The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-06-14
MY LADY'S PURSE.


to always be travelling about with a
load Of dirty silver change and occa
sionally il big round dollar, have rested
Of my travels and have held the same
articles for so long we have, quite be-
come old friends.
You see, ana purse and once be-
longed to the pretuest lady the sun
ever shone on, but strayed from her
keeping and for long time have lain
in drawer with several coarse mas
culine companions in the way of pipes,
soiled neckties, and tobacco pouches,
that spill their contents over me and
have made me lose even the last YES
d tige OF the dainty perfume which char
acterized all my first owners belong
ings.
Perhaps you would like to know how
came to be in such company.
1t will be an hour or two yet before
play my part in the climax Of the lit
tie serio-comic history which ends to-
night. The valise in which have been
tucked away stands omen and I can
from the lower rooms. The valise be-
longs to the bridegroom Of the auspic-
nous occasion, and well, since they
twain from this day forth shall be one
flesh reckon I belong to both of them.
But to. my story.
I will pass briefly over the days
when l lay among a number OF my fei-
low purses in fashionable dry goods
store, and Of the awful mauling re-
ceived the day of the sale, when they
marked us down and women came by
thousands, it seemed to me, and pulled
us about. At last perceived a breath
of perfume emanating from dainty
glove that lowered over the heap Of
purses for a minute, and then, descend
ing, grasped me.
II will take this one, please" said a
soft voice, addressing the girl behird
the counter, and then I felt myself
thrown into the wire basket, into which
so many of my comrades had vanished,
never to return. When the basket
came back it always held a brown
paper parcel, and I never guessed my
unfortunate friends were concealed
within the wrapping until I found my
self bundled up and knew from the
motion that was making a return trip
in the basket.
All the way home I could hear the
same soft voice and grew so restless
in my paper covering that managed
to slip out where I could see the speak
er.
I do not think I have ever seen a
sweeter or more fascinating face than
hers was-and, and remember, am
in a position to know, for / lay for
weeks in the glass case Of dry goods
store, and have seen thouSa n1s and
tens of thousands of women in my
time.
She never used to put paper money
into me, but used me just for car.
fare, tor to slip into her pocket when
she went calling or to 5 o'clock teas
as she called them.
By and by there was another voice
which I grew to know almost as well
as my mistress, only. this was not soft
and gentle, like hers, but big and rough
And then saw the owner of the voice
This is how it came about.
After accompanying her all about the
city for a few weeks, as I was lying il
her pocket I heard the family talking
about a trip to the seashore, and goins
away for the summer. Then severa
days afterward I was tucked into tn
pocket Of a new travelling gown ant
we all went aboard a train. I neve
heard so much noise and such dreadful
rumbling in my life as the train 'dit
make, and really, the only thing whic]
mars the pleasure Of this ev ening is t.
know that I have days OF travel he
fore me.
AS I was saying, we went to the sea
shore There she didn't carry me abou
so much, but left me lying in box %
ruffles and handkerchiefs and echiff0l
on her dressing table. The 1naid nsel
to have the other maids at the hote
come in and sit while she attended t
her work, and I used to hear lots q
news from them. I never heard m
mistress mention the big man with tn
voice to correspond to any of the girl
with whom she used to walk about TIL
sand, but the maid seemed to make tn
other maids talk about nothing burt hin
Then one day, when my mistress ha
rgone out, leaving me behind, as nsua
this girl went and took letter fror
ithe pocket of the gown my mistres
shad worn at breakfast that mOrnin,
and she read it aloud, meditafve1y.
n ran: .l.
my Dear Miss Castleton: hope 70
will forgive me for writing to you wit1
.oat having obtained your permission
do so before you left the city, but as
.am coming down on Saturday to sta
until Monday and understand there
ITO be the cotillon at the hotel on Sa
rlrday evening, am so anxious for th
favor of your hand for this dance as
risk offending you by writing to as
1oriit.
LET my extreme eagerness for thu
honor plead my forgiveness for tn
note, and when I come I shall try
find an opportunity to say with n
own lips all that is necessary and som
thing more also, if may. Meantim
believe me, yours to command,
Richard Melton
didn't understand at the time WI
the maid placed this letter in anoth,
envelope, stamped it and wrote an al
dress onTthe, outside, which latter W.
unable to read. Then she put on h
hat and went cut.
sBa& - ~
At s o'clock ON the eventfra Saturda
night was lying underneath sett'