Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-12
Evening Story
PETERS PENALTY.
BY A. Maria Crawford.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.

paper Syndicate.
"Peter, are you trying to make love
to me? Please don't! 1t isn't as If l
didn't understand" went on Dolly, des-
perately. Il have gone about good
deal, you know, and don't expect the
brothers of the girls l visit to pretend
to love me any more. In other words,
Peter, I'm sophisticated
"At twenty?" Peter smiled In mad
dening, big brother fashion.
Eyes. A woman at twenty is as old
as man at thirty-five."
''Oh, l say, Dolly, don't run 1t up on
me because my hair has turned gray
since you came"
"Since came? How can you tell
such stories shamelessly? Don't you
know that remember you made love
to my sister, Evelyn six years ago
when she visited your sister Mary?
recall that Evelyn thought you quite
distinguished because of that same
gray hair
What do you think about me?'
Gust what | think of Ted Vincent,
Harry Martin and the rest Of the men
here. You are all charming dinner,
dance and driving companions" laugh
ed Dolly, shaking her head at him.
Peter thought that all the gold of the
sun must have been shared into the
coils of curly hair above her piquant,
smiling face.
"You are the prettiest girl who ever
came to this town. l don't believe
there are eyes anywhere IN the world
as blue as yours
Dolly meditated, then looked up at
him frankly. Peter" she said quietly,
drop this role of pretended lover. Let
us be friends l need friend like
YOU
"You have lovers enough, suppose
he returned angrily.
II didn't mean that, but I hate the
idea of pretense in anything"
How can you know what is In my
heart? It's impossible"
can judge a mans attitude to one
woman by his attitude to other women
all his life. You make love too easily,
Peter, to be honest about it, When
man is in earnest, the words don't trip
off his tongue as easily as yours"
That's because am a lawyer. am
always serious Every case is vitality
important to me-
eyes, know, Peter. must be, about
the ninety-ninth case"
81 had reference to professional
cases.
"Lovemaking has grown to be sort
of profession with you, hasn't 1t, Peter?
Sorry you won't be my friend. need
advice, for am really in love-
And before his stunned senses could
comprehend what her announcement
meant to him, she was gone out of the
rose garden, where he had taken her
after tea He could hear her light
laughter on the gallery where his sis
ter dispensed refreshments to callers
who dropped in to greet the members
of her small house party.
Peter bit savagely through cigar,
tossed 1t away and started toward the
river. A brisk row up stream might
put him in shape to endure dinner
where Dolly, dear, radiant little Dolly,
would lift her wonderful eyes to the
lucky fellow who could teach her what
life meant when love had tuned her
heart in harmony with his. Out of the
dusk they seemed to smile in derision
at his pain, those wraith.like, shadowy
women who had gone before. He had
never expected them to take him seri-
ously. Women he thought, were dis
eliminating enough to know that
man was not always in love when he
held a soft hand a trlfe longer than
was necessary for mere friendly clasp.
It was not his fault If any of them had
been hurt Every women expected to
be told that she was sweet and pretty.
He had said, Il love YOU to many
girls, but never before had pain set
tied about his heart as If giant fingers
closed around that vital organ and
pressed down. Love was not the pretty
dream poets had conceived, 1t was a
dead weight crushing in mans chest
80 that his lungs no longer took and
gave the air freely with healthy animal
life. He heard the faint splash of dip
ping oars and rested, listening. The
name of Dolly caught his attention
dolly is certainly In love with him.
It will be fine match If he only re-
mains true to her, but you know how
lightly he takes such affairs. He will
probably break her heart"
"You can't tell about a man. came
deep voice in reply. >"She may be
able to hold him. I'll wager that every
eligible fellow in this place has pro-
posed to Dolly this past week"
"He will probably break her heart"
The words stayed in Peters brain. If
any man hurt Dolly, he would have to
answer for it with his life, Peter vowed
and taking UP his oars, turned back
home.
It was gay and fascinating Dolly
In q delicate shade of her favorite blue,
who sat beside Billy Carter across the
flower decked table from Peter that
evening at dinner Peter had always
disliked Billy Carter, and now he
found himself openly scowling at the
happy young fellow who, in the light
Of certain blue eyes, was blissfully ig-
norant of all unpleasantness in the
world
Peter meditated. Dolly had evident
ly fallen in love with Billy, who, some
how, despite his youth, always took
the blue ribbon in any contest where
:. was agreed the favor was to be won
by the man who could drink the most
and keep on his feet Peter reflected
"a