mary Johnson leaned forward and
caught swift breath.
"Well," Mabel returned, II have
thought lately that Jack was sort OF
leaning toward Mary
~ think he had better lean a lit