Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-07-30

stranger! And she had already q lover,
too! This was the unkindest cut of
all" II was too absurd, and Enderby
tried his level best to make himself feel
foolish. But his thoughts always re-
turned to those wonderful eyes and those
ied-Ips. How he envied that blonde
Whiskered young mani He. watched the
carriage disappear behind a bend in the
road, and stiaightway began to feel as
dismal as If he had lost his last friend in
the world. Never had time passed so
| slowly; bht at last our disconsolate tray-
eler found himself in his pleasant room at
the Hotel Brunswick, New York. He
| opened his valiSe for his comb and
hair brush, and started up with a whistle
OF astouishment. Before his eyes lay
half do en- dainty handkerchiefs, a
Jeweled card case, a pair of long terra
Gotta gloves a boz of bonbons, Aldrich's
potms in vellum covers, and a dozen
other charming feminine trihes. Ender-
by's fingers trembled as he opened the
books but there was no nan in it. The
card case, too, was empty. The hand
kerchiefs had "G. F. F." exquisitely
worked out in white silk, but the clue
was too slender ono too give lrim much
hope. Here was quandary, indeed
VI wondcr what her name is" Enderby
unused, tenderly careSsing the smooth
covers of the volume of poetry. "Geor-
gianna, perhaps, or Griselda, or Ger
trude, or Grace-yes, it must be Grace.
Grace! what sweet name it is and it
ju suits her, too.
$50, Grace, you have my brush and
comb in your possession, and | must go
unkempt on your account. Well,
woald willingly do much more for your
sake; you have stolen my heart already,
so the valise might as we'll go with it."
The next morning Enderby started for
Rugby, with the fixed intention of hunt
ing up G. f. F. Rugby was but vii
lage, so the idea was not such an absurd
one as it might seem at first sight. He
reglst red at the principal hotel, and
entered into a gossipy conversation with
the gsrrulous clerk. After a good deal
OF talk he learned that there was gentle
man who had just come there with his
handsome young wife, and had built the
most elegant house there. Hisname was
Fisher-"Theodore Fisher, sir"
G. F. F.-G. f. Fl
These letters flashed in q wild dance
before Enderby's eyes. So Ted Fisher,
his old college chum, had forestalled
him, and married the only woman he
Jack Enderby-could ever love. Could
fate be more cruel than this? There was
no doubt of it; it was Ted Fisher, and
no one else. He remembered we'll the
handsome bright face, though he had
not seen it for eight years, and it was
heavily bearded now.
Enderby felt that he could not stay to
see his friends happiness He would
go away on the next train, and try to
forget all about the wretched, ridicu-
lous affair. Luckily, no one else knew
anything about it. He strolled idly
down the broad avenue, wondering in
which house Ted Fisher and his beauti-
full wife lived. He felt a sudden grip
on his right shoulder, and then someone
whirled him round, and began to shake
both his hands.
Jack Enderby, by all that's wonder
full! !" cheery voice exclaimed, and two
blue eyes were gazing eagerly into his
own. Where in the world did you
drop from2"
''I came down from New York this
morning." Enderby explained, "looking
for some of my property. If I am not
mistaken, g0A can help me recover it."
his eyes twinkling.
81 {" Ted Fisher started. "No,
thanks I've had enough of that sort of
thing. I'm no private detective, though
you and my sister seem to think so.
Why, man, she demanded the same ser
vice from me yesterday. Somebody
stole her valise and left his own in its
place-a miserable affair, containing half
a dozen color tubes and worn-out paint
brushes The fellow had some literary
taste, it seems, for we found book by
Thoreau in the valise.n
Tied Fisher'' shouted Enderby, grasp.
ing Fishers hand as if he wonld wrench
it off, 'is G. f. F. your sister ~
"By Jovew gasped Fisher, "if this
isn't too good Ha, ha, hal Were you
that fellow, Enderby9 Let go my hand,
| say! I'm not made of cast iron"
"Who would have dreamed of your
living here, Ted?" Enderby exclaimed,
ioyously "Take me to your house at
once, old fellow, / want to meet your
wife, and--and your sister"
"'And-and my sister!' mimicked
Ted. "It is kind of you to remember
her at all, Jack.
But Enderby only laughed, and gently
pushed Fisher before him. Imagine
Gretchen's bewilderment when they came
up the garden walk arm in am.
II have caught your thief, Gretchen
Ted announced, unphantly. Deal
with him gently, my dear, for he is as
yet Young III the paths of wrong doing
His name is Enderby, and by profession
he is an artist, as a certain sketch of two
young ladies in your possession amply
testifes. Your valise is safe at the hotel. y
"Oh, the vali.e" said Gretchen,
smiling and blushing prettily. "It was
a fair exchange and no robbery at all.
But do want my bonbons and my Aid
rich. Is my nose reqlIyso long as that
sketch makes it out, Mr.. Enderby. The
thought has worried me so much, I'm
actually growing thin"
Here Mrs Ted Fisher, pretty bru,
nette appeared on the scene; with the
help of Ted, she convinced Jack that he
could not possibly go back to New York
for two weeks, at the very least.
He stayed great while longer, and
finally went away with Gretchen, who
had exchanged her initials G. F. F. to G.
F. E., we'll satisfied that it was a Fail
Exchange. -1id-Bits.
Breaking Bad News.
The Bavarian idea of gently breakin G