Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-07-31
The Evening Story
THE MAN.

Copyright, 1914, by w. Werner.)
Ceclly King rose from her white
enamelled iron bed at 6 o'clock. She
had retired at 8 the night before and
slept like a log" which was her syn
onym for the dreamless profundity Of
healthy, young slumber. The crinkly
glass over her bureau showed that
there We're roses in her cheeks. There
was no sunshine in her room save that
of her rich hair. But with those roses
and that sunshine Cecily managed to
be happy and content.
h had a great appetite for break,
fast and set about preparing it.. She
lit the gas jet,' got a couple Of eggs,
an orange and-a tin OF condensed milk
from the window ledge, which vas
her refrigerator; opened a fresh pack
age of biscuit and brewed her cocoa.
Having forfeited herself against the
mornings toll, she put her room in
order, pinned On her little black hat,
slipped on her little blue Goa and set
forth in brave spirits from her castle.
1t was Monday morning and the mill
of the city was getting into motion
early. She did not feel tagged, and
decided to walk a few blocks before
taking her car. She had plenty of
time for it, ven for lettering. The
air was soft. Women We're wearing
summer gear Spring was abroad in
the land. Somewhere anemones. and
hepaticas were shyly blooming; trees
showed the mahogany redness of
bursting buds, grass was upspringing,
bright and lush. Cecily knew where.
Was she not Of the country born? She
knew that this dry, gray city was not
all of the world, that it did not hold
all there was of joy and springtime.
The city was a kind of workshop
where necessity confined her, but she
H,oIJ11 coo thrn,Iol - ct@-o ND Install
and mortar and get glimpses Of all
the green and gold loneliness that lay
waiting and beckoning her beyond.
Some time when she got money
enough she was going back home to
the country. That was e hope and
her dream.
"A vender with his push cart full Of
flowers detained her. She bought a
nickel's worth Of daffodils and pinned
them upon her blue coat. A moment
later her car came by and she board
ed it.
The car was crowded. She caught
q strap n balanced herself deftly.
There was a line of straphangers.
The man next to her was reading the
mornings newspaper. She peeped. past
7 his shoulder and became fascinated
by a headline. Presently she realized
that the paper had approached nearer
so that she could e more easily.
h realized also that the maj had
a daffodil in his buttonhole, that he
was young, that he did not smell of
cheap tobacco, that he appeared oddly
familiar. a sudden exodus cleared
the car somewhat and she was able
to sit down. The man read on. She
could not help observing him. She
seemed to have seen him a thousand
! times before.
The car stopped at her corner and
she got off. The man also go off.
He crossed the street and went into
a big office building. She turned and
entered at the side door of the depart
ment store where she worked.
All that morning the thought of
him constantly required to her. BY
the time she had sold her seventh
blouse she was beginning to be angry
with herself for not rememberino-
where she had seen him BEFORE. "I
know he's from the country" she
reasoned. HE has, that look. It's
unmistakable. And I know I know
him. l must know,htn4rs,rshe wouldn't
appear 50 famihaErYryeS lever met
he must be somebody I've known be-
fore. He. noticed me. too. When he
went out he looked at me. I thought
he was going to give me his paper.
wonder if I shall see him again"
1t was quite improbable, of course,
that she would ever see him again.
And vet next morning when she took
the car there he was with his paper.
He had a seat and he got up and gave
it to her. She thanked him. It came
to her that he, or somebody exactly
like him, had done the same thing
before.
That night they Travelled up town
again in company. They sat on OPP
to look at each other. 1t was very
embarrassing and very interesting. A
tangle of traffic delayed the car. It
began to rain, too. Cecily had no UNI
hrella. The rain began a down
pour. When the car stopped Cecily