Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-01
THE WOMAN AND The HOUor
The Daily Story
At the Court of Rex

big department store on Canal stree
and scanned the surging crowd befor
her It was Mardi Gras Day in Ne'
Orleans, and the Pretty Maiden had bee
in town only three hours, two of whic
had been spent in a hotel
~ have lost my mother" she salt
again. as If to impress the fact upon her
self-"and my father"-then she added, a
an afterthought. land my purse"
I'm glad I'm lost" she said to herself
they'll know | was separated from then
by the crowd and they'll be fearfulll
worried, but after while they'll fnt
me, ans meantime feel as II something
were going to happen-a Wild adventure
perhaps. oh! l love carnival! I'm glac
| came"
\ drum throbbed subtly In the dis.
tance; the crowd surged to the edge OF
the banquette, then surged back again
with easy laughter, for no parade APP
peared.
"Ah," said some one at the Pretty
MaIden's elbow; 81 beg your pardon, but
! 1 thought I was never going to find you.
| The crowu Is so thick"
The Pretty Maiden stared. A young
man, clean shaven and eminently pre-
sentable, was regarding her, hat in hand
I'm afraid you don't remember me-"
he suggested, n trine crestfallen. isn't
! this Miss Preston?"
The Pretty Maidens eyes widened. To
herself she cried. The adventure!' but
aloud she said quite cody:
I'm afraid the advantage Is yours"
I'm sorry" he answered, stfiy. But
please don't think me an impertinent
stranger. Ny cousin wrote me to meet
you here, you and your sister. She
asked me to show you around for the
parade T-my name is Robert Ran
dolph," he finished awkwardly.
oh she said, with the friendliest
smile imaginable, you are Bobby Ran
dolph?"
"Of course" he agreed cheerfully, ITS
been a great while since we saw each
other, but still
80 It has" said the Pretty Maiden,
cunnngly Let me see, just how long
eXactly?"
Just ten years" said Mr. Randolph.
Ten years, three months seven days,
two hours, and. | think, twenty-seven
minutes"
Dear me- she murmured, breathlessly
And, by the way, where's your sister:
didn't she Gomez"
MY sister," said the Pretty Maiden
quite astonishcd. MY sister? Oh-er-
yes. of course, she came hut-she had n
fearful headache, and she decided to stay
at the hotel; and | hate to miss the
parade, you see
"Of course. Too bad she won't see II. |
said Mr.. Randolph, regretfully.
THE trip was so long and tiresome" |
said the Pretty Maiden, incautiously.
1.-Two hours long! | like that. Why, it's |
only forty-eight miles between here and |
Pass Christian"
y 4
'is not n matter of miles
with me, at least" she added, prudently
We'll. We can have n jolly time by
anyhow" Mr.. Randolph as
sured her.
Wen have time to go and get some
hot chocolate before Rex gets here" he
cheerfully. Look out there.
will you?" This last to n line of COL
ege boys who were going through the
crowd like an animated wedge.
The Pretty Maiden laughed delicously
"You look so angry" she explained
gasps; then stopped suddenly
Decaus. a small red devil, with battered
mask. aimed shower of confetti at her
laughing face
There was a blare of trumpets down
he street and the long roll of a drum
A wave of excitement submerged the
people. Randolph used shoulders and
elbows with a skill that bespoke long
experience on the football field, and the
Pretty Maiden found herself In the front
# the crowd. Mounted policemen paced
ilowly past her, a band shriling worth
If Ever ! Cease to Love-" and then
Rex and his cohorts.
The Pretty Maiden dimpled and blushed
rom sheer delight at the gorgeous
pectacle, and the capering maskers on
he fantastic floats repaid her interest.
me threw her a great fragrant bunch of
iplata yuhiph bo nIn !
Ike an excited child; another tossed
n armlet of brass; third a box of
french sweets. until young Randolph was
ugely proud of her. Then, when the
asst silver tower and shimmering veil
ad melted down the street he swung
er into the crowd again, her cheeks
ink with excitement and the great
urple volets nesting in the furs under
er pretty chin
Now, let's have that chocolate" said
lr, Randolph. They found a corner in
pretty tearoom, and he dispatched a
alter for their order, while the room
lied steadily.
hanged somehow"
The Pretty Maiden came back with a
tart to the fact that Mr., Randolph was
OF lifelong friend
Have I?' she asked safely.
Yes he repeated, somehow, you've
hanged. You always were pretty, YOU
now, and l always was your abjecl
ave, but now"
i've changed?" asked the Prettv
laden mournfully.
You're $3.50 much more So" he ex-
aimed lucidly,
You remember" asked Mr. Randolph
resently, "how we used TO love eacn
her when you We're 10 and | was l4?"
We didn't she said with a start
"Oh, nonsense! You cried your eyes I
lt when | left for school And Won
aid you'd marry me when you grew up A
and when we said good-by-you kissed
le"
81 did nothing of the sort" cried the
retty Maiden, very pink and furious. '
You've forgotten" said Mr. Randolph.
There's no reason why you should be
'hamed OF 1t. A childish affection IS A
le most sincere-and you certainly were
md of me-" he finished tamely.
I've changed very much" said the
retty Maiden, thoughtfully selecting a
aearoon from the plate OF cakes
I'm sorry" said Mr. Randolph sim
" because you're even nicer than you .
ied to be-" o
II want to tell you something" she
i'd. I'm not Miss Preston-I never
W you before. I'm here for the car
val, and lost my people in the crowd
is morning. And then you came and
know IL was horTid OF me-"
Well" said Mr.. Randolph stihfly. pl
Wei. II was just lark" she pleaded 7,
'hantly, "and won't you please go now
TRY, please" The Pretty Maiden had al