Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-25
Woman and Home
u seful
Hints
he Morning Story
IN A DRI7yI.lNG RAIN.
by Moll. McNiRHter.

"a NSHtEa! L HEh.
1t was Saturday afternoon. and Con-
s;anco had promised herself that she
would finish knitting the last OF her
siN pairs o. socks Tor the soldier boys
before the "Wednesday boat should have
sailed. Her small brother and sister
being prevented 10y the rain from play
ing out OF doors. would demand the
attention OF Sister Constance hf she
wsr" at home Therefore she decided
TO seek the shelter of a summer house
~ the park, wh"rc on Il day like this
she WAS sure 10 he alone
Ey tho time she reached the circular
shelter among the dripping maple trees.
damp curls frolickcd about her snowy
forehead and her checks were glowing.
She found the least moist Of the seats
and extracted her knitting from her
macintosh pocket Then she began to
knit, and presently, being alone and
peacefully happy. TO hum
y beau,':ui rirl sitting alone in n
summer house on II cold, drizzinr day
Emitting socks is not an everyday pic
ture. Indeed. IL such an unusual
sight 10 Donald Grey whom no came
upon it that II" almost stopped in his
course TO stare. Eu; an innate sense
of propricty kept him from doing any
thing rude.
Constance looked up casually as he
passed, and her calm, level gaze met
his: then she dropped her eyes con
tinued her knitting. and tho man strobe
ON through the winding path
Eut tho mans peace Of mind had
been disturbed Only his dccp-routed
sense of chvalry kept him from re
tracing his steps for one moro look
,at tho lovely girl He realized that
he had only a slender chance in "a :
thousand OF seeing her again, and yet
at that moment lie could think OF no |
other person whom he so desired to
see aSain-and often.
Like most mon who have reached tho !
age OF fvc-and-twcnty, Donald Grey
had vague ideal of womanhood. From |
this day forward Donald's ideal was !
not vaEuc--in appearance Mt least She
had blooming checks, widely set, dark |
eyes and brown curling hair. Also his
ideal could knit
After he was out OF sight Of tho
girl he slackcned his pace to a veritahle
stroll. and the handball game to which
lie had been stridinE when he had run
face TO face into his ideal girl had sud .
denly lost interest. Before that mo.
mont he had been lamcntlng the fact
that his rooms and tho club where hc
played on saturday afternoons had been 1
so far apart. Now he did not care
where the club was located
lie began to wonder which path tho II
girl would take when leaving the sum
mer house. Not that he could lay in
wait for har, but it would not he i'm
possible to observe her unseen from n |
vantage point. True, lie would feel
like some of the loitercrs about tho
park whom he had always dcspiscd. and
Yet il the girl did not see him. he
could be doing no one harm
suddenly his musings were aOrupt-
~ interrupted by the approach OF a
hiS Irish park policeman leading a
small child reluctantly by the hand
The officer had to stoop TO keep q
hold of the tiny tot
Gotta lost KID he said lauEhinCly
to Donald
Donald looked Mt tho pretty little
girl Fine day for youngster like
that TO be alone In the park. isn't
t?" he asked.
Fine for the pncumony, says her
mas kntt'n and she run OFF, vol
untcercd tho policeman further
Donald Grey palcd a little. Knit
ting. did YOU say? licr--her mother?"
dom IL day an night for Tommy
Atkins and the loike O him?" asked
tho officer.
II saw a young woman back in the
summer house--a- knitting" said Don
Where" asked the policeman alert
I'll show--irs quicker" and Don
aid led the way back to the summer
house
The little $thce t4,.t7ed beside tho biz
policeman hnd'h6nald huinming gavly. |
she seemed not 10 care who her pro |
tectors were, so long she was HAY
ing Il little excitement. Donald could .
see that much in the tots eyes
When she saw the trio approaching
Constance stopped knitting and stared 2
Rui Donald could see at IA glance that |
she had not lost anybody's baby. She |
looked from one TO the other as the ,
three drew close
Askin' yer pardon LADY but aid VIZ !
lose this kid asked the policeman
Constance laughed She shook her /
head. NO. indeed, ! didn't Is the
poor baby LOST
she sure is-says her mas a-kn!,-
Tin and she run away"
And l. Interrupted Donald. trihe /
embarrassed now that lie was actually /
In the presence OF the girl. Il having
seen you few moments since told /
the policeman OF you when ne asked /
II Id seen the child's mother" This
was not strictly true, but the truth /
was embodied IN the statement
Mas dom that" said the child
sayly. pointing to Constance and her
knitting.
rs she, dear" asked Cons,ancc-ana
Donald realized that She had the voice,
too. of his ideal Ana where dld Won
leave your mamma"
The child made u vague gesture.
lover home with lots o ladies all
kn!ttir' and"
The policeman took the child again
by the hand. Come on. kid. youll
catch cold out here. I'll hnd her ma
all right Much obliged" And the
big policeman and the little one walked
off in the Grizzi!ng rain
Donald Grey raised his hat I'm
soTry--"
"Oh. II war quite natural. I'm sure
Don't apologize. | only hope they fnd
the baby's mother soon. It's not a day
for Titles ones 10 be out long"
The girls tone dismissed him. and
Dohalo stToae on. This time he felt
desperate. J.; he had wanted 10 know
her after a single rlanc" at her. he
longed moro than ever now that ne
had seen her emile mad heard her
speak. had stood beside her
lie would have felt utterly hopeless
~ he had not been 4 fgn believer In
the good P!esDytcr!anlam that every
thing that happens is for the best
If this WAS the way lie was 10 me-,
her. never to see her again why-,b..