Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 265, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1913 — WHATCHANCE HAS A MAN? [ARTICLE]

WHATCHANCE HAS A MAN?

“It waa the biggest escape of mgr fife* said the young man with the gray necktie, as he sank into a chair at the club with a relieved sigh. *Tve Just been seeing her off on the train. She came here two months ago to visit her aunt, and toe only reason minute that I’m not an engaged man and done for Is that Providence watches over the unweary. *T should have taken warning when her aunt mentioned caoually erne evening that Dora was coming to stay a while with her. She said that among all her nlecee Dora shone a bright particular star, because of her lovely disposition and sweet ways. She sate when Dora came she felt she could really take a rest, because the child was so clever about managing a house and overseeing servants. “Well, Dora was pretty, terribly pretty, and attractive. T was so Interested In those facts that I didn't erven take warning when on my second call she confided to me that she never Intended to marry. “I expostulated with Dora. No girl had a right to say that, I told her gravely. She had no right to snatch from some despairing, man bis only hope of happiness and thus make his life a howling desert. “1 devoted that whole evening to trying to convince her how wrong she was. I could not bear to go away thinking I bad left her still cherishing such reprehensible notions. i had plenty of opportunity to argue the matter with her afterward, for I was invited to dine so many times, and of oourae' that meant dinner calls and theatres to square myself. “Presently Dora’s aunt took a band. She said it was a pity Dora was so particular, because she missed so many good tones through that fault. She absolutely would not waste time talking to a man or accepting his Invitations to theatres or parties unless he really Interested her and she liked him. “I had been seeing Dora about four times a week, so, naturally, I felt gratified, tremulously that I hoped I aad not been boring her. Dora’s aunt shook her head solemnly. “ ‘Mr. GUter, ’ she said, ‘I assure you I know no one with whom Dora feels more at home and happier than with you. I donft Jtnow when I’ve seen her so Interested. It has pleased me so much that she really seemed to take such an interest in you. That has been the child’s chief fault, her Independence. She always acts as If she didn’t care in the least whether anyone liked her or not. It is queer, for she has such a tender heart!’ “Any man would have been flattered to And that Dora liked him. I was so pleased about It that It was a shock, the next time I called, to find her engrossed In the conversation of Billings, who Is an awful frost. I was , very much surprised. Dora seemed to hang on his words. She paid scarcely any attention to nto.’ Wben l left she smiled sweetly. “It was next morning, in the middle of my second cup of coffee, that the great Idea dawned on me that maybe she had been trying to make me jealous of Billings. “I stayed away. Then Dora telephoned me to come over. She had on her prettiest gown and she was going to cook lobster In the chafing dish the way I liked H best. Oh, I was wideawake enough now! That lobster Newburg to m? was nothing but a large, deadly pointed fishhook, and I was assigned the pert of the fish. “I floundered agilely and escaped, although Dora leaned her head on one hand and posed beautifully over the chafing dish and talked about her Indecision whether to take up settlement work or go as a missionary. She seemed a little irritated when I advocated the latter course.

“She announced later that the lobster Newburg was all gone. She did It In a tone of voice that said I’d better go home, so I went. “Then Dora’s aunt helped. She took to mentioning the heaps of letters Dora got from her home town, and hinted that Dora had come away to escape three adorers, each of whom had vowed to wed her. She asked Billings to dinner whenever she asked me, and politely insinuated to me In private that I had five miles to go and about two seconds to make It In if I was going to win in the race. “I was scared to death by this time. You see, Dora really was very pretty and I was afraid that in some moment of abSratlon I might awallow the hook. I was in danger up to the very minute the train pulled out to-day. “I didn’t even let myself take a square look at Dora In her fascinating travelling suit till the wheels started to revolve. I waa afraid I’d ask If I aright write to her. I was bound I wouldn't do that. I'm perfectly safe how, if I can stop where I ams" A horrified look suddenly spread over the face of the young in gray. “Great Scott!" he breathed, pulling a pair of gloves out of his pocket “Here are Dora's gloves! I remember, she asked me to take care of them while she attended to the baggage man! I*l1 —why, J’H have to write to her now when I send ’em I And she’ll reply and ask something, and I*U have to write again. Say, do you suppose shs could have done that on purpose?” V “You're lost, all rightl” sympathised his friend.