Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-24
Euening Story
JUST JANE.
BY olivia Roberts.

BY olivia Roberts.
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
| David Carrick did not mean to be an
| eavesdropper He was merely an ob-
server OF human nature. And In that
capacity it never dawned on him that
he might hear or see things that were
never intended for other eyes or ears.
| Right here | was going to tell you
about Jane, but before we get away
from David let me explain little fur
Their that because he was a good look
ing-a fatal quality in man and I'M
usually clever and intelligent bad
| thing sometimes for person ne
was getting spoiled. And the con-
seriousness of his superiority, along
with his habit of studying other
people, had led to a sort OF super
ciliousness in his composition that was
rather repelling.
i David was week end guest at the
Sterritts At dinner, Saturday night,
James name came up and when a few
things had been told. laughed over and
/ discussed, David exclaimed with inter
est, Who is this Jane you're all SO
crazy about?"
Just wait until you see her." return
ed his hostess. There really isn't
anything to tell. She's just Jane !;
that's ALL She's dear"
Pretty to Sterritt.
Yes. That is, mol shouldn't say
beauty either. Oh. she's just Jane. :
"Smart?" to Mrs. Sterritt.
Eyes. mean why, don't know
1 whether Jane Is smart or not. she
| 1ust has a way all her own
sympathetic? to grandma.
"Why. yes! OF course. don't mean
always. The children love her, though
I can't Just say, Mr.. Carrick. whether
Jane is particularly sympathetic or
not. You'll just have to see for your
self"
So Jane was neither pretty, smart
nor awfully sympathetic. What was
| the secret of her fascination? And,
advised by each member of the fam
lily to sec for himself, he determined
to do so-with the odds against Jane.
That night there was hop at the
club and this gave Carrick the oppor-
tunity he craved for studying types.
He found the usual specimens, nothing
he had not already in his collection OF
humans. There were the flirt and the
prude, the girl who insisted on telling
him how popular she was, the one who
fshed for compliments, the sad one,
the merry one, the silly one. the sens
ible one, the sweet one and the acid
one. Then along came Jane.
/ She wasn't pretty particularly not
| the sort men would fall over each 9th
er to meet yet the long lashes over
| the gray blue eyes and the Cupid bow
of her upper lip had peculiar effect
on one These charms accounted to
Carrick somewhat for the spell She had
cast over his friends.
| He danced two dances with her just
| to hear, what she would talk about.
But she didn't talk at all. She danced
divinely. smiled adorably and answer
ed reservedly anything he cared to
start in the way oil conversation, but
he realized when it was over that he
knew no more about her or what she
was like than he had before.
This piqued his vanity. "She's clever
enough to keep her mouth shut and
keep people guessing as to her men
tally" ne concluded.
| It was then that David decided to
caves drop He did not do it deliber-
ately at first-he merely embraced the
opportunity when it came. Wanting
! a smoke, he strolled outside and find,
ing bench deep in the shrubbery be-
low the veranda. he sat down. His
! thoughts were busy and his cigar went
out. 1t was then that he discovered
that he was quite near to the end OF
the veranda that harbored the punch
bowl and that he could hear quite
| plainly the conversation of those max
ing excursions for sip of its cooling
contents
whats the matter Jane?' said a
shrill feminine voice. Are you tired
sitting out here all alone?"
| David pricked up his ears. Evident
! ly there was another bench somewhere
that he couldn't see, but that was in
! full view of the veranda.
mo, but it's too warm to dance. II
yom stay inside you can't help yourself
Out here You don't have to refuse"
That sounds conceited. though,
David Il thought so. After all II
seems to be the chief characteristic
OF the feminine gender"
A few minutes elapsed and some
new people came along.
Hello, Jane. Keeping yourself com
pany?" And so on. Then, What dc
you think of Sterritt's guest? Has a
pretty good opinion of himself. don't
you Think"
David sat up and took notice Here
was something unexpected as well as
unpleasant. new sensation entirely
He held his breath for the answer.
Don't jump, to conclusions, Bob
Maybe he's all right | rather liked
him." David's ruffled feathers smooth
ed themselves considerably.
ooh. he's all right. | guess. only he
made me feel as if l ought to bump
my head on the ground every time he
comes near. What is he? Lawyer
isn't he9"
Il don't know. really wasn't in
terested enough to find OUT" answer.
ed Jane.
The feathers rufsled again.
Then others came. II declare if il
isn't Jane. Come up and have a drink
Mo- Say what do you think OF that
Corr;nG Cnocoitad MN lent hoo"