The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-31
Her First Assignment



jumped off
My oom is second TO the left or the |
third floor"
The girl was almost convulsed with |
laughter ut the humor of the situation. |
She caught the ferryboat back, but had |
to wait at Fifty-ninth street for a sixth |
avenue elevated. When she got to the |
house she pushed the bell frantically |
but got no response. Once, twice, |
thrice again, but still no nswer Mo-
ments were precious. Finally some
ladies opened the door and went out.
The girl seized the opportunity and
went in. There was no one in sight.
She went upstairs and to the second
room on the left third floor. She
knocked dubiously, not knowing whom
or what she would find. No response
She opened the door and entered
Books and papers everywhere; evil
IDENTIFY this was the literary lady's
room.
She found the satin skirt in the
drawer without any trouble. but had to
light the gas to look into the trunk.
Besides. there were two trunks, and
there was no way of knowing which.
Suddenly it occurred to her the posi-
bility that some one might come in,
discover her prowling and mistake her
for a thief. There was not a person
in the house who knew her. She rang
the bell, meaning to explain to the
maid. The impossibility of being able
to explain to maid who had never
seen her suggested itself and she locked
the door. That very act made her feel
like a thief,and she crept about stealth
lily. fearful half lest the maid should
not come, half lest she should. She
waited breathlessly; no one came. At
| ter much searching she found the
| waist and made up the package in n
newspaper. There was not a bit of
| string anywhere, she she shipped off
| the curtain cord and tied il up. Now,
| the question Of making an exist was
| an important one. Surely she could
| not get away with that big bundle
| without being seen, but get away she
| must 1t suddenly came to her that
| she might be mistaken either for a
| laundress or a sewing woman and in
! that hope she opened the door, but in
| spite of herself she could not keep
| from feeling guilty and trying to steal
| out nOiselessly. When she got to the
| door it seemed as If she could not get
! K ODen and when the outer one slam
| med so noisily behind her she thought
| surely discovery was at hand, and she
| could not restrain herself from run
| ming down the steps, and, indeed, to
| the elevated station at the corner. If
| a voice had by any chance cried stop
| thief" she would have collapsed. She
| even glanced furtively around at the
people in the car What if the harm
| less looking little man in the corner
| should turn out to be detective Real
ly she could not compose herself. For
| one thing her bundle was too big, and
for another she feared she would miss
her train. When she got off the ele-
waited she looked behind 90 see IL the
little man in the corner was following &
her. She bought ticket to cross the
ferry and asked the time of the next
train to Orange.
do you want a ticket to Granger"
the man at the window asked.
mo; have one" she said.
"Then why don't you cross the ferry
on it?" he asked. She felt that he
suspected her and snatched her bun
die and ran.
When at last she was seated on the
train, with the big bundle in her lap
feeling fairly comfortable for the first
tirne. her eyes fell TO scanning the
newspaper that enclosed the precious
gown. Suddenly they We're caught by
the notice Of the lecture. Heavons! II
was 10 be ~ go. and she was then or
the l,S5 train. She had never been e
Orange before; she knew no one: she
had no idea where the literary lady wa.
to lie found If she was not Mt the sta
tiOn to meet her all was lost.
She looked out eagerly when :he con
ductnr called her station, hut the lit
erary lady was not TO I've seen. Sh'
struggled across the platform with hel
hurdle.
"Drive me to the club" she said des
perately to the cabman who came I,
her assistance
What club" he asked.
THE Ultras," she said.
ooh, the hall" he answered, and sh
thought she was saved.
She pictured vaguely the consterna
tiun she would create by bursting int
the hall in the midst of the lecture pos
sibly, but by this time she was physi
cally exhausted and mentally blank
. She paid the cabman intuitively an,
had started up the stairway befor
|
she heard voices calling and a heav
step running toward her. At last sh
| was pursued. Eut save the gown sh
must and would. Sprnging up tn
stairway she burst open the door int
? the hall, The platform was empty, hu
there was a roisy hum of expectauc
; running through the crowd. At frs
l she heard nothing distinctly. Then
2 heavy hand was laid on her shoulde
2 and a voice behind her said;
t Give me your bundle. miss"
She locked up at the blue coated pc
= lceman. who had come up behind, ali
: fell in a faint at his feet. When sh
revived she was lying on a rug in
little white plastered room. The vii
= dow was open, the cold snow laden Il
II from without was blowing on her an
d sweet faced gentle woman was bent
y ing over her holding a bottle of smel
o ing salts to her nose,
"Are you the matron?" she aske
feebly.
e Tho what" said the woman.
The matron""
d "NO."
e She waited a moment. Then wei
you put in, toO?" she asked.
l. IN WHAT" the woman asked.
I'm prison." she said, shuddering.
L. "Why, this isn't a prison, child" II
woman said with smile, why di
Ie you think you were in prison pray
For stealing that gown" said II
1t girl
e why, you didn't steal the gov
re- did you?" And the woman burst o,
le laughing,