The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-13
THE NAN FROM OMAHA.
BY JAMES RAYMOND PERRY.


While 1 was Speaking the expression
on Earry's face changed from anger
and disgust to one of wonder and be-
Honestly, Dick, do you
mean to tell me you were not in Oma-
ha last, week Thursday" he asked.
Honestly I answered.
at doesn't seem possible" he said, |
nose, mouth, color of hair cut of beard |
everything about the man was an ex-
act duplicate of you.
Il was standing with a friend of |
mine from Lincoln, Neb., at the cor |
ner of Eighteenth and Farnam streets !
when 1 saw you coming-your double, |
/ mean. He was with another man, and |
they We're talking and laughing to-
gether. l recognized you at once-or
thought I did. There wasn't a shadow
Of doubt in my mind about it being
you. said to my friend, Why, there's
Dick Bruce. 1 wonder what he's do
ing in Omaha!"
"At that moment you-the man, 1
mean-lool1ed toward me, and
smiled and nodded just as I naturally
would meeting you away from home
that way. 1 was stepping towards
you with my hand out when the look
on your face made me stop and draw
back. You looked Squarely at me and
cut me dead; never smiled, nodded,
nor anything-just didn't know me. l
don't think / ever felt much more cut
up in my life My friend grinned a lit
tie and remarked, He don't seem to
asked, Did you know the man with
him?' I said no, and he said, That's
the governor of Nebraska. l see him
often on the streets of Lincoln.
"Then | wondered if you could be
such contemplate snob as to cut
me just because you happened to be
walking with the chief executive of the
state. I would have sworn you couldn't
if / hadn't seen it with my own eyes"
well" said, 1.-The man from Omaha
must be a dangerous double. 1 should
like to meet him, for then l could
see myself as others see me. [ sup
pose when he saw you he probably
thought you were bowling to the gov
ernor and so didn't return your bow"
Probably replied Harry.
Some months passed, and the man
from Omaha was forgotten.
One evening at the dinner table
young Skinner, who takes his meals
at the house but lodges up the street
a few doors. remarked, with Sundry
winks in my direction, Fine looking
girl. Bruce. [ saw you walking with
today-sister or cousin?"
Both" 1 answered, without an idea
what he meant. L supposed he was
merely following a well-known propen-
sity Of his for Joking.
Both, he repeated. 'How's that?"
why" he replied, my brother mar
ried his cousin, and that made her my
| sisteri''
My. wife looked at me reproachfully.
She isn't used to hearing me fib.
Brother live in town. Skinner
asked.
"He used to- said. But since he
got married he's away a god deal.
] He's gone to the Klondike now.
dts no such thing, Mr.. Skinner" in
married, for he hasn't got ore. But I'm
interested in the girl. What did she
look like?"
ooh, she was a fine-looking girl
blonde, hair like sunshine, complexion
like peach, blue eyes, height little
above medium, age about %, 1 should
say. Do YOU recognize the descriptions
skinner I said, Il didn't think you
would betray me in this shameless
fashion. The only thing that can ex-
cuse you is the fact that you are I'M
married. You don't know what you are
doing"
That's right" returned Skinner, 81
spoke before 1 thought. It wasn't right
and I'm sorry. 1 beg your pardon,
l
"But want to know more about this
peach accomplishment blonde" my wife
said. Where were they when you saw
them, and What were they doing, Mr..
Skinner"
Really, Mrs. Bruce, you must excuse
me. My lips are sealed answered
Skinner.
Good thing remarked the land
lady's daughter, a bright little miss of
10. whereat several of the boarders
laughed, for Skinner had the reputation
OF talking a good deal without saying
very much.
Thank you, Miss Amy" retorted
Skinner. Little girls should be seen
and not heard
When we had gone to our room my
wife asked. who was the girl Mr..
Skinner saw you with, Dick?'
He didn't see me with any girl, my
dear / replied. 1T was merely one of
SINNERS exquisitely funny jokes. You
know he is always making them"
My wife didn't laugh. though Skin
uer's jokes-so called-were something
OF a byword with us.
HE seemed to give pretty good
description of her, for a purely imag-
mary girl" she said.
"Oh, he may have seen such a girl
but he didn't see her with me- l re-
turned.
My wife said nothing more but ]
thought from the expression on he1
face THAI she did not seem quite salts
fed.
The next day my wife came down
town to help select a. new hat. She
always goes with me when 1 buy q
new hat. I never know what looks vel
on me, and she has excellent judgment
We had left the hatter's and were
walking towards my office when my
wife called attention to a lady coming
across the street She was a very
pretty blonde. When l glanced at hel
she seemed to be looking towards me
and there was singular expression or
her face-a curious combination o.
surprise and pain, or disapproval.
thought she made little motion will
her hand, but wasn't sure. AS she wa:
! an entire stranger to me supposed
) must be mistaken, and looking away
continued on with my wife.
My wife had kept her eyes on tn,
woman all the time, and as we passed
on she said, How funny she acted!'
She was curious and turned to lool
back after we had gone few steps.
She's standing stock still, looking a
; US, she said, What do you suonos,
ais hero
Il don't know, I'm sure She ma!
: have thought she knew US, l replied.
My Wife looked back several times
but the throng on the street had com,
between US and the woman and we die
not see her again.
The day following I returned from
|. difficult and weary days work at tn
Office 1t should be stated here that m,
t father-in-law, Mr.. Noble, is presiden
t of the company which employs me
[ Upon entering our room 1 found m,
wife colby scornful though as Devil
deringly- pretty as ever.
[ I'm going home to my mother, Rich
: ard Bruce" she said. 1T WAS a sorr,