The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-09-24
fellow Here's chance to test .wo.
mans faithfulness.

fellow Here's chance to test .wo-
mans faithfulness."
"She's very much in love with me, u
1 replied, "and I'd trust her any
length of time" Scrimmins laughed
then. am sure don't know why
but he is one of those men who are al
ways laughing at everything and moth
ing, SO I smiled disdainfully upon him,
and didn't mind.
That night I departed from my vii
lage bound eastward on my business
trip. / visited Kathie in her window,
of course, before 1 left, and asked her
what I should bring her from Boston.
"Only yourself, back safe again, VI
she said in a trembling voice. "There
days. Oh what, what should I do if
one were to occur and they should sud-
denly telegraph back that you-you-
were injured" I resolved then and
there to get Kathie the most expensive
present my purse would allow, and !
went off in the half-past seven express
a blissful man, even though was an
old fogy. took my trip to Boston
and, arrived there, I bought the most
extravagant ring could find. never
even once thought of what my dainty
relatives would say to my marrying a
telegraph operator, SO self-abnegating
was my love, and it was all for nothing
yes, absolutely for nothing, as I must
tell you. That ring reposes in my
bureau drawer to this day, and upon it
is marked, "To be delivered to nv
niece, Tabitha Strong, after my death |;
by her to be sold, the money accruing
therefrom to be expended for the re-,
generation of Che Hoodoo Indians, a
most worthy charity" Tabitha is an
old maid, but she is most charitable
creature, and that diamond will be
rightly expended in her hands.
When L returned from Boston, which
was two weeks afterwards, in the even
ing, I arrived at our station in O great
state of excitement. I caught my bag
and rushed for the bay window.
"Kathie, DEAR" said I.
Click, click, went the wires.
"There amt no Kathie here" ex-
claimed nasal voice.
"Dear me ! but that gals a pesky
nuisance"
"Kathie gone ?" asked I. "Is-is
she i'll ?" I peered at the person 1 was
addressing. and made out in the dark a
tall, spare individual in spectacles and
screw curls.
"No, she amt i'll nuther. She's ben
married"
"Married ?' I shrieked.
eyes, married, and she's gone out to
Neevaddy to live"
"Cousin James p exclaimed.
4" He warn't no cousin O. hern, man
alive. That was one O. her Jokes. She
was engaged to him two years ago, and
they've kept company four years or
more"
"Heavens She was a mere b lid.
Four years You mistake"
"Pshaw, now, I amt no goose.
Kathie's thirty if she's a day. Look
ahere, old gentleman, you needn't to
feel bad, for you amt the only one
taken in. There's ben loads inquirin'
for Kathie, and I've ben called "dear-
est" and sweetest" ever so often.
You see she didn't expect to be off SO
soon, but I'm glad she's gone, I'm sure,
for now we shall see work in this Office
if amt greatly mistock."
1 retired in disgust. listening as 1
went to the familiar click, click of the
wires, which seemed to-nightto possess
a fiendish sound.
never glance toward the bay win
dow now, carefully avoiding it on every
occasion. even complain { it as an
ornamentation to our un-
country depot.
have given more stag parties than
usual lately, and am gaining immensely
in popular favor-that is with the men,
the Benedicts but as for the
bless you l avoid them as 1
would the plague