Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-07-30
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Stor, Of a Woman's Transfer nation.
ny MARION RUBINCAM.
PROJECTED ~ George Mstthe~ Adams.

Chapter XII

IL was really a most remarkable even
ming Ii was not the novelty Of the sur
roundings. Violet and had frequently
taken dinner at these little Village res
taurants. we knew them very well by now
We even knew some of their regular
patrons
For that part of New York, as every
one knows, is indeed village, with all
the soclabilities and drawbacks of the
country village Each restaurant had
rs regular circle Of diners who came
night after night and sat about over
the coffee and cigarettes. talking new
ant new music, poIitlcs, SOCIALISM, syn
dlcallsm communism single tax and
many other things all of them quite
over our poor heads.
The girls often wore their har short
IN WAY that fascinated Violet, and
the men always wore tortoise shell rim
mod glasses They had the easy familiar
lty that goes with the small town too.
they came To our table and introduced
themselves, and most of them tried hard
20 know Violet OF course, we knew every
one who came To IIelen's.
So II WAS not the places that made
the evening remarkable IL was the
man, this new friend of Buds Francis
Meade. He was "A stock broker. one of
two members of fairly large firm on
Wall Street He WAS fine looking-yet
not handsome, for his features were far
from perfect He WAS perhaps 40, his
hair had quite a little gray In it, he had
a stern looking profile but the incest
and most humorous full face He had a
stubborn Jaw, but a soft, sweet looking
smile-a smile that transformed his
whole face. Later In the evening, his
partner, John Judson, joined us, and
finally we all went over TO our own little
fiat. where Violet and made coffee and
the two men and the boy sat and smoked
and talked
Mr.. Meade seemed especially attract
ed to Violet And the girl blossorned out
delightfully."- with him, chattering about
her impressions of the city when she first
came to It. She even told some Of our
first funny adventures, though | blushed
a little and felt somewhat III at ease
Aunt Enid and / used to 90 for a
walk, and write down the names of all
the new streets we came to, and what
they looked like. Then we came back
the same way, following our directions
80 we wouldn't be lost Aunt Enid used
10 be awfully afraid TO ask her way of
a Policeman
'She had bad conscience, mavbe. /"
suggested one of the men.
Maybe, but / don't think ." Vio-
let smiled. "She was Just afraid because
they were strange men and she hadn't
been properly introduced to them. We
never crossed a street alone for weeks
because of the cars.
Taking care of oneself in q traffic
Jam Is a matter of instinct Perhaps your
aunt hadn't the city instinct" Mr.. Jud-
son suggested.
Il think she has the home-making
instinct, however" Mr. Meade said bv
way OF answer, getting up and walking
about the room. II haven't been in q
place for years that made me feel so
thoroughly at home. This place is So
quict-and refreshing"
tie turned with that delightful smile
OF ms. Something warm and lovely ran
through me, ran through every vein in nv
body and made me feel strange, and
delightful.
IL was my first companion-the first
bit OF gailantry from a man since the
days so long ago when Mark paid me
awkward little compliments.
l wanted 10 say something in return
but i couldn't. ] knew well enough
what IL was-I wanted to say
Then please come and be at home
here often, you like it,"
But some curious awkwardness clutch /
ed at me, could not get the words out.
II was Violet who rescued the situation
by turning and saying with all the natural
grace she possessed.