Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1917-12-01
TASK Mamma"
BY c. 3. LEWIS.

per SyndiCatcD
Then he turned from looking ut his
Sadie in the chorus on the stage.
and looked ut the girl in the box with
| him.
lie was Clarence Devoe, n young
man with rich father. lie had been
| invited tn box party and Dorothy
! Davenport was one of the party. Clar-
cnce had cut dash, as some rich
mems sons do. He had smashed up
| three or four autos, run in debt wher-
ever possible. had been almost expelled
from college and was proud of his
I career.
Clarence had simply known that
| there was Il Dorothy Davenport, and
he had scarcely spoken ten words to
her on the way to the theatcr. All
| of II sudden, rs stated ut the opening,
he turned and looked at her. She was
II young girl, eighteen years old. She
was bashfu. She happened to look
mt Clarence as he looked ut her. Was
that n CLEAN of love that shot forth
| from the eyes of each one? 1t might
| have been. for that is one of the ways
nf Cupid.
Clarence unused to himself: Say.
| there IL some style there while you
are talking. There are good looks
| there and gobS of money behind her.
| don't know her mother. but I guess
she will he willing. Tier governor
don't count, of course. He's too busy
| making more money. III make myself
| "a little more agreeable
| That very morning. after paying up
his debts, among which was $3.50 for
bouquets for the green room, Clarence
Dcvoc's father had said to him:
| boy. you have got to quit this mad
| career You are now II man In age.
and I'll soon rcpudiaic your debts.
| Why IN The Old Harry don't you find
nice girl and marry and settle down.
| There's lots of em In this big town.
| Marry one Of them and I'll take you
! into partnership"
The words had made little impress.
sion on Clarence at the time, but now
| that he came tn east his looks on Dor.
| o,hy Davenport. he recalled them.
Why not win her? OF course sadie
| would lament aud weep and almost
break her little heart, but such things
had to he. Clarence called AT the
Davenport mansion. lie was received
very gracefully 10y the girls mother
lie paid little more than II formal call
Dorothy was brought into the room
and he had u few words with her In
the presence of her mother. II was
her first cuurlship, aud she was littl"
nba>hcd When II remark was al
dressed 4" her she turned Ia her moth
cr To secure the privilege Of answer.
ing II. This was u charming bashful'
ness Of hers She spoke Of him as "Mr.
Dcvoc." other girls had been In the
habit Of calling Hin "bcN"c" or Bob
or "OId Man."
Clarence Called again aud again II
seemed Ia please Mrs. Davenport, and
II seemed Ia please his father.
Whether Miss Dorothy was pleased or
not. the young man could not he Ger.
tain. lie would have given the thing
M but fbr the novelty of II. lie could
boast To- her aud she never replied WITH
u word nf doubt az censurc. Other
girls had boldly told him to ''cut that
out" hut such aggressive cNpressiop>
never passed Dorothy's lips. After
several months she got ns far rs 10 say
that II milsl he awfully nice 10 have n
house Out IN the country In summer
and one IN town In the winter, hut
she fingered right there for some time
II anybody had asked her IL she love,
she would have answered:
II don't know whether Il" or not
hui | will ask mamma and then tel
YOU"
Clarence moulded his ways some
what. lie smashed just rs many
autos. aud he spent just rs much a
. his fathers money. but he didn't -
to the thraicr quite 50 much, ana
when he did go, II was Ia escort Dor
othy and her mother, and sometime
} two or three other ladies besides. Yes
Clarence WAS becoming quite II mod"
Young man. His mother was "A llttl'
afraid that he was becoming nlmoS
, TOO good. aud his father had some ram
hope that he would yet become II sun
I day school teacher.
Z II was one evening when Clarchc
and purothy were left alone in tn
}. pnrlor together. There was no clear
Ing of the throat 10 get his voice i
o rim; there was no attempt nj pntho
/. ar tenderness. just rs cnrelessly as
e n, were making n bet that he coul
e specd his auto nt seventy miles pc
u hour, the young man snid;
8 "Dorolhy. i"r" you,
"Ycs." she replied, rs II she In
,. hepu cXprcting the declaration ut IN
Time for the past year.
g 81 will love. cherish and prote'
" yo,,," continued Clarence.
"And that will he 50 nice of YOU :
d Cant you set the day WITHIN
" couplc of months, Dorothy, dear?"
IL think 81, Clarence; but l WI
d ask mummn AMI tell you the next tin
" YOU come. =
you love me, don't you, Dorothy
q appealed the young man.
"Oh, yes" was the calm repl
ii "Mammu says am old enough tn
* in love-"
u. That was all, except that Clnren
went out and sent four American ben
II. ~ rose bouquets tn the theater. Tn
Or were meant rs fond adleuN to TO
II different "Sudies," and us II gent
hint that he would not be seen In {
TX green room again,
|