The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-10-19
Not an Ill Wind.
FOR IT BLEW soMEsopY
GOOD.

IL 90 We Ne 3SSD&s ~
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It was a cloudy fail day. Gu, Of the
slate colored sky the rain fell In little
showers from time to time. The wind
blew strong from the lake.
1t blew particularly strong up the
street between the tall bank building and
the ancient stone church. The wind al
ways blew strong here. 1t seemed as il
the twoWbuildings drew the gale between
them as through q funnel. When the
wind blew lightly in other sections of the
city. it blew strong here.
This made 1t a trap and a surprise f,,r
the unwary. The pedestrian comm.
along in the lee of the bank building and
quite unsuspicious of what awaited him
beyond launched boldly into the street
from the shelter OF the sandstone pile
to find himself fercely buffeted about. his
hat torn from his head, his umbrella
rUdely reversed and he himself driven
from his path and forced to tack manfrl
ly before he could pull into the harbor OF
shelter in the lee of the gray old church.
There was a little crowd of men and
boys on the steps of the venerable struc-
ture this particular fall afternoon. Some
of them had been there for an hour or
moreover since the wind freshened
They were enjoying themselves at the
expense of the unhappy victims who ven
tured across the highway from the bank
building A riied hat raised a shout Of
joy. wrecked umbrella drew forth hila-
rious cheers. They didn't heed the fitful
spurts of rain: they were having too
much sport to be mindful of petty dis
palxilv 80 %
their mirth were men and boys. They
didn't restrain their glee. however, when
some luckless female ventured into the
wind trap. Probably il there had been
any real danger their chivalry would
have awakened. As it was. they were
there to enjoy the free show.
Rupert Strong had just come down from
his Office. and the crowd attracted his at
tention. He stepped up to see what II
meant. AS he neared the laughing group
a short. stout lady stepped from the bank
entrance and looked up at the sky. Then
she deliberately raised an umbrella and
started to cover the fatal crossing. Ten
feet from the curb the wind caught her.
She was a broadly shining mark. The
rude blast turned her umbrella inside
out. it flung her hat over one ear, it
forced her at an acute angle out into the
highway. Struggle as she might. she
couldn't make Roadway against the gale.
The wicked crowd at the church steps
chuckled with delight.
Rupert Strong saw the plight of this
forlorn craft and. clapping his hat little
tighter on his head. hurried to the res
cue. IN a dozen strides he reached the
buffeted dame and. passing his arm firm
ly about her waist, drew her on a new
tack and, running. as il were, before the
wind. brought her into the park. where
the force of the blast was broken by the
tall buildings across the way. The crowd
on the church steps cheered this gallant
act.
"Pray. SIR" gasped the stout lady. ARE
you a professional rescuer"
"Madnm!"
"Will you permit me to call your at
tcntion to the fact that your arm is still
in the neighborhood Of what was once my
waist?"
81 beg your pardon. madam"
"Force Of habit. suppose" said the
stout lady dryly.
Rupert laughed. and the stout lady
laughed. She was very bright eyed
stout lady. with short gray curls and a
shrewd though kindly face. ....tt
Permit me. madam" said Rupert. He
reached up quickly and Strengthened the
lopsided bonnet Then he took the wreck
of the umbrella from her unresisting
hand. ..... ., .
Throw it in the gutter" said the stout
lady.
Rupert obeyed and. raising his own
umbrella, which he had gripped tightly
under one arm. held it over the stout
lady's head and marched along by her
side.
81 am sure I'm much obliged to you."
| said the stout lady. looking up at the tall
young fellow. 81 was afraid that re-
| spect for age had qrite died out among
the young men of today. 1t must have
required good deal Of moral courage
| to face the jeers of that crowd Of idiots
| on the church steps"
SIT struck me at the moment" said
Rupert. "that the main thing required
was reasonable amount Of physical re-
sistance to that impudent blast"
whats your business. young manT
81 am a lawyer. madam"
"Ah. Eternally on the lookout for pro-
| spective clients, of course"
Rupert laughed at the grim insinuation.
"Strnggling young lawyers can't afford
| to leave any stone unturned," he said.
"Nor any stout old lady overturned"
laughed his companion. Then she looked
MP at him again with a sharp glance.
"Do you know Lawyer Barlow? she
| asked.
81 have the honor of his acquaint-
ance." replied Rupert.
Ever meet him professionally"
"Fatc once threw me on the opposite
side in u hit of litigation wherein the dis
nonnxot nrnpninonflv furrol W
"And the result?'
LAWYER Barlow lost the case"
"Not much of a case. I fancy" said the
stout lady.
81 beg your pardon" said Rupert. ''but
I must disagree with you. 1t was really
| quite a case. It Melted me So"
The stout lady lnughed.
There's my card" she said. Then she
| abruptly added: "Let me have your card.
| young man. I am going to borrow your
umbrella. and I want to know to whom
I am indebted. And when you come up
to reclaim it, which you may do tonor-
row evening. may have something FUR
| thsr to say to YOU. There's nv name"
Rupert found loose card in his pocket
| and handed it over, taking the stout
lady's card in exchange. A moment later
he had put her aboard the car and turn
| cd away. AS he regained the sidewalk
he glanced at the stout lady's card. Then
he softly whistled. The bit of paste
board bore the name of Mrs. Jane Buff
| fngton, and Mrs. Jane Burlington was
| understood to be the city's richest won-
an. He had heard many tales Of the
lady's wealth and generosity and occa-
sional eccentricity. He put the card
carefully in his pocket and trudged to-
ward his boarding place unmindful OF the
drizzling rain that steadily increased.
The next evening, arrayed in his best.
the young lawyer sought the home Of the
| rich widow.
"This is a funny adventure" he re-
| marked to himself as he assembled the
white steps to the massive entrance. at
almost looks like q bid for business, but
I'm scarcely in q position to be fastidi-
ous."
He sent in his card and was at once
ushered into the drawing room. 1t was
a large apartment, but dimly lighted.
Two ladies were sitting at the lower end
| Of the room. One was the lady OF his
| adventure: the other he did not recog-
| nize.
The stout lady came forward and gave
| him her hand.
| sit down" she said I'm glad to see
| you. Lawyer Barlow tells me you won