The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-10-05
PRIDE IN A LITTLE ROMANCE.
A "Crusty Old bachelor" Who Got Inter.
ested in a Love Match.

A ''Crusty Old Bachelor" Who Got Inter-
ested in a Love Match.
The man who has vein of senti-
ment, and is not ashamed of it,
had a little romance, or what he chose
to regard as a romance, to tell about
the other evening. One of his office
rooms, as every one knows who has
been in his office for the last ten years,
looks out on court.
Directly across the court are the
windows of a millinery shop, and on
the upper side of the court those of an
electrical establishment. They are all
on the same level.
II used to notice when I looked out
into the court" he said. Ga young wo-
man in the millinery shop who worked
away industriously at the window.
Over in the place where they made
electrical appliances was a good-look-
ing fellow, who was always whistling
or 'humming' popular air. He
seemed to 90 at his work as if it were
not work, but play. One day when l
was standing at my window | saw him
look over to the milliner's window. At
that moment the girl who was turning
a hat around to look at it with criti-
cal eye, raised her glance. He gave
her little friendly nod, and smiled at
her in frank, good-natured way. l
thought could see her blush, and she
held her eyes down after that, while
he went on working and whistling
merrily.
"Later l noticed that his nod used to
be returned with smile. When they
were about to go away in the evening
they would give each other farewell
nod. In the winter, when the days
got short, neither of them worked at
the window after or 5 o'clock. but
when l was detained at my office l
used to be on the watch for the
O'Clock whistles just to see them come
to their windows and nod their heads
across the court.
"This went on for more than a year.
and got interested in the two young
people and began to weave romances
about them. In the coming spring
when l wanted to have some work
done in my office | went over to the
electric shop to see about getting the
young man to do it. When he was in
my room afterward l saw him go to
my window and glance across the
court. He had to make several trips
there, for the young woman's eyes sell
dom strayed over to my window Final
1y, however, he caught her eye, and
she gave a little start of surprise and
then blushed very perceptibly, as
young people do who are caught un-
awares by those in whom they are in
terested.
"When my young electrician turned
around he must have seen the inter-
ested expression on my face, for the
color came up and spread all over his
face until it was as rosy red as the side
of an apple.
ashes a very modest and pretty
girl l said to him, encouragingly, for
my curiosity was getting the better of
my discretion.
"Indeed she is,' he said, blushing
again.
How long have you known herP' /
asked, in tone calculated to invite
confidence.
go, don't know her. he answered
hastily, and his face got scarlet this
time. You see,' he added, shyly, we
have seen each other so long at those
windows that it seemed natural for US
to nod at each other
Il was little disappointed at this,
for conldn't make much out of the
romance. Afterward, however, | saw
that they kept up the exchange of
smiles across the court and occasional
ly the young electrician would glance
my way and give me a greeting with
his curly head.
"This went on for nearly two years,
and then l noticed that the young wo-
mans face was missing from the win
dow. The electrician did not seem to
mind it. however. In fact, he seemed
more light hearted and cheerful than
ever. l could hear him singing away
in pleasing voice by the hour, and
rea lily got to dislike the man for not
saanling TO care whether his little
milliner ever cane back or not. You
see, / am romantic
"Well, the next summer was so hot
that l used to take a ride down to
Coney Island and back every Sunday
afternoon to try to keep cool in the
breezes of the ocean. On one of these
Sundays I saw the little milliner, look
ing as bright as a ripe peach, sitting
alone in the stern of the boat. She
/ was neatly dressed with pretty bon
! net on her head, and she was attract
overlooking enough to be ones wife.
Pretty soon a man came along the
deck carrying in one arm child and
holding in his hand a glass of water.
Then, when he turned his face, which
had been hidden behind the child's big
hat, saw that it was my electrician.
Catching sight of me, he nodded
j and smiled, just as he had often done
across the court, and 1 walked straight
up to him, and shaking him heartily
/ by the hand congratulated him with
genuine feeling. When he introduced
me to his wife he was as proud as an
Emperor, and I never spent better
afternoon than on that day, chatting g
with that couple. You may talk about
your love and matchmaking, but ]
never saw two people who seemed to
care more for each other than they
did.
"If had known they were going to
be married I should have sent them a
wedding present = and a handsome
one, too-but, as hadn't been allowed
to do that, just went out the next
day and bought that baby locket and
chain and sent it over with pleasant
note to the happy young electrician by
one of my office boys, and "a few min
utes later. when 1 saw that mans
beaming face, nodding at me across
the court, as he held my little gift in
his hand, felt-well, felt like a foo
for being crusty old bachelor."-M
7. Tribune.
Origin of the Fan.