The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-02-10
THAT HORRID man
BY KEITH KENYON.

4 bought tickets for The Jumping
Jack" in the afternoon and to meet
him at Wentworth's, the florist.
had asked six Of the girls in for
tea, but when / got Charles mes
sage, / called up and postponed the
festivities until Monday. Charlie must
have known was dying for q chance!
to wear my new hat and the stunning,
suit Renarki had just sent home. But,
like all of Remarks things, 1t was a
! little striking. 1 felt queer in it at
! first, for have always stuck to styles
that are not too extreme, or at least
have not adopted them until people
have got over their first gasp.
Well, / put the buds on and Of,
course, it took an age. was late
starting and had to hurry for the car.
! l saw It coming before l got to the
corner and started to run. Then
did the most stupid thing. l don't
know just how it did happen, but /
fell!
| Just then a man came running and
, helped me up. He whistled for the
car to stop, evidently guessing had
been trying to make 1t, and he helped
me to get on. thanked him and sup.
posed he would leave, but he got on
too.
The whole way into town that man
sat exactly opposite me and scarcely
! looked away an instant. It must have
been the suit, and got madden every.
yard OF the way. l never was so re-,
lieved in my life as was to get on
that car.
But I nearly tainted when l turned
to go into the florists to see my man
come in too. He deliberately looked
at me, half smiled and followed me
back to the counter.
] hate scenes, and have always pic.
tured to myself just how / should act
and what I should do IL ever a man
whom did not know should speak to
me. Here was my cue! Stony silence
and extreme haughtiness. Besides,
Charlie would come bouncing in in a
minute and would do any annihilating
necessary.
ooh, Miss Arnold" called a clerk,
coming out of the Office, "Mr. Arnold
lust called up and said to tell you he.
would be late, and for you to go on
10 the theater and ask for your
ticket at the box Office. He left 1t
there. You are to go In, and he said
he would be there as soon as pos
dbIe."
Well, there was nothing to do but
20. The theater at any rate was a
haven Of refuge.
When l left the store the man, l
noticed, was buying yiolets. He looked
up as passed.
When I went by the window l
saw the clerk hand him the purple
box and his change, and the man
started hurriedly toward the door.
was getting frantic. Such persistence,
such impudence, it had never been
my lot to experience!
He followed me right into the
theater and stood behind me in line
. ut the box Office.
got my ticket and went in. He
came In after me. I had a notion
TO say something to the usher. but
It struck me that our seats would
not be together, and Charlie would
be with me going out.
The seats were in right F. Mine
was two. / didn't know which was
Charlie's-one or three. But l soon
found out. The orchestra was play
ing the overture and the curtain
was going up when someone sat down
In the seat beside me.
The man-violets and all!
He gave me funny little smile and
actually opened his mouth to say some
thing.
was cold with fright now, and too
oaraIyzed to move. But saw the
yiolets coming. could see that he
was thinking of neat way to get to
talk to me and offer me the flowers.
Then did move. Charles seat evil
IDENTIFY was number three. I moved
into It as quickly as could and piled
nv hat and everything l could think
Of into the empty one between that
monster and myself.
The first act was good, and had al
most forgotten the man was there
when Charlie came in.
But the funny part Of II was he
scarcely looked at me. He grabbed
that man and nearly shook his hand
off, He asked him IL he got his seat
all right, and said he was sorry he
couldn't meet him at Wentworth's--
hoped he got the message all right,
and so on. %f-s =,
Then he turned to me, isis, want
you to meet Jimmy Livingston. You
know, my class at Yale, just came
TO town and living out our way. Too
bad / had to spoil our little theater
party by being late, but we three
will have a rousing good dinner after
che show and get acquainted right"
q Mr.. Livingston and I bowed.
Ch arlie jumped up.
Here. sis. YOU sit here and talk