Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1904 — Her Name [ARTICLE]

Her Name

By LILIAN C. PASCHAL

—Copyright, IWB, by jT. C. MoChim...

“Oh, I beg your pardon!” she gasped os the car, jerking over Dew sinuosities of track perpetrated by the repairs, threw her bodily UUe windfallen peach Into the tap of a young man who was burled In the day's newspaper. Be looked up amusedly as she gathered herself from his saving embrace and the total wreck of his paper; thee be arose hastily. “Take my seat,” ho said courteously, with hat allft and the faintest twinkle In his eyes. “You will find it more comfortable—-tf I don’t." The ambiguous words sounded ungracious to the girl’s first confused thought and she hesitated. But one glance Into the frankly admiring eyes and another repair serpentine decided her. She sank with more haste then grace into the proffered seat while her preserver stooped to recover her dropped purse, handkerchief and other scatteredanoperties. She rewarded him with smiling thanks, then turned her anxious attention to the moving panorama of rain deluged streets outside. The problem In economics as to bow she should reach her home, two long cross town blocks from the car tine, Innocent as she was of umbrella or robbers, began to absorb her mind. She only vouchsafed one brilliant perplexed glance upward at the fellorw passenger who for her sweet sake was submitting himself to the modern inquisition of “hanging by a strap till dead.” But in that instant of wireless telegraphy he perceived her thought and resolved accordingly. So he rode on past his club block after block till his fair vis-a-vis, having made up her mind to run If not for her own life for that of her new lace hat signaled the conductor and got off the car. Grasping the voluminous fluffery of her silken skirts in both hands, she poised for flight when a deep voice addressed her In an extremely respectful tone: “We seem to be going the same way, and you have no umbrella. Won’t you share mine?” Fragments of Maria's elder sisterly counsels regarding strict propriety floated through her mind as she hesitated. But the man was evidently a gentleman, and besides there was the pouring rain, and her new bat would be ruined, not to mention this her very first long gown. She put her little hand on his offered arm as trustingly as tha child she was. and they set forth. In that short walk he made himself deferentially agreeable, and she, who had been shut In from all contaminating male society by a careful sister of forty, her only guardian, entered into this highly improper escapade with all the guilty Joy of a young filly Just broken out of Its stall Into forbidden pastures. Bbe was ao naive, yet daringly winsome, her soft, long lashed gray eyes were so Innocent, yet so mischievous, that It was small wonder that staid Mr. Harry Bewley, secretary to a highly respectable millionaire downtown, promptly lost his big, impulsive, IrishAmcrican heart and, what was worse, his handsome head. For os they ascended the brownstone steps of the aid mansion and be realized that he might never see her again In this great wilderness of New York he rashly begged her to let him call and call some time soon. The girl was frightened at what she had drawn upon herself. His brown eyes were desperately pleading as be closed the umbrella and stood beside ber under the cotanned shelter of the entrance way. “Ob, please go away,” she Implored Dim, glancing apprehensively about and hurriedly fitting her key to the lock. “Some one, perhaps Sister Marla, might see yon.” "Not till you tell me when I may see you again. I must Life will never be the same again. Hera,” he hastily thrust a card Into her hand and held it tliere, "I am with Bronson & Ca, Canal street Any one there can tell you that I am not an adventurer nor”— “Very well," she Interrupted In terror, hearing steps Inside, “Come next Wednesday evening. Ask for Miss Auollne Dwight* She opened the door and was gone from his eager sight During the next week Mr. Harry Bew ley's days and nights were a ferment of flitting, gray eyed visions In blue flounces and adorable lace hats. Auoffne! What a beautiful name-, it was! When Wednesday evening came at last he made a dart far the door of the office promptly at ft, something be had never done before and which 1 astonished his employer beyond measure. That wealthy gentleman had laid the foundation at bis millions by walking to save car fare and added to them by underpaying and overworking all the men In hts employ. But tonight his secretary slipped out and away from the usual boor’s work overtime and hurried to Ms club, where be spent fifteen hasty minutes at hts dinner and an boor and tbree-qnartera at his toilet Appareled at last to suit Ms fantfiUooa fasts, be sallied forth to a Madison avenue car. Arriving at the‘bouss whose fair dweller bad haunted his dreams, be rang the bell and waited, with his heart thumping so load under his stiff dress shirt that be wondered if she could hear It In that second floor

front room she had told him was ben and which be had watched every evening for a week In hope of seeing even ber shadow. v The door was opened by a trim maid. “Is—ls Miss Anollne Dwight at Dome 7” he stammered In his excitement, fumbling in his ca release. The maid stared and then giggled, bat In a moment straightened ber deportment to Its usual dignity. “Yes, sir; I guess sbe’a downstairs,’' she remarked; then glancing doubtfully at the bit of pastboard, “Shall I take this to ’er?” And the giggle threatened to break bounds again. “Certainly,” responded Mr. Bewley In his most lofty manner, though he reddened visibly. What the deuce ailed the girl ?he wondered. Probably Miss Dwight was at dinner. He hoped he had not come too early. He anxiously consulted his watch. Nine o'clock was not so late. A burst of laughter from below, wbltber the servant bad repaired, startled his embarrassment anew, and the words “Plug hat, too.” floated up to him. When she came back she was at no pains to conceal ber mirth. “Jes* step this way, sir,” she giggled. And he followed her, much perturbed, to the basement. “Gen’l’man to see Miss Dwight," sbe announced loudly, opening the kitchen door with a flourish and abruptly withdrew to a back room, whence muffled explosions of mirth Issued at Intervals. “Yo’ wan' see me, sub?’ A huge black bulk In turban and white apron waddled toward him. *Ts Miss AnerIlne Dwight—de cook oh dis yer ‘stabllshment” On confronting the African apparition Mr. Bewley stared, opened his mouth to speak, then fled. When he emerged, wrathful, wretched, disappointed and humiliated, be went back to the club and called himself all the unpleasant names he could think of. He arose next morning with the lark —or what corresponds to it in the city, the milk wagons—and delighted his employer by being first at the office: also for several mornings thereafter. But a reward other than official ap-'’ proval—cold comfort though it was—awaited him a few days later. In the form of a dainty blue note sealed with white wax. It was from Sister Maria, as follows: My Dear Mr. Bewley— Through a chance remark of one of the servants today I was led to question my sister Nell concerning a hoax she very unjustly played upon you the other evening. Nell Is very young and Inexperienced, and I have tried to be father and mother both to the orphan child. So I write now to ask your pardon for her Impropriety and later rudeness to you. Your desire for further acquaintance, if you still cherish such, may possibly be furthered if you can find a mutual friend through whom to receive the usual formalities of an introduction. I beg to remain yours very truly,

MARIA L. BROSTER.

Harry groaned In deapair as he read. How could be ever hope among the several millions who Inhabited the island of Manhattan to find one who knew Miss Nell Broeter. The proverbial needle in the haystack was an easy search as compared to this. Bat a tiny penciled word at the bottom of the page caught his eye: “Over.” He turned the page and with It turned a new and Joyful leaf In hls life, for It held all the sweetness of love’s young dream. This is what be read: P. B—Sister gave me this Co mall. She has probably forgotten to my that I was a roommate at boarding school of your Mr. Bronson’s niece and ward Mabel. You go there every Saturday to audit hls household aooounta, don’t you? NELL B ROSTER. P. S. No. 2.—Mabel has asked me to lunch with her next Saturday. N. B.