The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-09-23

anu hQSDG0 ~ q Qdy " bWOs III NN
her usual fippant good humor came
back. She grimaced at Kit n gave
Robbie fifty cents, and went on galIy 10
a dance with Waddy Blaine.
Waddy Blainel Kit, DANES comfort
ably married second sister, sighted So
berly when Diane went out the door.
DANES mother said nothing, nothing.
"He was stout and silly, even to our
crowd" unused Kit.
"Diane was the prettiest of you all"
sighed the mother.
Few towns Of the great, breezy long
settled midwes but have their Waddy
Blaines. Along with the muttonleg
sleeves Of the COS, the phaetons, and
the pompadour hair, the type was
evolved.
Waddy owned a h~aberdashery store in
Saranston. He had owned it for twenty
six years. He had been away from 1T at
one time no more than six months, and
that was in the Spanish-American war.
His ears had known 1.-THE Stars and
Stripes Forever when such was brand
new music. His stout arms u recall
many a Gibson shirt waist which they
had clasped more or less passionately.
Long time ago he had driven sportily a
high seated buggy and known the zest
of picking what girl in town he wished.
Some time back he had been the hrst
in town to drive a roadster, a natty req
little gas wagon that everybody turned
to look at.
Oh, those were the days! Roadsters
weren't as common as grass by the road
side in that time. A fellow was a classy
dog who owned one Waddy was the hrst,
perhaps, in the state to get q speed
ometer-and then ostentatiously discon-
meet it. I'm not proud" with a wise
grin. mot in this town. Just as soon
this town didn't know how many miles
I do in my little gas wagon. Might be a
lot Of talk" Smirk-mock drawing down
Of lips as if at the towns old fashioned
ideas Of speed!
Like many heavy men who like gay
neckties M nifty footgear, Waddy was a
marvellous dancer. Waddy grew old and
stouter. The Gibson shirt waists gave
way to other styles. Phaetons became
rarities. Waddy still was a good dancer,
He lived with his mother, an old par
ticular lady with money in stocks-not
any big fortune, but enough to keep heI
SO that Waddy didn't have to provide for
her. Long time back Waddy was consid-
cred a well fixed young man., a catch.
Alasl Speedometers waxed common
and Waddy's waistline waXed like a new
moon given thirty days. Waddy got no
tice, not because he owned a speed
ometer, but because he was a thermom,
eter. He became a test. When a CIR
accepted his persistent, mildly witty
stodgy, middle aged attention, h wa
in a way doomed. She had become
; passe; even as Waddy, from having beer
a Beau Brummel, had become a joke tt
: the very young and pretty girls OF Saran
: atom. Also a new chain store had hur
! his business.
: It was rumored that toward hi
! fortieth birthday Waddy wished II
marry. But he had played too long witt
, the rosy apple Of matrimony. When h
I wished at last to eat, it had withere'
+ and decayed IN his fat, middle aged fin
: gers.
Seeing him one afternoon put Dian
+ with ostentation into his rather seed
roadster, old Jesse Lothrop stopped o.
: the corner of Main street and Fourtl
avenue and smiled as if with great com
fort. Waddy tucked in DANES shoT
white sport skirt. Waddy was smilin
q amiably. Some people said that Wadd
o had a froglike face, wide enough for
dozen empty smiles. That year Waddy
o waistline was 1fty-eight.
Waddy saw the old mar stop and smil
q at him and Diane. Said Waddy fatuouS
ly. why, say, Diane, I believe that oil
. codger has got over his feeling agains
Il you. He looked pretty friendly at U.S."
Oh, thick like hide vas Waddy's sell
N esteem! And lacking, like a coat tC
re small, his power of Judgment.
# Really, Waddy?" said Diane, wit
'S merciless sarcasm. what a clever Of
dear you are. Wasn't YOU mother SUI
h prised when you never became presidel
n Of the country?"
re- Past Waddy's bent, fat, nearly ba
head she gave the old man glance Il
1e glance. When Jesse had gone on 81
ut called him back.
ri ooh, Mr.. Lothrop! Ever hear fro
err Lee? Is he dead and buried? Or, Ill
n the rest of us, just wanting to be?"
BIT She had a clear carrying voice. Othe
We besides the startled Waddy, eXaminil
1t his engine, heard her. The old ms
6t turned rapidly on his heel and glared
nj her. He raised his cane as if to stri
her. The onlookers gaped.
Don't speak his name, you-you-
he Choking with fury, the father stalked
up the street.
= -" The matter-of-fact Waddy, VIC h
no been past forty when Diane and L
IF were shrieking young lovers, demande
Say, Di, what did you want to do tn
90 for? 1t wasn't quite nice" He got in
the car and started it with celebrity.
al "Waddy, be a rose and blush unseel
Oh yawned the girl. 81 did that because
of wished"
M Her companion pursed his lips diss
provingly. Diane had been impudent
ct. an old codger. Not that Waddy liz
Jesse much. For years the old de
"a clothed, o III faced lawyer, going to a
oh fro each day at the same hour FRI
house to office, had been a morbid sp
me tacle to all sensible eyes. But, Of coul
the old codger had missed Lee, W
lGh Wd0OJ CA1dIAbdO4y HOpShs was 0OAA46 v
on elsewhere, and, maybe with a wife ant
lad pack Of kids, finding life pretty Fl
of Waddy didn't blame Diane. After all
to it hadn't been her, it might have b.
~ some other girl. Still, she had better
decent n let bygones stay bygones.
need in stirring up a soured old m
ib- Course, Diane was still a kid, and k
are silly.
sis When the Woodmen Of the World g
ad- a fancy dress ball and banquet t
autumn In an adjacent and larger to-
Waddy was pleased to take two tick
bu- He congratulated himself and Diane
cur the prospect Of a joyous evening.
But she heard his announcement v
,er- a small, hooking smile that had
red enough heart to remain. She'd 90,
ped course. Not duller than staying at no
.ich She was Indifferent to the gray sky {
her November day. A drizzly rain prom.
to condense to snow. Later, too,
Nm promise was fulfilled.
and She silenced her mother, who,
MIS- nearly all parents, had exaggerated
en- tipathies TO weather. "Aisten, nom,
and not sugar, and I won't melt. Any
Kits coming over with the kids, and
I'M just as soon be paved by poor old 81
Waddy as by them all evening""