The Meeker herald., 1898-12-24

diligently read the papers, however.
lest she might desire to regain the
photo and would advertise but saw
no notice.
Not long afterwards as l was rush
ing through the street to a car sta
ton, suburbanites are always in hur-
ry, heard hasty steps behind me and
strong arm was laid upon my
sho llder with a, whats your hurry,
Nan? | am all out of breath chasing
you"
turned my head and the stranger
saw my face. he raised his hat courte-
ously and said:
Pardon me. but you are not Nan II
you are wearing her new cloak"
| well knew that it was decidedly
improper to speak to a stranger on the
street, but zeal to discover Miss Shaw
and restore ter mittens led me to an
swer him in his own spirit.
Thanks, but this is not Mans cloak.
it is my own"
With a confused apology he was
about to leave me when detained him
and rehearsed the story of the ex-
change of garments and asked his as
sistance to regain my own. With a
peculiar reticence, | refrained from
mentioning the photo as l recognized
its original before me, telling only of
the mittens as the point of difference.
He said that he knew the young
lady well, in fact had been her escort
that evening as she was visiting
friends of his own. For some unex-
planned reason she had eeemed very
desirous OF regaining her cloak al
though, so far as he could perceive,
there was no difference between them.
Feeling anxious 10 restore Miss
Shaw's property, for that was her
name, I gave him my address and he
promised to bring her to call upon
car station and after assisting me into
the car he turned away.
Not long afterwards Miss Shaw and
Fred" whom | learned was "Mr
Jackson" called and We had merry
evening as we discussed the contre-
temps Of the cloaks, especially as
Nan" said:
IT could not understand the ex-
change as I prided myself on being
the sole possessor of cloak of this
peculiar style of trimming"
"Are you from Denver?" asked.
She looked bit puzzled and then
laughed heartily as she told the same
story which had inveigled me into the
purchase.
Miss Shaw declared that she would
embroider her name and address on a
ribbon hanger, as the stores do, to
identify her cloak in the future. and
1 mentally determined to do likewise
After that l was fairly haunted by
duplicates of my cloak made after such
an exclusive model. The church which
1 attended had free seats and persons
were at liberty to sit wherever they
chose. l generally took the same one
every Sunday as was the custom of
other regular attendants. One day as
l entered the pew and knelt for silent
prayer l noticed stranger in 1t, or
rather, saw garment like mine;
thought at first that it was Nan Shaw,
but soon discerned that It was
stranger. The lady from Denver this
time surely" thought, but did not
address her. The story of the cloak
I fear intruded itself into my prayers
far more than 1t should have done.
I was quite pleased with Miss Shaw,
and rs she had SO kindly invited me,
returned her call. l told her Of the
lady at church and we laughingly dis
cussed the question Of forming a club
Of those who wore cloaks Of our tex
elusive" pattern. I enjoyed my visit
greatly and remained later than l
thought SO had to hasten my steps
homeward. I was rushing along the
street toward the car station when:
Pardon me. are you from Dsnvsr7"