The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-06-11
circumstances. o stern and moral ben
edicts of q wears Standinr2

y
we'll knew, this pretty girl began to
struggle Intellectually to raise the car
window. Now this has been the ac-
cepted prelude to car tiirtations since
the invention of railroads. and there is
good ground for thinking It may be the
reason why car windows always stick.
AS soon as Jack saw her attempts he
gallantly sprang up and offered to help
her. With a charming confusion she
accepted, and after few vicious tugs
the window came up, and Jack sat
down beside the charming young wom-
an. He was so exhausted he had to.
"Oh, thank you so much," said she.
'It is SO hard to get these windows up.
AS I was coming through on the main
line l tried so hard to get one up and
no one offered to help me-
Have you ever been out this way
beforeT' he asked.
"Oh, yes. 1 used to live in Boston or
about here
'Then you are acquainted here
abouts?'
"1es, indeed, l know-er, that is, l.
l do not know anyone now Every
body has moved away"
"Now, what in the dickens made her
blush like that?" thought Jack, as the
young lady suddenly became intensely
interested in the passing landscape.
She turned back again after time, but
evidently had great difficulty in meet
ing her companions eyes Every ref
erence to Boston or it's vicinity was dis
couraged with restrained confusion.
Jack made some tactful attempts at
getting her name, but every one was
foiled.
Shes bright girl said Jack to
himself, but what makes her want to
giggle all the time?"
The train approached Alton Center
and the young lady made preparations
to leave the train, and while it pulled
into the station Jack carried her bag
to the door and wished her a good-by.
She turned as if to speak to him and
then ran down the steps,
''She is mighty pretty girl mused
Jack as he resumed his seat. But
what-wonder if I'd better say any
thing to Edith about it. No, l won't
no need of it," and he began to read his
paper.
His wife met him at the gate and her
face wore look of disappointment.
Maud is not coming to-day, Jack"
she said. "She wrote me that she was
going to stop off to see a friend and
come on tomorrow on the afternoon
train. Isn't it mean, after all my prep
arations, too?"
Jack thought it was, and the subject
dropped. In the evening they went
over to the Van Pluys' to play whist,
and Edith beat Jack and Mrs. Van
Pluys, much to Edith's delight and
Jacks chagrin, for If there was one
thing on which Jack prided himself it
was his whist and his famous combina.
ton play Of the king second hand
which had never failed Of its object,
but did fail signally that night.
For some unaccountable reason the
next day did not pass as we'll for Jack
in the city. Everything seemed to go
wrong. His typewriter spoiled two
briefs when they were almost done and
he dropped his big inkstand and spilled
all the ink on the pretty rug which he
and Edith had selected to make the
office look more CHEEKY. When it came
time for him to go to the station he
was glad and sank within his accus-
toned seat with a sigh of relief. He
remembered the affair of the day be-
fore and wished that lie had told
Jy1ith 4
by deciding to tell her when he reached
home. The monotonous rattle Of click
ing cars Jared upon him, and he could
not read. When the train stopDed at
West Alton his temper had not i'm
proved materially. and when he ran
into fat man With two grips he did
not even beg the fat mans pardon. al
though he knew that it was his own
fault, but muttered savagely something
about people not looking where they
We're going.
Edith did not meet him at the gate as
usual. and that irritated him more. AS
he neared the little porch he heard the
sound Of animated voices One was
Edth's. The other sounded strangely
familiar. Where had he heard it be-
fore? He rackcd his brain, but could
not determine. AS he opened the door
to the cool. darkened sitting-room
Edith met him.
MAUD has come, Jack" she said,
and dragged him into the room where
seated on the diyan with the big cush-
ions was white form which his eyes,
unaccustomed to the dimness of the
room. could not make out
Maud, this is my husband, Jack"
said Edith. You remember Jack"
Il believe that we have had the
pleasure of meeting more recently, Mr..
Strong said Maud. with a roguish
smile.
Jack started back with his mouth
open, but no voice came from it. He
was petrified. He could only stare at
her hopelessly. She was the girl whom
he had met SO unconventionally the day
before in the car.
"Er-ah, yes, yes of course" he man
aged to gasp, delighted"-and sank
down upon the nearest chair with the
perspiration standing out upon his
forehead. Tis wife stood like a statue