Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-08-29

DOCK ana OH uST mp dnSIllN. luVneu
to my paper, but not 10 read. Once
more | looked up at my vls-a-vis; she
was steadily gazing at me. | could
have sworn to it. ., my talisman, you
failed me then, but the fault was NINE.
| did not seek Your advice. Just At
that mosatnt the conductor came hur-
riedly 70 me front of the car to speak 10
the driver, and as he was returning the
lady in gray said to him in a low voice,
every word perfectly audible to me
and MS chilling as an iceberg:
Conductor, the gentleman opposite
meis losing his diamond. "
| flushed to the roots of my hair, felt
for the stone ana discovered that i was
hanging by the spiral screw, and 50
nearly out that quick movement
would have sent il down into the mesheS
of the car mat. replaced it securely,
bending back the wire for greater safety,
and then cast an imploring look of
apology, gratitude and humiliation upon
the kind stranger. Her face remained
placid, but after moment demure
smile stole into the corners of her
mouth, and | don't think il was pro-
voked 10y what she saw i'll her book, or
that she was reading very attentNely.
She left the car At Fourteenth street
and gazed eagerly after her as she
turned up to Broadway, and then
sighed. Perhaps because | feared
should never see her again. What
more natural than for me 10 desire to
know her? 1t was SO kind and so sensi-
ble of her to prevent my losing my dia-
mond. she was such u gentle looking
creature, though she had spirit. as | saw
once in the CLEAN of her eyes, and those
eyes were so EXPIRE ssive ofintelectuality,
and her perfect nose was only less
beautiful than her perfect carnation
mouth. But, pshaw need ] apologize
now for my interest then. 1t does not
take any of us very long to discover
that. Love never asks the question,
why? AS the old song says, "she has
gone from my gaze like n beautiful
dream" If could only meet her
again. Perhaps she was married. Not
that it was any of my business, but
somehow she did not look married.
She was girlish in spite Of her dignity
One thing THAI discovered, that there
was a name on the ilyleat of her book,
the first of which was Maud. Perhaps
the book was not hers, and il it was
could hope to find in u great city liz.
New York a lady only knowing that
ner name was Mated. When l had ar
rived at this stage of common sense |
had reached my place of business. and
after attending to the first duty Of the
day, reading my mail, my thoughts
flew back, to my lady in gray.
If the thing were within the bounds
Of possibility / would like to find out
who she is just to thank her for her
kindness to me-"
How like jackass | must have APP
peared to her. When | remembered
my impertiuence in smiling / would
have been glad to have found some
obliging friend to kick me down stair
for my idiocy. | bowed TO the inevitable
and dismissed the Z. lair with sigh,
out did not forget her face.
One rainy afternoon, about month
after, | met her i'll a Broadway stage.
recognized her in NOM ont and TOOK
seat, the only one vacant, by her side.
L
remembered me, but she did not ex-
hibit the f4intest gleam of consciousness
OF my existence. 1t was worse than
Tantalus and the torments. Before she
left the stage the rain fell in torrents. !
hoped she was not provided with an
umbrella, that | might offer her the
protection of mine, but a glance showed
me that she held one in her right hand.
My unfortunate luck again! | looked
down at my diamond; it sparkled like
the sunbeams and as ioyously, but its
dazzle conveyed no intelligence to me,
only it gave me gleam of hope.
She was SO near that | could easily
have played trick, like one friend
of mine once played, slip II card into
her cloak pocket. Nothing Of that
kind would go down with this queenly
character perfectly we'll knew.
| was forced to watch her again leave
me and turn down the street, holding
her dress so dexterously that it quite es-
capped the pavement and disclosed two
neatly fitting boots.
Perhaps / should have said before
that my name is Eldridge, that am
lawyer, and Judge Clinton's junior
partner In the next office to ours
there are two young fellows just started
in law, who receive more calls from their
lady friends than retaining fees from
clients. One day as | was leaving my
office | saw my lady in gray so in theirs.
! must confess TO feeling sort Of chill
and then disappointment. | did not
like to know that my dignitied unknown
went around visiting gentlemen's
offices, even though the gentlemen
were her acquaintance. Occasionally
a lady friend would call upon me, not
upon business. and although was al
WAYS polite ] never encouraged that
sort of things. and as practice ]
heartily disapproved OF it.
My second thought WAS more charita-
BILE. One Of the fellows might be her
brother. So much the better. | would
make his acquaintance and cultivate
him. | did this after some weeks
delay and considerable crcumlocution
on my part, and learned that tine elder
Of the two men, MIR. Allyn, had sister
named Maud, and that she was engaged
to his friend and partner. Just think
of my dsmay. Actually engaged to
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