The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-02-12
HIS ROMANCE.


had left his home in "a quiet little Ohio
town II seek his fortune in the west.
For two years each working day had
found him az his desk iu large mrr-
camille house in Chicago. He had bscn
fortunate in securing a position at once,
through "a brother of his town I-ostmas-
ter. who was now chief clerk ia the Of
fee. Joe will never forget those two
Nears-loueSome two years they werr,
the more lonesome. perhaps, because hc
had never been away from home ami
among strangers before.
When he first came to Chicago the
worlds fair and other attractions made
the city a wonderful place for the coun-
try boy. but these soon paled or passed
away. and the loneliness settled upon
him as he felt himself a stranger in a
strange land.
For time he attended church, Is had
been his habit at home. but they were
such large places, and the cungrega-
ton and Young folks dressed and acted
SO differently from the church fox a.
home that he finally got in the habit
of staying away. He sorely missed his
town acGUaintances, the companion
ship OF his sisters and brothers and the
bright smile OF Cousin Fan. who usesl
to pop in 50 unexpectedly and leave
such n volume of sunshine behind her
when her father would come to town to
do his marketing. The girls with
whom some of his fellow clerks associ-
ated, and with whom they tried to make
him at home. somehow failed To fill the
bill. Somehow il didn't seem right fo~
the fellows to greet them on the street
with n familiar slap on the shoulder
and Hello. Kit, old girl. how you is -
and in spite of himself he felt too much
of an aversion to them to ENJOY himself
or make himself entertaining, and
dropped them.
vt last q change gradually. to
be sure, so slowly that Joe hardly
knew there had been a change till ii
was there. For several DAYS the seat
at the opposite end of the table in the
restaurant where Joe ate lunch had
been occupied by mOdest-appearing
little woman. whose long laShes fringed
the darkest of blue eyes. and whose
slightly pouting lips and rounded
cheeks glowed with the natural health
! which can never be duplicated by art
and which only country air can give.
The next day she was in the same seat.
and the next and the next. and Joe soon
came 10 look 1oTWiTb. uillnlIlp
see the bright face of the unknown.
One day the chair was vacant, and
Joe. with a sense of deep disappoint-
ment, knew why it was he looked for
ward so eagerly to the MONDAY meal
The next noOntime he took particular
pains with his toilet and WAS so inn
| patient that he was at the table fiv..
| minutes before his accustomed time.
| l. C L
\ minute later it bounded again as he
saw the well-known figure coming down
the aisle. As she pulled back her chair
preparatory to taking her seat. some
how or other. Joe never quite knew how
it happened. the big blue eyes flashed
for a moment into his and he was on
| his feet, blushing and bowing-
This was the beginning. and il be
came customary to bow, later to sit side
10y side and talk during lunch. ard, il
time permitted, to walk with her as fan
as the Monadnock building. where sh,
was employed. He had vainly tried Il
discover her name, but when he had
naiveIy informed her that it was awk
ward to call her Say she had asked
him to call her simply Miss Margaret
adding that this was what she was mos
| customed to-.
This went on for several weeks anC
| Zoe had several times been on the verge
of asking for her address, that ne might
call. or asking her to accompany hin
tothe thcater. but he kept delaying. fear
ing that he might rupture the growing
friendship and be left again to himsel
and the lonesomeness of feeling that h,
| Eppyy almost no one.
One noontime (and Joe will alway.
remember it) she was not in her accus
| toned place. although the day befor,
she had been specializing what the bill
of fare would be. He ate as slowly a;
he could and spent his whole noon hou1
in the restaurant, but when he left th'
! chair was stiIl vacant The next day
the same experience He reproache6
himself for not finding out more abou
! her-perhaps she was sick or had me-
with n n accident. At any rate, she knew
his name and address-why didn't sh
at least drop him line? Surely it wa
cruel To leave him in such uncertainty
He brooded over what might possibl,
have happened to her, till his health be
gan To tail. He never thought the dali,
walk of a few blocks could mean =
much to him.
Several weeks passed by and the chai
still continued vacant. On the very da,
his two years was up Joe remembered