The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-10-02

NNf 'NNNH - 49, -
to meet me. | felt rather embarrassed
although neither ofmy companions though
| had any object in view except business
1t was soon settled about my iron railing
and, as | could think of no excus for stay
ing longer, | was preparing to leave til,
room when Mr.. Towner stopped to ask M
if had not some relations in Machias, Me
| replied that | had. He went on to say
that he had known a Frank Smartclild il
his youth who afterwards became a promi
nent lawyer in Portland, but for the las
He finished by saying: Your name is 81
peculiar that supposed he was some rela
ton of yours" I answered: 'IIe is my
uncle and | am his namesake." Mr.
Towner seemed delighted to hear this, ant
kept plying me with questions about my
uncle.
After | had answered all Mr.. Towner's
questions concerning my uncle, l started
again to leave the Office. When Mr.. Tow.
ner saw that was really going, he said
''This must not be the end of our ~acquaint.
ance with one another. You must come tt
the house to see us. Suppose you com
next Sunday to dinner. | shall be very
glad to have my family know the nephew
of such a good friend as your uncle was t.
me- | accepted the invitation with
warmth, but calmness. 1t really seemed
too good to be true.
AS We walked away from Mr.. Towner's
office, my agent congratulated himself on
being the means of bringing Mr.. Townel
and | together. Little did he know how ]
had schemed and planned to become ac.
quainted with the Towner family. Per
haps some time | would tell him my story
if all progressed as well as it now prom.
Used.
All day my thoughts were occupied will
my prospective visit. That evening | went
to take a short walk. / was buried deep in
thought, and as some one in passing pushed
me | came back to the present, and OF
looking to see where | had wandered found
myself in Concord avenue. | was con
WINGED that my thoughts must nave been
more occupied with my lovely unknown
friend than | had supposed, if uncon.
s%ciously in walking | had strayed to where
she lived. After this occurrence | did not
allow myself to think of my visit, except
when | met the supposed Miss Townel
each morning IN my way down town.
She seemed to grow more beautiful each
time saw her. On Saturday morning, as
she passed me, a handkerchief fell from hel
jacket pocket. She did not notice any
thing had dropped. | stopped and picked
up the handkerchief to return it to its
owner. AsI handed it to her she raised
her beautiful eyes and smiled with ineffable
sweetness as she said: "Many thanks
In a momen it was over, but how delight.
full to have heard her voice-it certainly
did justice to her face and figure! Sunday
was a lovely autumn day. started early
and walked slowly toward Concord avenue
As walked up the steps / saw Mr.. Tow.
ner, sitting reading at the front window,
but he did moi see me. l rang the bell.
A white-eapped and aproned maid opened
the door and ushered me into the broad
back the heavy red portieres and an.
nounced "Mr. Smartchild." On hearing
my name Mr.. Towner looked up con.
fusedly from his book. In a minute he
seemed to realize who | was. and stepped
forward with a pleasant good-day. After
this greeting | looked around the room,
expecting to see other persons. but Mr.
Towner said nothing about the family
being absent, and I did not feel at liberty
to open the subject, but sat down and re.
commenced talking about my uncle. Ii
the pauses in the conversation | glanced al
a clock | saw standing on the mantel; il
said els. Mr.. Towner had invited me tc
dinner at 2, but he made no apology fol
either being late or for the non-appearanco
of the family. Finally about go | heard
several persons come up the front step and
enter the hall, among whom | recognized
the lovely girl | met so often. None o.
them came into the parlor, but started
quickly upstairs. 1t seemed an endles:
time before | again heard steps on the
stairs, then the lovely apparition of my
unknown friend appeared between the
portieres. She looked like an old picture
in her light dress as she stood framed in 10y
the dark red of the curtains. Mr.. TowneI
was so interested in our conversation tina
he did not look up until he saw my eyes
turned tow ard the door, then he ros,
quickly and. going forward, took tn,
girls hand and led her toward me saying
'Mr. Smartchild, l take pleasure in intro
ducing you to my wife"
The iron railing cost me a pretty penny
but | paid the bill without demur. CHI
cago Tribune.
In ST. Nicholas for October, we fint
some of the brightest and cleverest con