The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-10-26
END OF A ROMANCE.

November Is raw air warned negligent
householders that 1t was timo to lay in
their winters supply of coal. and ev-
erywhere up and down tho wind swept
length of tho city's residence streets
pttling coal troughs barred tho pedes-
TRAN S path and discharged their black
torrents into Unsuitable sidewalk sout-
ties Mrs. Matthews, who lived on quiet
but highly select Prospect street, had
ordered ten tons Of coal put into her
collar and the first instalmont had ar
rived-a two ton load-got to the crest
of the steep. narrow street by much
hard pulling ON tho part of the horses
and stentorian shouting ON tho part of
their Irish driver.
Mr. Coal Mani" cried Mrs. Mnt-
thews from tho up stairs bay window.
"Bo sure you close the coal souttlo whom
you go. Don't leave it open. 1t is so
large somebody might fall In. -
'Yis, mum, nssented the driver
raising his grimy fnoo and smiling in
tho dazzling way that distinguishes
coal beavers and negroes. Then. with
as TINT Of inanimato objects themselves
no went awdy when no had finished his
task, leaving tho iron lid of the scuttlo
leaning against tho sido of the house
Three or four minutes later small,
dnpper, nicely dressed young man stop
ped out Of tho street door next to tho
Matthew'S and turned to make his final
adious to n lady. slightly faded, but
still young, who had accompanied him
to the threshold. He backed away, bow
ing md holding his hat politely and
jauntily few inches above his hond
just NJ the final "Thanls you goodbyi"
had escaped his lips and tho door had
closed upon the lady tho young man
whirlod around, lowered for II fnteful,
strenuous instant upon tho yawning
edge Of the coal hole and disappeared
Mr.. Dennis Murphy, happening to turn
his head Mt the same moment and be.
holding the sudden ingulfmcnt OF the
young gentleman uttered but tho two
words, Howly murthor t. and lashing
his stoeds into clumsy, Ralloping flight
disappeared with terrific elatter down
tho oobblo paved hill.
But Mr. Murphy was not tho only
witness Of tho tragic disappearance of
the young man who had emerged from
b2. Miss Minerva Matthews had stop
| ped for moment ut the little table In
the bay window to get u book of verse,
from which she wished to make QUO.
tation Al tho precise moment, when
she laid her hand upon tho volume, her
eyes, earolessly lifted after tho unob-
servant manner Of ono IN deep thought,
had bchcld II young man sink apparent
| ly into tho earth, directly In front of
tho quiet, respectable house in which
sho and her mother and her maiden aunt
| kept themselves aloof from tho world.
Miss Minerva did not scream. She
simply said. Mother - But tho man
ner in which she uttered that word was
infinitely moro startling than any mar
ticulate cutlery could possibly have
been.
Mrs. Matthew'S camo sourrying out
Of her room with n face as closely APP
proximating an animated interrogation
point an might we'll be.
Mother A man has just fallen into
our cOal souttlo r.
Mrs. Matthews gaspcd convulsiyely
and collapsed into IA chair. Twice she
tried to frame artiGulato words but the
shock had been too great. She could
only choke and clinch and unclinch her
slender transparent hands. II those
same delicate hands could have closed
just then upon tho brawny throat of
Mr.. Dennis Murphy, they would have
left him little breath indeed for protes-
tation
Minerva saw that her mother was
| practically helpless for the time being,
and that whatever was To be done In
the emergency must be dono by herself.
| Even ut the height Of the second story
she could hear tho unwilling and UNI
welcome intruder laundering and STUN
bling and rattlng about In tho dark coal
bin as he almlessly sought some egress.
II will go down to him, mother. |
will explainp' sho cried ooh, the care
lessncss of that detostablc coal man %
Miss Minerva Matthews fed down
stairs as fast as she could go. But as
sho opened the door at the head Of the
collar stairway she stopped for a mo
ment and shuddercd from head to foot
II was like tho initial plunge of the
swimmer into cold water. After that
the worst of the terrible shrinking was
over. Sho picked up her skirts and
darted down into the twilight Of the
cellar.
The coal bin was II large one and was
boarded up to within n foot or two of
the beams overhead. There wax II verti-
cally sliding door in sections, two Of
whioh--there were three Of then-had
been dropped into place ere the arrival
Of tho coal. The big bin was therefore
practically "a tight box, aud the
young man who had fallen into it, not
understanding its construction, was
most securely imprisoned. 1t was vastly
to his credit $50 Minerva thought) that
he did not raise terrible outcry, de-
manding to 10 released Surely he must
DO a young man Of tho best breeding TO
conflne himself so considerably to I'M
dcmonstrative excursions around the
coal heapl
The young lady flew to the bin and
removed the top section of the door As
she did 80 she found herself face to
face with most woebegone smooched,
demoralized and bewildered young man.
For moment the two young people
stared at each other speechlossly. Then,
as if moved by simultaneous impulse,
both spoke
"Oh, | am so sorryi
~ beg your pardon most humbly for
my oaTelossness.
Then they both laughed weakly.