Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1912 — He Took Her For a Thief [ARTICLE]

He Took Her For a Thief

By DANIEL WINSTON

vCopyright by American Press Asm- a - elation, 1911. J

Perry Atkinson, immaculately dressed and with n pearl stickpin to his cravat, was witting on the platform of s seaside station at tbe height of the summer season. A number of persons wipe there, some to receive friend*, some to see friends off. nil waiting fora (Mia When it roiled up to the station Atkinson craned bis neck with the seat, like n turkey gobbler bunting for some favorable point to fly over a fence. While thus looking np he suddenly felt two arm# thrown around his neck and a pair of lips pressed to bis. Now. at this especial resort situated not far from a large city, were many different classes of persons, from tbe highest to the lowest. When Atkinson felt himself to tbe embrace of a teeman wbo was a stranger to bim the first explanation of the situation tfilt entered his head was that ft waa ie game to relieve bim of his money. Disengaging himself as quickly as possible. he elapi>et! bis band to his hip, where he kept his pocketbook. He was relieved to find the wallet there. Then be instinctively felt for his peari scarfplo. and it was gone! By this time the woman who had emtwaced him—a itfirt of twenty—waa standing looking at-him with a puzzled expression which, as she gazed, developed into one of-borror. ? >. “I greatly fear.” she stammered, “that I have made a mistake.” “You certainly have made a mistake odf°my stickpto mighty quirk or 111 call the police.” At this the girl put on an expression to describe which language is inadequate. Her face was scaHet; beroye* flashed alternate indignation’ and fear. Then suddenly Atkinson made a fiive for her skirt, where he saw his sedrfpin hanging, and caught it as It' Was about to fail to the ground. Putting it to its proper place, be gave the'&fH a final glance and was about to turn aWay wbfen she said: “Do yon mean to tell me that yon are not Ben Willard.’' “I don’t know tbe gentleman.” ’; ,r Yon are the image of him,” the girt added, ready to burst into team. - ’ Atkinson gave ber another took.as.4f undecided whether to apologize or say something harsh, then walked away very much disgruntled. While he had been thus engaged a friend be had come to the station to receive had 'decapod him- As he walked to the'Summer residence where he was staying he began to see the episode to its true proportions and to become conscious of having made a guy of himself; Before the day was o ver be regretted not haying apologized to : the girl and longed for an opportunity to undo what he bacLdboe. ■ ■ Tlie neat time Mr. Atkinson me* the jouogjady whom^behjfi ladles was advancing towanf a line of gentlemen, and as the lines met the first gentleman whirled away with-the first 'lady. In, tbe coming line of UriMez Atkinson suddenly espied the bbtoine of the stickpin. This in itself was 1 embarrassing. bat when be cowated/the men J ahead of bim and tfie ladle* ahead of the girl to question and 1 diecovered that sbe would fall to him for a iferteer Ms heart took dowfi into the heels of bis patent leather boots- 'Z - When tbe couples ahead of them were reduced to three Atkinson iaw the girl’s eyes fixed upon him and shuddered. He saw by her expression that she was about to take bpr r» % venge. When all those wbo bafi preceded them had sailed away in the dance and they stood face to face the girl turned on her heel, presenting be* back to Atkinson in sight of ail present. and marched out of the room. Atkinson made way for the man next behind him. wishing that some of those standing about would sboot him. He made bis exit through a door opposite the one by which the young lady bad passed out and left tbe house. The rest of the evening was given up by these who were not dancing to a discussion of what Atkinson, who was known to be a gentleman and a favorite socially, had done to draw forth an expression of snob contempt. The next fortnight wa* one of profound suffering to Atktoßon. He sent friend after friend to tbe young lady. Miss Laugdon, with explanations and apologies. No reply came from any of them. When be met her an tbe beach •be did not notice him. Had she shown again signs of her contempt he would bare liked It better. He declined all Invitations, fearing that be would meet her. But when an intimate friend gave a cotillion party at which he waa obliged to be present he was horror stricken to see Miss Langdoa among the guests. He tried to shirk dancing the cotillion, but failed, Sitting in chair, the picture of misery, waiting while the ladies were offering favors, what was his astonishment to see the girl he bad taken for a thief advance toward him, smiling, and hand him a favor. It seemed as if the tortures of Tartarus were replaced by a heavenly halm. Placing Ms arm around l£r waist, he sailed away with her. neither speaking, yet both attracting, from tbe nature of the case, much attention. When they had finished their whir! Atkfasbn said to her: ' ~“Onty as angel would have forgiven a fiend would have denied yon torgtveuesA" .jjjr