The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-04-28

this place. he was raIner sure HIS
mother didn't. She had sent him about
his business with unexpected brevity
and decision. Perhaps it was curios-
ity, he didn't stop to analyze, but ne
wanted to see what would happen next
and he turned and went back into the
cafe with it's dazzling lights, hum of
voices. strideIrt viOlins, smell of wine,
| and moving mass of dancers. He
meant to watch Dolly Kemper without
being observed Finally he located
her. She was dancing with fat, bald
headed man whom he did not know,
but whose face and expression he
loathed. After the dance she went
with a watery eyed, Loose mouthed
| young man, whom Sperry mentally
dubbed a "decadent" to table, and
drank wine with him.
| At this stage of the proceedings her
| brother came up to the table, and
seemed to wish to take her away. But
she did not listen to him. Sperry got
near enough to the table to overhear
the conversation without being seen.
The young mans conversation was as
vacuous and decadent as his looks.
Sperry wondered how she could stand
it. Jack Kemper seemed to be losing
his relish for the festivities, and re-
turned again to his sister. He asked
her to come and dance with him. She
refused, saying:
"Pm already engaged for two more
dances to-to-well I don't know his
name-the fat gentleman with the bald
head. And this gentleman" pointing
to the man at the table, "has the next
dance"
Here she made an attempt to intro
duce her brother, and the weak eyed
young man gave his name as Letting.
Kemper made no attempt to disguise
his disgust and chagrin, but Dolly was
not to be moved. She laughed loudly
at her discounted brother, and cried
out "Now run along Buzzyp Have
good time, and don't bother mel"
It was plain to Sperry that the
friends" she was going to meet were
not in evidence. She had come there
alone to have her own "good time"
and had not expected to find her broth
Fer. AS the evening wore on she danced
with all kinds of men, and drank wine
at the little tables more often than
was good for her. Sperry noticed that
the costume he had thought so ex-
uuisite was, when the coat was re-
moved, ultra, freakish, even bizarre.
l "a Of
and seemed as much out Of keeping
with the honest gray eyes, and the
charming feminine brow and mouth as
parrots plumage on a dove. Sperry
almost laughed aloud when he thought
Of his mothers face could she at that
moment see her model girl, Dolly
Kemper. 1t all seemed rather unreal
and uncanny to him like queer night
mare.
Just then rather loud and excited
voices broke in on his musings.
Kemper was trying to induce his
sister to go home with him, and she
was quite as strenuously refusing to
go. He was unusually sober, and was
evidently shocked, mortified, and utter
ly miserable over her conduct.
"Comew he urged. 'It's horrible
It's disgraceful for you to be dancing
with all these strange men. don't
know one of them, and you don't!'
"Well you come here night after
night! Do these women know who
you are? Do you know. one of themT'
s9That's differentr'
mo it isn'tr' she cried. "What's
good for you is good for mev'
"Dolly!" he implored.
"Well If it isn't good why do you &c
on doing it, drinking yourself into ar
idiot, making me miserable, breaking
mothers hearth But may be it's al
right I" she laughed in a maudlin way
"Tm going on anyway, having a goot
time as long as you do. Come on
Have something!"
For an instant he looked utterl!
helpless, then his lips frightened. HI
caught sight of Sperry, and beckonet
him to him. He went.
"Mr. Sperry," he said, II want m!
sister to go home with me. Perhaps
you can persuade ner.
She actually went pale at sight O
him. Then she said: ave won't hav'
a scene. I'll go"
| Outside Kemper caught at her arm
!. imploringly. "Look here, sisi If you'll
: never go In one Of those places again
! I won't! I'll promise to try to be de
: cent-to amount to something. Sperr.
| here Is witness"
3 Gall right, Joe, I won't-if you'll keel
t your promise. Do you think enjoye'
s that orgy? loathe It'll"
e Then 1t dawned upon Sperry she hal
: done 1t all for purpose. "By Jove |!
e he said, you're a bricki"
v Some time after this when there ha'
|. come to be very good understanding
2 between the two, she said: $50 yo1
/? liked me when you saw could b
}, devilish.'
o "No," he answered, 81 liked yo1
when I saw you didn't enjoy bein
deviIish.'
I, Dear tactless Mrs. Sperry still fond
a ~ believes she helped to make tn
a match.
o The Whisky Instruction.
p 1T ~,~s