Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-05-16

him" returned the girl in the sea-
blouse. "Or, if that remedy is too
severe, you might"
"I'm sure | don't know what YOU
are talking about" said the girl in the
picture hat, stiifiy, 81 am not aware
that mentioned-ah, Mr.. Bitter
sweet. What [ said was--''
'You must let me congratulate you, -
said the girl in the seal blouse, warm
ly; 81 did not know that you were en-
gagged, as yet, and"
But l didn't confess it now!' ex-
claimed the girl in the picture hat.
"What do you mean?"
ooh, nothing, dear; only you called
him MIR. Bittersweet' instead of Ned,
ms usual. I've noticed that when a
girl begins to do that the ring is the
next thing on the programme. But
what have You been doing now? Have
you absent mindedly said yes to some
one else as we'll? Or"
"Of course not, But-well, YOU
see, went shopping yestesday."
81 see. Really, there ought to be
law against allowing an engaged
girl to buy whole lot of things just
when she is incapable of giving her
whole mind to the selection. But what
happened? Did you buy more than
you could pay for? Or"
"N--no. You see, it was this way
Papa has been giving me more money
than usual since Mr.. Bittersweet-
well, since he began coming to see me
twice day. I suppose it was--er-
because poor papa felt badly at the
IDEA of losing me-"
"Of course" assented the girl in
the seal blouse; "think how dreadfully
he will be reminded of his loss when
the monthly bills come in after you
are married-and none of your max
ingp'
'"True. Well, night before last, he
gave me $40 of his own accord
mamma was so frightened she thought
he mus. be feverish. OF course, he
told me that I must make it go long
way, and"
"That he was on the verge of bank
ruptcy," broke in the girl in the seal
blouse.
"Why, yes. But how did you
know?"
81 have a father of my own, dear.
And what did YOU"
81 borrowed penny from mamma
and sent out for the evening paper.
1 wanted to see just what was adver-
tised, you know. Then 1 made a list
after Ned was gone, and early yester
day morning [ started downtown.
''How you must have enjoyed it, -
said the girl in the seal blouse, envi-
| ously.
81 did at first. Such bargains I
never saw before, and can never hope
to see again, and all of them were for
the day only! But when I opened my
pocketbook to pay for my first pur,
chase, there was only twelve cents in
it, though / remembered especially
that [ had put the twenty dollar bill
in it the night before"
"Could you have taken your moth
er's pocketbook by mistaken"
''Not when my own had more
money in it, dear. Besides, mamma
wouldn't have button with Ned's
picture on it in her pocketbook.
VERY true. Then you must have
been robbed. Did you remember that
any suspicious-looking person hat
jostled you? Or"
NJ, no. [ did remember woman
who had insisted upon greeting me
warmly as [ was leaving the Il train
| suspt tcted at the time that she NIGH
be pickpocket and did not return
her greeting. But"
"No doubt she was the very one who
took it. Did you tell the police?"
IN, no. II suddenly remem
bered that she was Neds wealthy aun
from Brooklyn. And I was told onl,
last week that hers was face which
could never be forgotten"