Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-02-24
A QUEER WOOING.

Tom Walton was very much surprised
at finding himself deeply in love with a
girl whose name he did not even know. 1t
happened in this way: Tom was a tele-
graph operator in the city, but lived in a
small suburban town. AS he sat in the
train one morning on his way to work he
noticed among the passengers who board
ed the train at one of the stations beau
tiful girl VINO entered his car and took the
seat directly in front of his. The morning
paper had 10 further interest for Tom that
day. All the way in to town he sat watch
ing the girl in front of him.
Week after week went on, and each day
found poor Tom more and more deeply in
love. The unconscious object of his adora-
ton travelled on the same train every day.
Sometimes she sat near him, and his eyes
fairly devoured her wonderful beauty. At
other times she sat at the other end Of the
car, where he could only catch occasional
glimpses of her past the heads of his fellow
passengers. Her name was Helen. He
had heard a girl friend call her SO. That
night Tom sat up until o'clock writing
love letters to Helen and tearing them up
as fast as he wrote them.
The next morning Helen again occupied
the seat just in front of Tom.y He sat gaz-
ing at her and building castles in the air
Presently his mind turned to the love let.
tiers he had been writing, and he began to
frame new one AS he unused he idly
fingered the window sash, which made a
clicking sound similar to that of tele-
graph instrument Unconsciously 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 sud-
denly the girl turned in her seat and
looked him full in the face, her eyes blaz-
ing with Indignation. Then she turned
back and, Selling the catch on her win
dow, clicked out the reply:
: "How dare your"
Tom was completely dumfounded. He
felt like jumping out of the window and
ending his miserable existence. He reflect
ed, however, that such rash proceeding
would do him no good, and might possibly
wound the feelings of the young lady.
Moreover, his first duty was to apologize
OF course, it 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 matters
as they were, so he again reached for the
window catch.
81 beg your pardon" clicked the i'm
provised key.
"Your insolence is objectionable, /" was
the reply.
"But let me explain. did not know''-
don t. care to hear your explanation. -
just then the train pulled into the sta
ton and the offended girl left the car with
out SO much as looking back.
Tom went to his work with heavy
heart. He could think of nothing elsa all
day but the stupid blunder which had de-
stroyed all possibility of his ever winning
the heart of the fair telegraph operator.
On the following morning he took an
earlier train than usual, in order to avoid
meeting the fair Helen, whom he did not
have the courage to face. But he had not
reckoned on the fact that she might also
wish to avoid him. This was the case.
however, and Tom was somewhat startled
when he saw her enter the car There was
only one seat vacant, and that was just in
front of the unhappy young man. It SEEM
ed as though the fates had conspired to
bring these two people together. The
longer Tom pondered the matter the more
he saw the hand of destiny in this matter,
and he decided to make one more effort to
obtain forgiveness. Reaching for the win
dow CATCH he sent the following message:
"I'm awfully sorry offended you yes
terday"
There was no answer, and the young
man continues:
I had no idea you understood me. I
unconsciously telegraphed what was pass
ing in my mind.
Still no answer.
eff you don't forgive me, shall be
miserable for life. -
At last the answer came:
Please stop. You are attracting every
body's attention"
"Then let me come and tell you how
sorry am"
After long pause the girl answered.
You may come"
Toms heart leaped with JOY as the win.
dow catch clicked out these words. He
lost no time in accepting the invitation,
and it was not long before he had per.
suaded her to forgive his foolish conduct
OF the day before.
After that he met her every day on the
train, and their acquaintance soon ripened
into sincere friendship on the part of the
young lady. As for Tom, his feelings had
long ago got beyond that stage. They
talked of many things during their daily
rides to tho city, but for a long time they
both avoided all mention of the episode
which had led to their acquaintance.
One day, however, Tom said, "Do you
remember the message I sent you by the
window catch?"
"Of course lido, - replied his companion,
looking out of the window to hide hel
bushes. How could forget such piece
OF impertinence?"
II know it was impertinence and idiotic
and all that, /" replied Tom, ''but still if il
had not been for that I should never have
known you. So I am not at all sorry
Are you?''
How can you ask such a question:
Haven't forgiven you long agos''
Yes, but forgiveness is not enough"
''Not enough?"
mo; l want something more. I-you
know-well, the fact is, IL meant every
word of that message, Helen. Tell me, II
should repeat that message now, what
would your answer be?''
Still looking out at the flying land
scape, Helen placed her dainty finger or
the window CATCH
Click, click. Click, click" Toms
heart was in his throat as he heard the in
strument click out her answer, Yes. -