Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-20
FASHIONS WOMAN AND HO
THE DAILY STORY
Pushing a Climax

On the Sunday afternoon mentioned in
the notes, secure in his Isolated cottage,
David. very thinly clad and totally un-
conscious Of visitors. was busHy en-
gagged in his weekly ablutions when he
was startled by loud rap on the door
Peepins from behind curtain, David
was appalled, to find his visitor was
Mandy Peters, a vnegar-faccd stinster,
he particularly abhorred He was further
appalled, by seeing the approach from
different directions Of two more spinsters
OF marrying proclvities.
His doors being unfastened and all
exits cut off, he acted on impulse, which
| was preciptate retreat to his bedroom
| Miss Peters was Joined by the other
! ladies' and the subdued murmur OF debate
came to David's ears. Again the knock
| was repeated, and, as IL elected no re-
sponse, firm hand opened the door and
determined step brought the visitors
| INTO the living room giggly pretense
OF modest surprise greeted their discovery
OF Davld's bath preparations.
"Hum!" announced Miss Peters. In
acdulated accents Evidently was not
expected quite so soon"
Evidently we were not either" echoed
the others.
''Hum!" continued Miss Peters "Dld
you ladies' nave an appointment here this
afternoon?"
I'VE did," replied the others in chorus
DOUBTLESS he invited you to confer
with me on some important matter" was
Miss Peters lofty, cutting reply.
The Misses Root and Branch were prop
erly subdued.
A speaking silence held the mystiRed
David in its grip. What did II all mean?
He had not invited these ladies; i'm fact,
they were far from welcome The next
remark of Miss Peters made David gasp
for breath and retreat into the closet
We'll, there is no use sitting here like |
three sticks Mr.. Melrose may be sick in
his bed and need our aid. Let us look |
about" With a firm hand the indomita-
BILE Miss Peters opened David's bedroom |
door.
In the excess of fright David emitted a !
strangling sound like choking cat. Miss
Peters heard the sound and through a |
crack in the closet door her ferret-like |
eyes caught slight movement.
There has been foul play here" inn |
presslvely announced Miss Peters. Mr.. |
Melrose ls confined in that closet doubt
less bound and gagged by some relentless
robbers. 1 am going to release him"
Miss Peters remark was received with
subdued, Mortified screams by the other
ladies. Firmly intent on her purpose Miss
Peters advanced and swung open the
closet door
Human nature has it's limit David had
reached his, and as Miss Peters opened
the door he bolted through it, clad very
briefly In a sheet he had happened upon
in his frantic search for something to
cover his nakedness.
No wonder Misses Root and Branch
tainted, or that Miss Peters, the in
trepid. sank to the bed weak and speech
less, as the wild-eyed. bare-legged ap-
partition in white shot by them In a des-
perate sprint for freedom.
Miss Peters was the first of course. to
recover her mental poise THAT was
Mr. Melrose," she declsIvely stated TO
her frightened companions, land doubt
less he Is temporarily unbalanced men
tally, and il is necessary that he be fol-
lowed and returned home; therefore. you
ladies go and notify the nelghbors that an
immediate search be made. and will stay
here in view of his possible return"
David, from his hiding place in the
nearby woods, saw the Misses Root and
Branch depart. Why did Miss Peters re-
main? No solution being apparent, he ,
settled down to wait in misery. for black
flies and mosquitoes were settling on his
exposed limbs in clouds, making existence
a nightmare.
He fought insects and loosened up un-
assorted remarks for upward Of an hour. ,
,r until It was getting dark.
Physical torture was fast overcoming l
MS fear of women and natural modesty.
tte was all ready 10 make q Dfeak Tor the
open when he saw approaching from the
ield men, boys and women. armed and
Inarmed. That they were after him he y
nstinctively OWNED. but why was a l
)oser.
What he did was to follow the instinct
" the hunted. Through bush and wood
n open and out he fed followed by the C
ries OF the pursuers who had caught | 4
light of the white-clad figure with the
heet sailing out behind like the tail OF
comet. e
His wind and leg muscles failed about u
he same time, and as a stone wall ap- b
'eared before him in his aimless flight,
Ie clambered weakly over this obstruction
nd fell plump into the arms of a female y
Who had risen from the ground on the :
ther side.
With a cry of dismay David sank lImply
o the ground pulling the protecting sheet n
loser about him. OF ell women in the
world the one before him was the last l
ne he would have met In this condition.
t was Mary Stone. the one woman he
ad always worshped at distance, and
Who. like him, lived alone only a mile +
rom his place. Her first words in
reased his dismay. l
why. David Melrose what In the
rorld is the matter? Why are YOU flee 4
ng in such condition."
David had enough sense left TO realize T
hat full explanation was due, and he
ravely plunged into it, A
Mary suppressed a quiet smile at the +
ecital yet fully I'm sympathy with his
orry plight. When he had finished she \
aid:
Come to the house with me and
'ill rig you out In a suit that was
ather's; then you can go over and ex
lain TO the neighbors and evlct that =
rying Mandy Peters,
AS the last was said with considerable.
sperity David's hopes took a sudden
ound.
The courage that IN years gone by had
onstantly deserted him flowed back.
timulated doubtless by the excitement
the afternoon and her sympathetie
ttitude, and, clad as no other lover
YER was clad, and under the most un-
sual circumstances. David found his
ongue and unburdened his heart.
Why, yes, David" was Mary's aulet
eply, II have always cared for Won,
Tow run along or you win catch your
cath"
David hustled, but he never knew that
was his young nephew that sent the
otes TO the spinsters for fun, and un
onsciously hustled the climax OF his
elayed love affair
Copyright. 1915.