The Washington herald., 1921-07-10
MISS MARY SMITH

The Strange AdUenture
of a Tired Business
Man Who Didn t Believe
In Loue at First Sight
ToHN SMITH laid down his sisters letter
and uttered a rude word He was de-
voted to KittIe, but In that moment he
~ would have enjoyed taking her by her
prstty shoulders and giving her q good snAk-
tnx. Why vas It that Etris ef Kltue's sort
never realized ths x.lns Of fenovs tznsf
Ktttse appeared to think th.t hs. John. w.s
fn Nsx Yurk fpr ths sole purpnss ef enfn>
t.tnrnx any frt.nd Of hfs who suddenly o.
.,sed In mend Q f.w days IN ths HstroponA-
whre... WHIT b ~s rssx6 hes f~ vss
b vze frun thsrefncfznf esJ m sz1nnAi
s,us which vU1sd ssM his siztsr oomfUt
snsy through ooI7.s.. provide h.r win pref1y
r~n. sud s1k stockings ana matinee uck-
90 .nd h.r,s ensuxh 10 support his bravs
trurf N . yuunE and sncceszful captain q
tntDH
70 u,ese thesr combined expenses md to
b, . ntfas ahead Of tho sams kept John
hurrnx. Both he and K1ttss we're natural
vu-rderz and thetr easeful fe before their
fzfh,r md . bankrupt had not given them
n txxazfnx which helped them now. Their
6rrnrnsf emotion next 10 their grief over
his o.afA was an fnmense and horrtned sur-
,rss. ut the situation Of penury In which they
fpund themsefves-a surprise their mother
uszr.d tD such an extent that tho shock OF
q Kidd her Shs died. indeed. With Some
thtn< Of tho elect q hastening into the
n<xt rordd no ask her husband how d had
happened
The nve years hpzlowtns these eaiaHies7
had been hard years for John. but hs bad
rrnds them as easy a. he could for K1tt,e
Then he had got his real start and had dns
into his work and had beeun 10 make money.
which Kttis spent as toyousty and n n
resporsibfy rs she had spent brr fatherS
money. John DIDN'T mind that K1ttis vas
an he had, and shs was having . wonderful
tina Even now, recalling this. his brow
cleared and he picked up Kittte's ietter and
reread fts last paragraph with . furEiStng
grin XII IA Ep>d not realize how busJ h
was That Wa Idttie's only fauh
You wiz Hke Mary immensely. Kittts
had written She's the dearest thing In tia
world and 50 pretty. and her pane Is Smith,
you know, 20 perhaps she's our cousin or
something I won't ask you to meet her n
the train, for That might not be convenient'
%, thoughtful little Ntties But kheT @
right to the Bsesford when she arrives n
four Thursday, and I want you to Be 1t thl
hotel at i've and tahe her somewhere fnz
tsa Then you can mako some I3ore plans
for shell be in town three days shes soin1
To be bridesmaid next month at the Knapp
Darcy wedding Do be good 10 her. Jackie
darr1< She's one of my dearest friends, ant
want You ho live Up 10 an I've told he,
about you
Johns handsome young face wore recon
ciled but thoughtful expression he foldes
the letter and put II in his pocket BIS mint
worked briskly ON its little problem Thurs
day. That was today AT five, 1t was nov
half past four, and he was in his downtown
once, At least q good half hour from th,
Berextnrd Kfttie's letter had just come b
an in the Aa afternoon mail She hadn'
allowed him muA lhne To turn around; bu
that was Kfttie's way She was like happ.
child in her gay assumption that everything
and everybody could be shared to her wishe.
John grtnned again He hH|.r business Al
potntment at a quarter to five, and II wa
too late to warn the party Of the second par
who was doubtless at that moment In th
subway ON his way to Johns offce-
John closed the drawer of his desk with a
emphasis that worked Of the last trace Z
his irritation. left with his stenographer
message intended to calm the irate caIle
and hurried to the nearest subway statiol
He would take the girl At the Beresford {
tea at some place where good food and goc
music were provided. he resolved, and befol
she left town he would take her to dim,
and the theater- That would represent q
ths time and money he could spend on he
and he would have to give Kittie a gent
hint about sending him any one else for
while
He entered the lobby Of the Beresford
exachy FIVE o'clock, and. approaching
aloof youth at the hotel desk. asked that b
name be telephoned UP to Miss Mary smit
The rather wooden countenance Of the you
suddenly took on an expression that ma
Il almost human He turned upon youl
Smith a quick glance that held interest, q
praisal- and envy Then as Light in . vi
dow vanishes when the shade is drawn,
oountenane-. resumed its professional ma.