The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-12-12
DORA'S LOVERS.

DORA'S LOVERS.
Dora will never forget that day of the
procession; she remembers the very airs
the band played, the glitter of epaulets,
the splendidly caparisoned horses, the
waving flags. She was very happy on
that day-fSr happier than she WAS for
long, long season &fterward. Clement
mad invited her 70 go into the city TO
witness the pageant, ne had permission
from Mr.. Oliver, director of the Bank of
Shekels, TO take window in that build.
ing, by which the procession passed.
Aunt Kitty had frOwned upon the affair,
and had told her she was fool TO en-
courage that young jscksnspes, and 20
keep better matches 81 q distance. "If
ne weren't going of directly, l should
forbid it," she said. How can you
care for him, when such q man as Simon
Cleverly is at your feet, passes mel
They're not TO be named in the same
breath. Cleverly is tall, Clement Smith.
ers is short; Cieverly's eyes are daZ.
Zllng, Clements are near.sighted; the
one has fortune of his own, the other
hasn't sou, 30 to speak" As for
the Question Of N-OHoy, Dora felt that
she would rather share poverty with
Clement than dwell in marble halls and
fare sumptuously every day with Mr..
Cleverly.
1t 50 happened that she and Clement
were the earliest arrivals at the bank,
with the exception of q clerk, and as that
person knew Clement, and had sweet
heart 70 escort from the suburbs, he soon
left them in possession. Dora had never
been inside the bank before, and while
they waited and said their tender
nothings, she looked about her, asked in-
Vulnerable questions, il order, perhaps,
70 postpone the inevitable question.
"There's the SAFE" said Clement, as
they paused before the door. otis
bui { into the wall II you open this
door, t rings q bell somewhere in an
office in Exchange street, and they are
warned that somebody is tampering with
the safe, and up comes brace of police
men"
ooh, Clement, what q romancer you
are!" laughed Dora. won't they hear
1t at Thule? Let's sec "-and she turned
the handle of the door. There! Why
doesn't the bell ring?"
"The burglar doesn't hear it, sup
pose, or he'd make of. Maybe it's the
inner door, the door of the safe itself.
They don't lock this one, you see, and
anybody might open it by mistake.
When the bank officers want to open the
safe, they know how TO prevent the bell
from ringing, they tell me, but maybe
it's all humbng. Cleverly told me
about it-he's teller here" And pres
emily other spectators arrived, and Glenn
ent and Dora took their places at the
window, and caught far of the mufled
tread of feet, the beating of drums, and
the hint of a martial tune. Just then
the door opened hurriedly, and an irri-
tated. looking man popped in, like jack
out-of-a.box.
"Who has been meddling with the
banks safe?" he cried.
don't thinkit has been disturbed"
replied a gentleman present. Clement
and Dora had forgotten that a safe ex.
listed, and had just stepped out upon the
window balcony.
"Don't tell mel" pursued the irate
Official. Was nobody here when you
camel"
"Only those two young people on the
balcony-lovers."
"Confound 'em!' ard he stepped up
70 Clement and pulled his sleeve.
Somebody's been tAmpering with the
aafe-can you tell me anything about
itT'
al really" stammered Clement,
suddenly brought down to earth. 81
beg PAL don-what did you wish?
The man repeated his question more
angrily. His demeanor brought the
blood in fame to Clements face
"There was no harm done, l assure
you" he answered. "The door was
opened by mistake"
"Tell him, Clement-tell him / open
ed it," whispered Dora.
"Worth while bringing a man all the
way from Exchange street for nothing!
That comes from opening the bank to
Tom, Dick and Harry! shall have to
lay it before the Board of Directors, l
shallW
81 haven't the smallest objection"
said Clement; and while they returned
TO the memorable pages of the past,
where here rose had been pressed, and
there q sprig of mignonette, the process
sion moved into sight, the music scared
above them, the crowd surged beneath;
there was rhyth in the tread of march.
ing feet, and the sun struck sparks from
the housings of the horses and the points
of bayonets. Cleverly, on q capering
steed, looked up and smiled on Dora,
while dsggers shot from beneath his
brows as he recognized her companion.
But everything has An end. The last
bit Of glitter and color finally vanished
down the long vista of the street, and
the band music became like the unreal
melody of dream. They went and
dined together afterward, and stepped
into a picture gallery, and said goodbye
at Aunt Hitty's gate, since he expected
TO sail next morning by sunrise, as first
mate in the Vidette for Japan.
But next day he appeared again.
"The wind didn't serve" he explained;
"we shan't get off till afternoon. Put
on your hat, Dora, and I'll row you out
to the Vidette, and you shall see how we
poor sailors fare" The day was like
crystal, the river coruscated with shift
ing lights, while the ship doomed up be-
fore them like some tabled sea-bird,
giganti1 and mysterious. Every mo-
ment was full of elixer to Dora.
81 wish l were captain, Dora" he
whispered, a. they leaned over the side
of the Vidette, and looked into the
depths below, and at their own shadows
upon the surface, which threatened to
become one, as the ship sWayed end the
tide rocked, "and We were bound for
Japan together"
at Is q long way; you might grow
tired Cf my companionship. Who are
those men coming up the side of the
ship, Clement? Do they belong TO the
crew."
"They look like policemen. Isuppose
that one Of the sailors made of without
settling his bill"
"No Clement, they are asking for
you"
"NOnsanse! what can they want with
mel" Clement turned about, surprise
L.. IL