South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-06
She Had to Ask
Mamma


his Sadie" IN the chorus on the
stage. and looked az the girl in the
box with him.
He was Clarence DeVoe, young
man with rich father. He had
been invited 70 d box party and
Dorothy Davenport was one OF the
party. Clarence had cut a dash. as
all rich mems sons do. lie had
smashed up three or four autos, run
in debt wherever possible. had been
almost expelled from college and
was proud Of his career. IL had not
hurt him "a bit in high society. They
talked OF the young mans wild oats
and romances. and they said IL was
rather clever OF him 10 present bo-
quets and diamond rings 10 the
chorus girls.
Clarence had simply known that
there was a Dorothy Davenport. and
he had scarcely spoken 10 words 10
her on the way 10 the theater. All
of a sudden as stated at the open
ing. he turned and looked at her.
She was p. young girl, Is years old.
She was bashful. She happened 10
look at Clarence as 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 one Of the ways OF Cupid.
Clarence unused 10 himself: Say,
there is some style there while you
are talking. There are good looks
there and gobs Of money behind her.
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 very morning, after paying
up his debts. among which was
$3.50 for boquets 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 soon repudiate your
debts. Why in the Old Harry don't
YOU find a 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"
preston on Clarence at the time,
but now that he came to cast his
looks on Dorothy Davenport. he re-
called 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 a formal call.
Dorothy was brought into the room,
and he had a few words with her
I'm the presence of the mother 1t
was her first courtship, and she was
a little abashed. When a remark
was addressed to her, she turned to
her mother 10 secure the privilege OF
answering il. This was a charming
bashfulness Of hers. She spoke of
him as Mr. Devoe. other girls had
been in the habit of calling him
"Devoe" or "Bub" or "Old Man.
Clarence called again and again.
It seemed TO please Mrs. Davenport,
and IL seemed 20 please his father.
Whether Miss Dorothy was pleased
or not, the young man could not be
certain. He would have given the
thing up but for the novelty of il.
! He could boast 20 her and she never
replied with a word of doubt or
| censure. Other girls had boldly told
! him to "cut that out" but such ag
gressive expressions never passed
Dorothy's lips. After several months.
she got as far as 10 say that it must
be awfully nice to have a house out
| in the country in summer, and one
| in town in the winter, but she linger-
ed right there for some time. Clar-
ence said that he had a friend who
got married, and went on his bridal
trip to Eurcpe and Dorothy replied
that it must be very nice 10 see Lon
don and Paris and all the famous
cities, but she hadn't sparkle in
her eyes If anybody had asked her
if she loved she would have an
| swered:
"I don't know whether I do or
not, but will ask mamma 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 90. il was TO escort
Dorothy and her mother and some
times two or three other ladies be
sides. Yes, Clarence was becoming
quite a model young man. His
mother was a little afraid that he
was becoming almost too good, and
/ his father had some faint hope that
/ ne would yet become a Sunday
! school teacher.
| II was one evening when Clarence
and Dorothy were left alone in the
| parlor together. There was no
| clearing Of the throat 70 get his
voice in trim; there was no attempt
at pathos or tenderness. Just as
carelessly. as if ne were making
/ bet that he could speed his auto
at 20 miles per hour. the young
man said:
Dorothy. ! love YOU"
Yes" she replied. as IL she had
/ been expecting the declaration at
any time for the past year.
81 will love. cherish and protect
YOU" continued Clarence
UAud that will he en- y7fco ~ v-0u go