Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-01-03
~ c. o. LEWIS

Then he turned from looking nj his
"Sadle" In the chorus on The STAGE,
and looked at the girl In the box with
lin.
lie was Clarence DevOo, young
man with n rich father. He had been
invited 10 box party and Dorothy
Davenport was one of the party Clar-
ence had cut dash, rs some rich
mems sons DO. lie had smashed up 1
three or four autos. run in debt wher-
ever possible, had been almost expelled |
from college and was proud Of his /
career.
Clarence had simply known that /
there was Dorothy Davenport, and |
he had scarcely spoken ten words 70
her on the way 10 the theater. All |
OF 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 |
ut Clarence as he looked at her. Was
that a CLEAN Of love that shot forth |
from the eyes Of each one7 II might
have been. for that Is one Of the ways
Of Cupid.
Clarence unused to himself SAY
there Is some style there while you
nre talking. There ere good looks
there and gobs of money behind her.
! don't know her mother. but ! 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
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 man in age,
and I'll soon repudiate 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
I that he came to cast his looks ON Dor
Othy Davenport, he recalled them.
Why not win herr OF course sadie
would lament and weep and almost
break her little heart, but such things
had to be. Clarence called mt the
Davenport mansion. He was received
very gracefully by the girls mother.
He paid little more than formal call.
Dorothy was brought into the room,
and he had a few words with her In
the presence of her mother. II was
her first courtship, and she was little
abaShed. When n remark was ad
dressed To her she turned to her moth
or To secure the privilege of answer
ing II. This was a charming bashful
ness of hers. She spoke of him as MIR
Devoe." other girls had been In tn
habit Of calling him "Devoe" or Bob
or "Old Man"
Clarence called again and again. l
seemed To please Mrs. Davenport. an,
II seemed To please his father
Whether Miss Dorothy was pleased o
not, the young man could not be Ger
tain. He would have given the Thin.
up but for the novelty Of IL. He cOul,
boast Ia her and she never replied viii
, "A word of doubt or censure. OtheI
girls had boldly told him To "cut thai
out" but such aggressive expressions
never passed Dorothy's lips. AlteI
several months she got as far as TO say
that IL must be awfully nice 10 have d
house out I'm the country In summer
and one In town in the winter but
She fingered right there for some time
II anybody had asked her If she loved
she would have answered:
81 don't know whether 1 do or not
but I 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 90
to the theater quite so much, and.
when he did 20, IL was Ia escort Dor.
othy and her mother, and sometimes
two or three other ladies besides. Yes.
Clarence was becoming quite model
young man. His mother was a little
afraid that he was becoming almost
too good and his father had some faint
hope that he would yet become II sun
day school teacher.
II was one evening when Clarence
ana Dorothy were left alone In the
parlor together. There was no clear
ing OF the throat 10 get his voice in
trim; there. was no attempt at pathOs
or tenderness. Just as carelesSly as II
he We're making a bet that he could
speed his auto ut seventy miles per
hour, the young man said:
Dorothy, l love you"
Eyes" She replied. as n she had
been expecting the declaration at any
time for the past year
~ will love-. cherish and protect
you" continued Clarence.
"And that will be so nice of youl"
Cant you set the day within n
couple OF months. Dorothy, dearr
81 think so, Clarence; but~I will