Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1908 — Nannies's Lesson. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nannies's Lesson.

By CARL WILLIAMS.

Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated Literary Press.

“Won’t you do what is right by my daughter?” Nannie shivered at the pathos of the Slea and turned to look at the speaker. t was odd that he should pick out the platform of the elevated station for bis appeal, but perhaps this was some chance meeting and the only opportunity the old man had. “She was a happy girl until she met you,” the old man continued. “There ‘was no better or happier girl in the whole city, and now”— The voice broke through excess of {emotion, and Nannie turned to see who ifhe man might be. He was younger than she bad expected, and he bore the ••tamp x>f prosperity. He was no trembling. decriplt old man, but middle aged and well to do. Still, there was no mistaking the sincerity of his speech, and Nannie shifted her glance to the young man. With’ a little shuddering sob she turned and hurried aboard the train which had just pulled in. It was not the train she wanted, but •he felt she must get away from the place, for the man to whom the elder was making his appeal was Jack Laurance, 45er Jack. He listened to the other man largely because of the restraining hand upon his arm. He could not get away, and his handsome face plainly showed the annoyance he felt, but there was no suggestion of remorse or shame. In the train Nannie shuddered again and twisted the solitaire that was the pledge of his love. . With a gesture of despair, she finally drew the ring from her finger and slipped it into her purse. It had been the pledge of his love, and he had proved recreant to an earlier promise. Somewhere a woman mourned her broken heart and his broken promises. At the next station Nannie changed to a train in the opposite direction. She had been hurrying downtown to meet Jack for a matinee with him. They were to have met at a downtown station because he could not get away from the office in time tp call for her. What he was doing in the uptown district she did not know, and now she told herself that she did not care. Bravely she held out until she reached the house; then she hurried to her own room to throw herself upon the bed and flood the pillow with her tears. Less than a year had passed since Jack Laurance had come Into her life, but it had been the most important year of her girlhood. '

Almost from the first she had been attracted to him by his manliness and the honesty of the deep brown eyes. She had been pleased with bis attentions, and w'hen he told his love and asked her to become his wife it Seemed as if her cup of joy was filled to overflowing. She had often felt a superstitious ditad that something might happen, and now that fear bad been realized. Several times the telephone bell rang, but Nannie felt that she could not speak to Laurance even over the wire, and the lasi time she sent a message to the effect that she would write to him. Before she could finish her letter one had come from him in which he apologized *or not keeping bis appointment on time and explaining that be had run uptown on business and bad been delayed by an unexpected encounter with an old friend from whom he bad beei unable to escape. The letter was the last thing needed to confirm Nannie in her resolution. By his own admission Jack had been uptown. He might intend to explain away his detention by an old triend, but Nannie knew what that encounter had meant, so it was a brief and formal note that accompanied the ring back to the giver. Jack did not yield easily, but NanJMe would not read the letters he wrote Imploring her to explain just what the trouble had been. He told her he could not believe that the engagement was broken because he had been late in keeping an appointment, and be bagged her to give him an opportunity to explain. To Nannie the letters merely meant that he feared the old man had sought her and revealed Laurence’s perfidy. Doubtless he wished to ascertain if this was the fact, that he might offer some explanation. Perhaps be . even thought that he might be able to win her over, but no one could have Us-

I tenetrtiTUie"old man’s plea and accept any explanation from the wrongdoer. For nearly two months Jack persisted In his endeavor to set things straight, and Nannie grew pale and nervous under the strain. Even her father, absorbed in business affairs, saw her distress and in bis clumsy'way sought ia help her. His help took the form of theatei tickets, and several times she met him downtown on Saturday afternoons and went to a matinee with him. One afternoon he regarded her with eyes that twinkled. “We're going to be real frivolous this afternoon.” be declared. “I got seats for the variety show. There’s a chap on the bill I met the other day. He is someth'ng of a bore when he wants to talk about himself—which is most of the time—but otherwise he’s a good sort, and I’d like to see what he does.’’ nodded. Her father had often fuiiifi -o;l his own inclinations to take t:» serious plays, which she liked ■c :. II \vr.s only fair that he should \i~ ■ ids afternoon of vaudeville, Once ■i in the comfortable chairs <1 the entertainment rather dir • .\ t • r . * :e i-kief attraction was a playlet offs :e • b;/ Hugh Wassingford, who had avhi'veJ .a reputation on the dramatic stag >. which he was now selling to advantage In vaudeville. Nannie started at his entrance. Allowing for the changed appearance in makeup, it was the man of the elevated platform. The voice, the mannerisms were all the same, and presently the story of the sketch developed the tale of a deserted daughter, and, In the same words that had been seared into Nannie's brain, the old man made his plea, but this time to a paid actor and not to Laurance. The trembling appeal had its effect, and the curtain fell on the two men starting in search of the girl. As the applause died down her father turned to Nauaie and smiled approvingly as he saw that the girl’s eyes were filled with tears. “Great work that,” he commented. “That fellow is a real actor. He recited the whole of the sketch for me at the club the other night, and. by Jove, I almost cried myself. Jack Laurance brought him over to a little smoker the' boys got up. Jack says the first time he heard the act was on elevated station. He was in n hurry to get dowptown, and Wasslngford held him there for half an hour, with Jack scowling into his face and looking at his watbh every three min utes a 3 a bint that be was late. But Wassiugford held him to the very end. Jack picked the winner of two sketches he had the first time he played in vaudeville, and now Wassingford thinks that he can’t put ou a sketch until Jack thinks it’s all right” “Do you suppose that Jack is here this afternoon?” asked Nannie eagerly. "He told Wassingford be would come down. He may be back In the dressing room”

■’’Will you please see If he is and ask him to come here?” said Nannie, and her father started off, pleased at the request. He liked Jack and was glad that there might be a chance for the breach to be healed. He stood by the back rail while Jack took the seat he had occupied. Nannie reached out her hand and clasped his. glad that the house was darkened for the motion pictures. “I sent for you to ask you to forgive me and to tell you that your friend Mr. Wassingford is a great actor,” she whispered. “I was ou the elevated station w 7 hen he told you that sketch, and I heard only his appeal—and believed. Oh, can you fqrgive me. Jack?” “Can I!” echoed Jack. “Well, I guess I can. You wait until we get home, and watch me. I’m so happy, dear, that I won’t even hold it against you that you could believe evil of me. Wassingford is a convincing sort of ebap, bnt I do wish he would cut out those monologue rehearsals on the street. They are bound to make trouble.” “It was a good thing, after all,” whispered Nannie. “After this I shall not believe evil of you, no matter how convincing it may sound. I have had my lesson.”

NANNIE BEACHED OUT HER HARD AND CLASPED HIS.