The Penn's Grove record., 1917-11-30
TASK A MA"
BY c. 3. LEWIS.
Copyright. 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa

o ~ AAS
sadie" in the chorus on the stage,
and looked at the girl in the box with
him.
He was Clarence Devoe, a young
man with a rich father. He had been
invited to a box party and Dorothy
Davenport was one of the party. Clar-
ence had cut a dash, as some rich
mems sons do. He had smashed up
three or four autos, u in debt wher-
ever possible, had been almost expelled
from college and was proud of his
career.
Clarence had simply known that
there was a Dorothy Davenport, and
he had scarcely spoken ten words to
her on the way to the theater. All
of a sudden, as stated at the opening,
he turned and looked at her. She was
a young girl, eighteen years old. She
was bashful. She happened to look
at Clarence IS he looked at her. Was
that a CLEAN of love that shot forth
from the eyes of each one? 1t might
have been, for that is n of the ways
of Cupid.
SAA SAASC ll0OOu " A1lllOClIs say
there is mn style there while you
are talking. There are good looks
there and gobs of money behind her.
l don't know her mother, but l guess
she will be willing. Her governor
don't count, of course. He's too busy
making more money. I'll make myself
a little more agreeable
That roru YoAypSpn of&o. ,.-1-- -
his debts, among which was $3.50 for
bouquets for the green room, Clarence
Devoe's father had said to him:
"Boy, you have got to quit this mad
career! You are now a man in age,
and I'll 500 repudiate your debts.
Why in the Old Harry don't you find a
nice girl and marry and settle DOWN.
There's lots of EN- 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 to cast his looks on Dor
othy Davenport, he recalled them.
Why not win her? OF course "Sadie''
would lament and weep and almost
break her little heart, but such things
had to be. Clarence called at the
Davenport mansion. He was received
very gracefully by the girls mother.
He paid little more than q formal call.
Dorothy was brought into the room,
and he had a few words with her in
the presence of her mother. 1t was
her first courtship, and she was a little
abashed. When a remark was adj
dressed to her she turned to her moth
er to secure the privilege of answer
ing it. This was a charming bashful-
ness of hers. She spoke of him as "Mr.
Devoe." Other girls had been in the
habit of calling him "Devoe' or Bob"
or "Old Man"
Clarence called again and again. It
seemed to please Mrs. Davenport, and
1t seemed to please his father.
Whether Miss Dorothy was pleased or
not, the young man could not be GER
tain. He would have given the thing
up but for the novelty of it. He could
boast to her and she never replied with
a word of doubt or censure. Other
girls had boldly told him to "cut that
out" but such aggressive expressions
never passed DOrothy's lips. After
several months she got as far as to say
that 1t must be awfully nice to have a
house out in the country in summer
and one in town in the winter, but
she fingered right there for some time.
If anybody had asked her if she loved
she would have answered.:
81 don't know whether I do or not,
but l will ask and then tell
you"
Clarence mended his ways some
what. He smashed just as many
autos, and he spent just as much of
his fathers money, but he didn't go
to the theater quite so much, and,
when he did go, it was to escort Dor
othy and her mother, and sometimes
two or three other ladies besides. Yes,
Clarence was becoming quite a model
young man. His mother was a little
afraid hat he was becoming almost
too good, and his father had some faint
hope that he would yet become a Sun
day school teacher.
- "OS OhC SfOAAhS WHICH, 4 1CASO
and Dorothy were left alone in the
parlor together. There was no clear
ing of the throat to get his voice In
trim there was no attempt at pathos
or tenderness. Just as carelessly as if
he were making a bet that he could
speed his auto at seventy miles per
hour, the young man said:
Dorothy, 1 love you"
"Yes," she replied, as If she had
been expecting the declaration at any
time for the past year.
Il will love, cherish and protect
you," continued Clarence.
And that will be so nice of you'll"
Cant you set the day within a
couple of months, Dorothy, dear?"
Il think so, Clarence; but 1 will