Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-03
COURTED BY WIRE.

prised at finding himself deeply In love
with a girl whose name he did not even
know. 1t happened in this way. Tom
was a telegraph operator in the city,
but lived in small suburban town.
AS he sat in the train one morning on
his way in to work, he noticed among
the passengers who boarded the train
at one of the stations, beautiful glri
who entered his car and took the seat
directly in front of his. The morning
paper had no further interest for Tom
that day. All the way in to town he
sat watching the girl in front OF him.
l shall not attempt to describe her.
Tom says she is the most beautiful girl
he ever saw. OF course he Is pre1u-
diced, but | must admit that ! have
only seen one girl who surpassed her.
However, that has nothing to do with
my story.
What impressed my friend even
more than her beauty was her ex-
treme modesty-nCt the tlmid, hutter-
ing kind of modesty. which is so easily
initiated by the heATtless coquette, but
makes men keep their distance. She
did not shrink from tie admiring
glances bestowed rpon her by every
man in the car; neither did she encour-
age them She simply ignored them.
A man who would attempt to fiirt with
such a girl must either be fool or be
gifted with unlimited assurance. Tom
was neither; so he contented himself
with admiring her n silence.
Week after week went on and each
day found poor Ton more and more
deeply in love. The unconscious ob-
ject of his alteration travelled on the
same train every cay. Sometimes she
sat near him and lis eyes nearly de-
voured her wonderful beauty. At 9TH
er times she sat at he other end of the
car, where he could only catch occa-
sional glimpses Of ;ier past the heads
of his fellow passe= gers. One day he
made a great discovery. Her name
was Helen. He had heard girl friend
call her so. That Dight Tom sat up
until three o'clock writing love letters
to Helen, and tearing them up as fast
as he wrote them.
The next morninE Helen again occu-
pied the seat just IL front of Tom. He
sat gazing at her and building castles
in the air. Presently his mind turned
to the love letters lie had been writing
and he began to FRI me new one. AS
he mused he idly ugered the window
catch. which mad clicking sound
similar to that Of telegraph instru-
ment Unconsciou. " he spelled out
the words Of the letter.
Dearest Helen" ran the message,
81 love you dearly. Say you will be
mine, and" but he got no further,
for suddenly the "irl turned In her
seat and looked h N full in the face,
her eyes blazing with indignation.
Then she turned h'ck and seizing the
catch on her window. clicked out the
reply:
How dare you?"
Tom was completely dumbfounded.
He felt like jumping out of the window
and ending his miserable existence.
He reflected, however, that such
and might possibly wound the feelings
of the young lady. Moreover, his first
duty was to apologize. or course 1t
would not do any good She would
never have anything to do with such
an idiot as he had shown himself to
be. Still he could not we'll leave mat
ters as they were, so he again reached
for the window catch.
Il beg your pardon" clicked the i'm
provised key
Your insolence is objectionable"
was the reply.
But let me explain. did not know
Il don't care to hear your explana-
ton"
Just then the train pulled into the
station and the offended girl left the
car without so much as looking back.
Tom went to his work with heavy
heart. He could think of nothing else
III day but the stupid blunder which
had destroyed all possibility of his ever
winning the heart of the fair telegraph
operator.
On the following morning he took
II earlier train than usual, in order
avoid meeting the fair Helen. But
G had not reckoned on the fact that
he might also wish to avoid him.
his was the case, however, and Tom
vas somewhat startled when he saw
ier enter the car. There was only
ne seat vacant and that was just in
yont of the unhappy young man. II
ecmed as though the Fates had con-
g.red to bring these two people to-
ather. The longer Tom pondered the
tier the more he saw the hand oil
tiny in this matter and he decided
make one more effort to obtain for
eness. Reaching for the window
ch he sent the following message:
I'm awfully sorry I offended you
sterday."
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