Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-04-07
mo ONE WOULD KNOW.''
So Thought Young Girl Who Wanted
the Fun of Flirting.

=
and had not as yet had an admirer.
She was a very quiet, modest girl, but
she was secretly chagrined at this
fact. especially as the other girls COM
mented on it. and wondered in their
yernacular why she did not, with her
good looks. catch beau"
Lucy Smith had been engaged
twice. Floy Jackson was flirting with
the young doctor, the druggist and
two railway clerks.
"You are too prim" they told Mary
"The men are afraid of you. They
won't even call. You must try and
catch one this winter Have some
fun in your life"
"You are not a husband-hunter, "
her mother said, Indignantly. "You
must be sought, not seek. Remain
your modest self. You want happi-
ness in your life, not vulgar fun"
Soon after this Mr.. Appleton, the
new minister, called once or twice
Her mother saw that he was attracted
by Mary's gentle manner, but said
nothing.
About this time Mary went alone to
visit friend in Chicago. 1t was a
long journey: she grew tired of read
ing; she knew no one on the car A
handsome young man, a brakeman
passed her once or twice, eying her
admiringly Her cheeks flushed.
"Why should not I have Irritation
with hlm-just little fun?" she
thought. Nobody knows me here
I'll do it,"
He passed down the car again, with
the same bold, admiring gaze.
Mary glanced up shyly. Can you
tell me the time?" she said. He
pulled out his watch, and with a con-
tdent smile dropped into the vacant
seat beside her and began to talk
Familiarity. The Young woman was
ready for Irritation. So was he
Mary's face Redeemed angrily.
And yet-this was fun" such as
the girls had: it had, too, the keen
zest of adventure She would leave
the car soon, and no human being
ever would know.
The other passengers, who had OBJ
served tn modest, refined girl, looked
with surprise at her familiar cOQuetry
with this coarse fellow. When the
brakeman went out to attend to his
work, a man sitting near her, who
had been drinking heavily, leaned
over and said:
"I'll take that seat and make my
self agreeable while he's gone"
Mary drew herself up haughtily,
her heart throbbing with terror.
He laughed loudly. "Sho, now!
You know me as we'll as you do
that fellow"
But the brakeman had returned,
and dropped into the seat again with
a laugh. Hes jealous of my chance
with sech a pretty girl as you" he
said. throwing his arm over the back
of the seat.
Mary glanced around. The passen-
gers ayerted their eyes from her with
unconcealed disgust.
"You Amt gettin' tired of me, are
you?" asked the brakeman.
ooh, no, she said, trying to laugh.
Was this not the fun" she had longed
for? The mans look of admiration
seemed to burn into her face.
Miss Standish." said voice be-
hind her.
She turned 1t was Mr. Appleton;
he was looking at her in amaZement.
She had met him but twice, and yet it
seemed to her this was the one hui
man being for whose good opinion
she cared.
The brakeman rose. Guess I'm
cut out. Ta-ta."
The drunken man laughed jeer-
ingly.
Mr.. Appleton did not take the va
cant seat. He stood beside her
gravely until the train rolled into the
station, called a cab, placed her in it,
and babe her good-hy.
Several months afterward her
mother said, "Mr. Appleton seemed
to like to visit here when he first
came. He never calls now. l Won
der why?"
Mary did not answer. She knew.
She had chosen her SUM-" and was
now paying the price. Youth's Com
poniOn