Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-08-06
night
Where's she gomez

even the boss. She asked tOr he1
pay last night and wouldn't say
Why she was leayin' or where she
was goin.'
.Ahem!' Bob coughed with an
effort that burned his throat. SAY
Ki tie, please tell that new wait
ress that l don't want that lunch.
Here's the dime for it. Good
morning
Dropping the coin on the table,
Bob rose abruptly and slrode out
Of the restaurant, never beeding
the word of inquiry which the
proprietor bawled alter hlr.
lie boarded a car, rode up to a
favorlte cafe where he ordered a
drink over which he sat musing
for an hour without tasting IT.
During this time he vas tOrtur-
ing his brain for somd means by
which he could trace Fannie. lie
did not know even her family name
her address or anybody who was
acquainted with her.
He had long ago found that she
preserved herself strickly lncOgnlta
10 the other mattresses for which
direction he had admired her
much. Now he blamed ner.
There was nothing to do but
insert personal IN the papers.
Although this seemed caddish,
he aid 1t. For three days his al
vertisement was printed in all thu
papers, but no answer came as late
as sailing time on Saturday nom
ing.
Happily, the weighty matters
with which his 6rm bad intrusted
him occupied the larger part OF his
but whenever he dared
forget them dock of unhealthy
melancholy ideas would swarm
his brain and render him misera
bic.
. He has cOnfided a minimum OF his
secret to fellow salesman with
the Injunction to watch for any
that might come to hI
advertisements. He also instruct
ed him to relnsert the persona
from time to time.
At length the exciting moment
came when 'All hands asbore' wa
beloved in and out of every
granny and cnbby hole OF the
steamship. The last laggards
were descending the gangplauk
after long, melancholy farewellsI
to friends, when Bows cou6daut,
the assistant salesman, dashed
board in furious haste despite
the sailors attempts to bar lis
way,
What is il9' cried Bob,
AN answer gasped the man,
saying which he nuug a letter at
Bob, aud Ieaped madIy back again
without another word.
The gang plank was beng haul
ed up, Bob made an attempt to
Jump on it and go ashore. Luckily
a sailor brushed him back with no
gentle gesture, aud he dropped
inet on coil Of rope At his side.
He had scarcely the cou' ge to
open the letter. He hal ueYe seen
her handwriting before and vet
it seemed familiar. What did be
not suffer as each second drew
him further away from the dock,
further away from his side, for
whose heart his own had bled 10
long and so silently! Why could
she have not answered day SOON
or? 1t was beT fault if he had to
lpaye without seeing her and
bid ling her farewell-and what a
8 \ eet, sad, tender one it should
have beedl
'Sbe must have had some Yslld
xcuse tor her delay Bob unused
as with desperate effort he en-
couraged himself to tear the en-
veIOpe open.
The letter was written in a cor
rect, bold hand, aud read:
Dear Mr.. ActOn-I do not know
whether / should answer your
personal or not, which | happened
to see by some unhearG o.
chance, for never read that
column. But as / am going to run
away from you right after dong
80 there can he no danger. L
should have left that restaurant
months ago. In tact-shall | be
40 immOdest as to confess ltY-in
fact ever since you came there.
Do YOU understand Ten days ago
| received word that my motber
who lives in Dublin is very Ill. l
saw nv only duty then aud 0t