Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-28
THE EVENING STORY.
OLD MRS. DOLLAR.
Copyright. 1914. by ". werner)

Copyright 1914. by ". Werner.)
She was rather ugly and she had not
that manner which sometimes gets for
giveness for an unpleasant appearance.
Before she had been at the Sea View
two days everybody was calling her
that cranky old Mrs Dollar" Every
body save Miss Sue.
Miss Sue was still wondering to find
herself at the Sea View. 1t was a recll-
less extravaganza on her part. She
had taught patiently for years and
saved her money against that rainy
day which perpetually threatens the
wage Garner Some time. she had prom
Used herself, she would seek out the
sea and have one glorious, real vaca-
ton in the presence of its beauty. For
many years she spent her annual
periods of freedom from school work
dreaming about the ocean and making
her clothes for the next year. Then,
one day she looked in the glass and
was amazed to find that lines and gray
hairs were coming. IF you're ever go
ing to have a piaytime you'll have to
hurry. Soon be too Old she told her
self 1t CHANGED to be in May and she
felt curiously reckless. There and then
she made her decision and sent for cir
culars.
Thus 1t came about that two months
later she was at the Sea View, which
was, of course, far too expensive, al
rooms. up under the roof, with only
one window. But from that window
she could watch the sea. And she
didn't MIND the stairs; having climbed
licious and she had just as much right
to the porch chairs any one. No
body noticed her clothes, because no
body noticed her. She was lonely, but
. Iap I've
she had books. She was as happy as
she ever had been in her life.
one day she noticed Mrs. Dollar. who
sat near her in porch chair. Mrs.
lonely indeed. shes not used to it,
Miss Sue thought "She has been here
two days and she hasn't made an ac-
quaintance. She is different. just as
am different. It's hard sometimes to
be different. + mgoing over to speak
to her"
Miss Sue was timid but determined.
She closed her book and went over and
old Mrs Dollar. And she said the only
thing she could think of just then,
which was: Isn't the sea beautiful
This. however. was enough to start
very intelligent. with a shrewd esti
mate of human nature. 1t freshened
Miss Sues wits to keep up with her.
She laughed a great deal. Old Mrs.
everybody but each other. 1t was
amazing how far they went along the
way Of friendship in a single hour.
After that they were much together.
together and always talked. Mrs. Dollar
was reserved but entertaining. The |
sea was no novelty to her. She some
times. mentioned things and places she
any direct Information about herself. |
She did, however, with consummate
cleverness learn the whole story of
Miss Sues life-how she had struggled
for an education and then taught school
and taken care of her paralytic father
until he died; how absolutely alone she
was. and what a reckless extravaganza
she was committing in staying at the
Sea View. using money which she some |
time might woefully need.
But when | looked in the glass and
saw all those gray hairs on top of my
head confessed Miss Sue. II got
that I'd have my good time anyway.
shan't mind pinching when I have
the beautiful memory of all this" She |
waved her hand toward the sea. dark
blue and ridden by whitecaps, while |
old Mrs. Dollar considered her atten-
lively.
After a week Old Mrs. Dollar went
away. She didn't say she was going
or even bid Miss Sue goodbye. 1t was, |
Miss Sue reflected, bit of her eccen-
tricity to depart in this noiseless man
ner. Yet after so much companionshp
Miss Sue felt that she was bound to be |
more lonely than ever. She missed Mrs |
Dollar exceedingly.
She came back to the little hotel one
afternoon to find a new ARRIVAL
handsome. elderly man who seemed to
be creating something of sensation
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 connected with
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
had ever Seen-so I'm, courtly, so
magnificent. She understood that he
was unmarried and it seemed a pity. |
ut was his own fault clearly that he
was not married. for every woman at
the Sea View, young, old and other |
wise, futtered around him. He re-
garded them all with beautiful i'm
Partially 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
under parasol, reading. In attempt
ing to turn a refractory page she lost
control of the parasol and It went
bowling away provokingly before the