The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-09-18
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! the ~IcdQIdI thONSht ndd been put lntO
execution. He had been certain he
would need some artificial courage.
It gathered in his soul and helped
him fashion an extraordinary smile
yacuous and tremulous, but none tho
less q smile.
'Niola?' haZardcd a reckless youth
across the table. and Viola (who was
present IN the makeup which she had
worn from the stage OF q near theater.
whore she had, that evening, acted
powerfully the part Of a wronged and
innocent maidenhoodD hoped wildly for
an instant. Perhaps Broadway. in his
cups, had decided on this most unusual
way Of asking her the fateful ques-
ton, She had had high hopes Of him.
Perhaps"
40" he answered thichly, Guess
again. Three guesses. It's going to
take some brains. | tell you that, In
tellect's the only thing'l do it. Who
ever gnesses right gets a cigar"
There was only che among the
ladies present who was not favored
~ ~ 1i'1AldiA'G DAilAiI, anu mat
one was the right one.
Guesser after guesser named some
OF the young and vivid creatures Of
that almost wholly young and vivid
feminine company, nOne guessed the
only faded flower in the gay group.
Broadway, never dreaming OF the ag-
ony which filed the faded flowers
much powdered bosom because Of the
omission Of her name, feeling few emo
tons, really, other than the keen sen
sation OF relief from his financial wor-
ries, stood smiling somewhat ~vacantly,
upon the puzzled party.
GO On, guess with your brains" he
gcnjally suggested. It's mind. not
foot-work, tEat viii win the prize
Hut none guessed.
Realizing that in this was something
Hike reelection on her fitness for the
cOretable position Of consort to the
youth, Mrs. Gerard attracted every
ones attention. presently, by Il won
dorfuily feigned embarrassment as she
rose and stood by D%roadWay'5 side.
Tho party gasped, but rose to the oc-
casion as soon as it could get ita
breath again. 1t was incredible. and
there were those among the guests
who were so sure of this that they
believed a joke was hidden somewhere
IN the episode, but the majority were
80 well trained to BrOadWay's genius
for nrnluofpr rooJ tror-o1,r ,Lot
they simply charged this up as one CT
them.
4 dancer who had been brought up
from the cabaret below after one
o'clock and closing time had come,
sprang lightly to a table, and, to the
destruction of the floral lobster and
some notably fine glassware, did a gay
pas-Seul among the wrecks of sangui-
nary shells and emptied bottles. The
head waiter smiled. knowing that
whatever might be broken would be
charged up in the bill at double value
and paid for without question by the
sensational spendthrift, 10 whose own
wealth was now linked the extraordi-
nary fortune of the recent John Gerard
wholesale leather who had made his
millions, married a very vital lady
Of his own ripe years and then died OF
sheer antiquity, to leave her, trium-
phant in superior vitality, relict and
craving for that gaiety which life with
him had not provided.
"B%roadway!" breathed the ancient
lady with a SkflIful stimulation oF ON
harrassment. You naughty. naughty
boy
Naughty. possibly: but how ex-
tremely lucky" said the wholly un-
expected br'degroom-elect without a
culver, much 20 his own surprise and
self-congratulation.
AS it broke up the party rIoteG with
Joy, very largely alcoholic. Mrs. &c
rard's Ear when II came up from its
hiding place around the corner. was