San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-16

How Much Was This Bridal Couples Life Influenced by This Strange Encounter?


macies, and lit by rose-shaded lamps
embedded in the carved ceiling. and
screened from the outer world by thicl
rosy curtains, was perfectly empty
Warm and well-cushioned and softly
carpeted, it waited in silence with its
discreety voluptuous engravings anG
statuettes, its silver trophies of spor
and its gigantic ferns and palms, fol
the end of dinner, when it would BIZ
comfortably filled by ladies and gentle,
men who, until they went up in the lift
to bed, had nothing to do except digest
and play cards.
The dining room was separated from
the lounge by a glass wall. through
which the diners, aided by their high
priests, priests and acolytes, could be
seen dining with dignity and ceremony.
Not q sound came from the dining
room through the glass wall; its in
habitants might have been an optical
Illusion.
On the other side Of the lounge was
a much smaller apartment, called by
the hotel proprietor the sun room. Its
semi-circular front wall was wholly
window. and if there was any sunshine
this room caught it and imprisoned il
and presented it to the persons who
cared to occupy the row of easy-chairs
ranged in front of the vast expanse
of glass. The sun room was cold at
night. On this night its curtains had
not been drawn, nor its lamps lit.
Through the window the nocturnal
pleasure-town offered itself with its
piers and its promenade, all festooned
and jeweled in electricity, and its mo-
tors gliding to and fro, and a little
ragged boy crying evening papers in
the east wind just under the window.
The sun room was not quite dark,
partly because of the radiance from the
streets and partly because of the radi-
ance from the glowing lounge. Within
it, gazing forth at the magic spectacle
of the town, could be seen a young
man in dinner jacket.
He was tall, with a small head, h,
had race and distinction; he had evil
IDENTIFY done all that was proper to his
station and age, from fighting in the
trenches to joining the right clubs
And although he held himself care
lessly and was ever so little negligent
of his attire, be had tine authentic chit
which the most meticulous and earn
est dandies in Paris try in vain I,
match. He gazed at the town for quit,
long time and then turned and gazed
into the brightness of the lounge. HI
was waiting. The lounge was wait
ing.
Then fat middle-aged woman, with
dirty dress and dirty apron, sidled
alphabetically into the lounge, carry
ing a dirty tool box. Her tools consist
ed chiefly of various brushes and rags.
She knelt down before the great patent
stove that burnt coal economically and
yet brightly near the middle of the
lounge, and garnished and tidied and
rubbed the stove and swept its hearth
and sidled apologetically out again
She knew she was an eyesore in the
rich room and ought to be ashamed
of herself for being visible in para
disc.
And once more the lounge and the
young man waited. Then a bell rang
and the lift went up. The lift-shaft
surrounded by the staircase, ended in
the lounge itself. so that the traffic
and burdens of the lift might provide
interest for the loungers in the lounge
The lift descended, bearing wom-
an. 1t was pity that the lounge
happened to be empty of sightseers, for
the young woman was worth witness
ing. A blonde. and not very tall. she
had a face lovely in form and tints
glinting brown eyes and hair. and Il
smile that was habitual. The arched
curve of her eyebrows added to her
agreeable and eager expression a note
of slightly thrilled surprise. Having
a perfect complexion and lips she had
of course plentifully employed rouge
and powder. Having the most adorable
fingernails she had of course most
deliberately painted them. She was
magnificently dressed; her jewels
though few, might have been pawned
for at least n thousand pounds.
She glanced questioningly round the
empty lounge with look half-innocent
and half-initiated, half jaunty and
half bashful The truth was that she
had been married nearly three weeks
and this was not the first hotel of her
honeymoon therefore she considered
herself an old hand, learned in the
worlds ways. omniscient on the sub
ject of life and husbands and not on
any account to be mistaken for part
of a honeymoon couple. But also she
had doubts concerning her competence
as a woman of experience, and her
great knowledge sometimes frightened
her. Nevertheless she knew that she
was utterly delicious and all-power-
full.
Satisfied that there really was no
body in the lounge, she tripped up TO
the glass partition and spied cautious
" upon the dining room. Then, puzzled
she crossed the lounge again and
peered into the twilight of the sun
room.
"Ah! There you are! l was won
dering where you'd got to-
She spoke so vivaciously and charm.
ingly and lovingly that you would
have thought that, the place being
quite deserted, the young husband
would have sprung at tie young wife
and kissed her on the spot.
But no The young husband did not
move. He did not even look at the
young wife. He glared aside-at moth
ing. His mouth worked. He bit his lip
His hands dug themselves into the
very deeps of his pockets He was in
n state of considerable emotional dis
turbance, Whereas the young wife,