Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-20
The Capitals
Short Story
HIS USUAL BAD LUCK
~ JULIA Fry Z.

ter. dear. that this creation doesn't
show any aigna Of hard wear. nor do
any of my ether dancing frocks II
gou'lI pardon the trite remark have
returned home sadder but wiser
girl HAYS learned i few wholesome
truths. though / must admit that +
found them rather unpleasant at FIRST
III just give you little account
Of my Visit 10 the city and then It
Won't be necessary for me to point =
moral
8 Looking back now, feel like sn1iI-
Ing III the pitifui egotism which led
me 70 hair expect phalanx Of young
men at the train to meet me. Some
how. got the idea from the nattering
remarks BIZ at least haIf dozen on
those who honored our porch with
their presence last summer and pre-
yious summers that my advent IN the
city would be to them i source Of the
keenest delight Strangely enough.
therefore my arrival created not even
. ripple Of excitement
III II hadn't been for dear old Mrs
Gray, there wouldn't have been one
friendly face To greet me AZ stepped
OF the train. Even she was fuller Of
her own affairs chan or mine She
said she had some errands 10 do, and
asked me II would mind going with
her to the shopping district Of
course. said I'D like to 60 with her.
but after We had passed = whole at
ternoon pricing toWeling and kitchen
ware Iii the Easements Of three de
paTtment stores, made up my mind
that when ! wished to see the shops
ia try to 90 without Mra Gray
81 was glad when We got 70 her
apartment finally, to find that my
trunk had come. for was anxious To-
put on something pretty for the eve
ming In case there should be callers.
might just as well have taken my
ease iii the negligee that Mrs Gray
suggested. Tor our evening together
was uninterrupted began TO think
that maybe some of the cards ] had.
sent to my summer friends summer
friends is such good name, dear. for
those careless young men who grace
our tennis court and swimming beach
and decorate our porch during the.
heated season had gone astray. So
decided to call up Ted Harris and tell
him was Ii town.
Tlin mother answered the phone.
She said Ted had told her that was
coming and she thought he expected
to see me the next week He was 50
busy socially, she informed me, that
be had very little time. Indeed, ne
was leading . cotilllon &C the Fort
nightly assembly that very evening.
II thought Ted's mother rather fe-
line. but the cotillion sounded good to
me. and had fascinating mental
picture OF myself moving through the
mazes of that delightful dance two
weeks later remembered how Ted
was always descanting Upon the per
lection of the door and the beautiful
music at his club. and Was sure he.
would want me to dance there once
ut least. i was awfuliy glad my eve
ming gowns weren't In the least bit
country.
Well, To relieve your curiosity at
once. let nae tell you that Ted called
me MP the next day and Was most
corcial. He told me how glad he
would be to see me and how sorry he
was that he had every evening taken
for weeks il advance. That was Just
his usual bad luck, he declared. But
he said / must surely have luncheon
with him downtown replied that
would II could. but that my time was
very guIl. He said | simply must
squeeze the luncheon Id and he'd call
me up In day or two and arrange q
date.
THAT. my dear, was the last Of Ted
j beard from him no more and prob
Ably viii not again until Ne appears
upon our verandA bright and smiling
come morning next summer, amiabiy
ready To enjoy our boat or our auto
mobile or even the early apples IN
our orchard
After had been In town 9 week
Clayton Rogers called me up and said
he'd been trying to set around 70 see
me. but that be was rushed 10 pieces
With business. I'd like 10 get up q
theater party for you. be told me I
gasped with suppressed surprise and
pleasure. But. he added. I'm going
east tonight. thanked him warmly.
.,The Todd boys called one evening
Just before / LEFT. They talked Of the
delights of our country home and told
me how eagerly they were anticipat-
ing their next summers vacation.
they invited me now. sister. don't
ret excited Ito walk around the lake
with them some cool day next An
guatl OF course, / accepted with
alacrity.
John Boyd actually took me % p
lecture and Azr. Slater gave me nerv-
Gus shock BY inviting me to the thea
ter. But be chose the evening Of the
day was leaving the city. John How
ard and Mr. Bentley weren't heard
from at al
81 had good time. though. for Mira.
Cray Ii active I'D alI sorts OF interest
ing things. and / went to her club and
her ciaywch and helped 3 little with
her. ssssYmagyoua charities and learned q