Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-01-01
:" F'o..her Dear Charmer." /"

~ Iwas in n quandary, as / think you
will admit WHEN ave Stated my case,
and it was exceedingly provoking to be
conscious that | was looked upon by all
my aequa intances as the luckiest man in
town, while bore in my bosom the in
.sSard conviction that | was the most
involved and bothered being in exist
enee. Up to a month back, | suppose |
might with some show of reasonable
ness, lave been called lucky, for Miss
Clara Alden, ,sthe recognized belle of the
season. smiled upon me- and the current
impression prevailed that if | would go
in I'd win.
Well, did go in. That's the mischief
OF 1t. | was in just far enough to com.
NIT myself to the contest. but before
had sighted the winning post something
happened to make me pause.
We were 1T the skating rink one
might, a large party of us, Miss Alden
being of the number. Her special escort
was a young foreigner, who was being a
good deal ionized in society just then,
and Clara seemed to take a marked in
terest in him. 1t did not concern me in
the least to observe this, for since I had
fancied myself to be in love with Clara
Alden | had had reason to congratulate
myself upon the assurance that l was
not OF a jealous temperament. / in
tended pretty soon to tender to Miss
Alden a good-sized heart and good
sized hand and fairly good-sized for
tune, and sincerely hoped she would
accept them. Until then, and inde ed
after then, always within the limits of
good taste, she was free to receive the
attentions of any man or woman whose
Society hpr- nj thipl~
Alden and understood each other per-
fectly. We were very old friends, and
the suitability of an alliance between us
had been frequently suggested to each
ever since we could remember. I was
quite contented with this condition of
affairs, and even supposed myself to be
very happy
!, Well, this night at the rink had seen
Clara skate off with her Englishman,
and with an unperturbed spirit l was
skimming around the rink alone when,
just behind me, heard little scream
and little scramble and somebody fell.
The next instant, as I turned, | met
pair OF imploring and beautiful eyes, and
an simploring and beautiful voice cried
OUT, saisss9 ,.-
80 Oh, won't you please pick me up?n
eagerly ciasped the little hands and
feet. | was just in time, for half a dozen
other men had hurried to the SPOT.
among whom she recognized an ac-
quaintance. She made her bow to me
and said her thank you very pref
& hly. and then she accepted the proffered
hand of her friend and glided away from
Z me. And do you know / did not like
E it? 1 felt distinctly vexed, for you sc
she was bewitchiDgly lovely, and tn
glimpse / had had of her was merely
tantalizing.
met her after that many times, al
. ways with the same man, whom / was
rather provoked to recognize as a
stranger. | now found myself always
watching for that one little figure, and
following it through all the labyrinthine
nlazes OF the surging crowd upon the
rink. L forgot to speak to my acquaint-
ances as they passed, and although
a there were half a score of young ladies
who had a right to expect me to ioin
i them and convoy them around the rink
| skated on alone, in utter disregard of
every social and moral obligation to that
effect. Every now and then | chanced
upon Miss Alden, but I felt too pre-
occupied to join or even to observe her
y especially, when suddenly something oc-
cured that invested her with a lively in
terest. She had been stepping to speak
to some. friends who sat without the
railing looking on, and as she and her
escort were about starting out again,
she suddenly came face to face with my
little beauty There was a CLEAN Of
recognition on both faces, and then Miss
Alden exclaimed: ~
Z 20 Why, Daisy, where have you Drop
ped ,fromp Who could have thought
efseeing sou, Of al people, herep"