Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-13
THE EVENING STORY

here to the car and wait for you.
Mrs. Powell was plainly relieved. Ru-
anna left her, walking away with all the
dignity she could command. But her
heart was heavy. She had missed a good
time She didn't know single thing
about this big, busy town or a single
soul in it. And she had just enough
money in her purse to buy her own
modest lunch, and as she had intended
Mrs. Powells. She decided to take a
sandwich and a cup of coffee If she got
too hungry and put her money into some
little gifts for the home folks.
She made her first mistake when she
went into small shop that looked as it
it might have skeined yarn and seemed
to contain only fancy articles when YOU
No wonder It made her the most con-
spicuous thing on the street. And she
began miserably to realize this fact.
Everybody was polite, but they stared.
Even the kindly little salesgirl who
helped her to pick out cheap record
for Aunt Hats little monograph seemed
astonished by that dropping water-hly.
Ruanna began to feel rather faint,
for she had breakfasted early. She
looked round for a restaurant sign;
there were several alluring ones, but
they were right over her head, and she
wouldn't have been caught gawping
for the world. She saw the letters
Y. w. G. A. across the street and re-
membered hearing about the famous
cafeteria there. She started across.
The gale that had just sprung up went
with her. The gale was fighting for
the wide-brimmed hat. In the end
the gale got the hat, and a towering
red truck nearly got Ruanna. Ii It
hadn't been for the traffic cop, always
on the outlook for jaywalkers, and q
red-faced man who leaped from the
sidewalk and clutched her, she, instead
of her hat. might have been crushed:
"Ruanna!" gasped her hero, I'D
have known that head Of red-top any
where" Ruanna lifted her dazed eyes
to Dan Simmons. You're white as q
ghost" he went on. "Come with ms"
He drew her into q restaurant and
placed her in a chair at small table.
"You need good cup OF cof1ee TO
brace you up" he said.
The coffee did wonders for Ruanna.
Her color came back. She was able TO
talk a little and eat bit of the food
Dan ordered for her. Meanwhile he
chatted in a lively way. He was selling
gasoline engines, lived here in the city
now. Ma was gone, and, honest. ne
hadn't had a decent meal since. Ma
was dandy cook. Guess he'd never
find anybody like her. Well, he was
all alone now-paSsed through Ruan-
mas town once In a while, but was too
darned rushed to look up old acquaint-
ances. Was glad to see her. Sorry
she'd lost her hat Hadn't she better
get another? There was a millinery
Oh He'd yaroff hnrn for
her. When she got back they'd go
to a matinee.
Ruanna's blush was cruel. She had no
money to buy q hat Her agonized
glance fell on her thin purse. Dams
glance fell there, too. He whipped out
a roll Of bills. peeled of couple.
Here, let me lend you this. You can
pay me back when you get around to 1t. :
Ruanna, excited and delighted, found
herself In possession Of $40. Was that
a mans idea of what a woman's hat
cost? Why, she had never spent more
than S. for hat, even In war times.
But when she got inside OF Louise's shop
she found that even the simplest cloche
was terribly expensive. And wouldn't
fit, at that.
You've got too much hair. Do you
know what I'd do IL ! were you?" The
HACtty AC1WOk1ldAA uSE0 AGA oOAtOoUs AAAoos
persuasive tone. I'D step upstairs to
Fredette's beauty shop and get nice
bob and finger wave. Then come back
and buy this hat" She twirled the
charming little hat on her finger
you'll see he'll like It," she smiled.
Ruanna swallowed hard, once, twice.
May use your telephone?" she
asked.
She called Dan at the restaurant
Yes, he'd wait. Take her time. Ru-
anna flew upstairs.
An hour later Dan Simmons waiting
ended. He had read the paper, looked
at his watch, smoked two cigars anc
walked up and down the sidewalk
tuning with Impotence and cursine
himself for fool. Why on earth hac
he promised to wait for that woman:
He could have had her 10 years ago II
he'd wanted her.
Ruanna was approaching, so changed
| that he didn't know her just at first
Clever Fredette had fixed UP more thar
her hair. She had beauttfied Ruanna,.
face and soul. This Ruanna was worth
looking at, assure you.
Sorry to have kept you waiting *
long, Dam" casually spoke this new
Independent, assured Ruanna.
Ruanna was late getting back to tn
car. Mrs. Powell fretted at least II
minutes before she arrived.
| Good graciousl Why-you've beer
John took me to the SWEETEST place. HI
had a lady with him, the SWEETEST dame
He's going to marry her. I was awful,
glad you didn't go. Ruanna. She-shl
l sort of made me feel uncomfortable
she was so aristocratic. Ruanna, yol
aren't listening to a word I'm sayingr
Ruanna laughed alphabetically.
81 was wondering If you'd lend m
that lemon pie recipe you were telling
about the other day" she said. I'm
going to have friend take lunch witt
me next week, and I want to give hin
something special"