The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-27
AN EVENING OFF
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

Priscilla laid Gerald junior il rs
crib, tilted the bottle to Just the
proper angle and snatcheu a Solt lit
tie handkerchief OUT of Ter belt iist
in time to prevent a very bitter tear
| from dropping down on to the wee
| pink cheek on the pillow.
Gerald senior had just gone out,
slamming the door as most males do,
| considering the same a fitting finale
for a marital row. This was their
| first quarrel. and Priscilla felt that
the earth was shaking under her feet.
| She slipped into kimono and sat
down by the window. 1t was not quite
dark, but the street below was very
quiet; so was the little flat-just
soft, contented sound from the crib in
the corner. The silence added to her
loneliness. OF course little Gerald was
the dearest, sweetest, most precious
darling in the wide world, but after
she had cooed and kissed and patted
and rocked all day, to say nothing of
the ceremonious bath and airing in the
F, perambulator, she felt 1t her privilege
to associate with people of her own
age, after baby had settled himself to
sleep all night; preferably Gerald
senior, but-and this was what the
trouble was all about-he had drug
store, and no one could be trusted
with the precious prescription factory
from a. m. until II p. m. daily but
himself. Priscilla was left to amuse
herself as best she could.
Suddenly someone threw up win
dow in the building next door and
strains Of music came floating over
, to her. She raised her own window
in order to hear better. 1t was
! waltz and, looking up, she caught
glimpse now and then of passing
: dancers.
Gerald Junior was sleeping now. She
took away the bottle, covered him
snugly-and then she went to her
desk. Long ago she had tucked away
an engraved card somewhere in a
pigeonhole. She found it under the
babys weight chart.
Mr.. and Mrs Reginald st. Clair
STUDIO DANCING
Glasses Tuesday and Friday
From until II.
private Lessons as Arranged,
NestOr Building, Philadelphia.
How she had coaxed Gerald to go!
He used to love dancing! How mar
riage changed men! 1t was different
with women. They didn't lose all ro-
nance in two short years.
Then she thought of something. Why
| not go to dancing school alone? Many
! women did!
She rolled baby's bed as quietly as
she could to the window and pulled
the shade to the top. If she left a
bright light burning in the room she
could look over at him after every
dance to make sure he was all right
In a few minutes she was dressed
in year-old white gown and black
slippers and stockings, but she felt
like Cinderella in satin and crystal
going to her first ball.
The preliminaries were q little try.
ing to timid Priscilla, but the delight
of dancing more than made up for
the effort. AS she had planned, after
every dance she went to the window
for peep at the baby. who lay as
she had left him. sound asleep in his
bed close to the window.
Priscilla laughed softly to herself.
How splendidly her plan had worked I!
Two hours of pleasure like this once
a week would keep her going hun
dreds of lonely evenings at home
alone. What Gerald does not know
does not hurt him!" she reflected
smiling. "Im not doing anyone in the
world a bit of HARM
The class work on a new one-step
took little longer than usual, and
by the time it was over Priscilla was
frantic with anxiety. She made
straight for the window and looked
down at Baby Gerald's window.
She put her hand suddenly to hel
mouth to stifle scream. She was
Just in time to see two masculine
arms lift baby from his bed and dis
appear.
She had locked the door and no one
else but Gerald had key But Ger
aid had no pepper-and-salt clothes. ant
the two arms that held her precious
baby were encased in rough tweed!
Priscilla ran! Like flash she was
down the stairs, out on the street
then up the stairs of her own build
ing. The door of her apartment was
standing open and-Gerald junior wa:
gone!
She tried to reach the telephone. bu
the floor was waving and everythinl
was dancing before her eyes. She sar
down an instant until things SHOULD
get steadier-then quietly tainted
away
The next morning Gerald senior sa
holding one of Priscilla hands Bah,
Gerald lay cooing in his crib anC
everything seemed delightfully."- peace
full and happy to the little woman il
bed. If you don't mind. Gerald
dear. will you please tell me all owe
again how you rushed home for bah,
when you got the message you
grandmother was passing through
town and wanted to see her onl,
greatgrandson?'
So he told her again.
Whose coat had you on. dear?"
Sam S, my clerks / had only tel
minutes to get to the train and in m,
rush 1 got the wrong one
And you're sure you don't MN,
my going TO dancing school?
Yes | do mindi II was a shan,