Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-10-11
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Z The Man of Her Choice +.
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he passed his fiftieth birthday. lie
roomed on the floor that Mary hal
the care of, and after a years ac.
ouaintance with her he had decided
in his own mind that she was a vert
nice girl. Mary liked Mr. Doan wei
enough. but that was all, for he was q
bachelor, and she rather had hel
doubts about such old bachelors as he
was. But Mr.. Doan was rich ano
liberal, and so polite always that he
gradually won favor n Mary's eyes
One Sunday when she was fixing
up his room, which was the only time
she ever saw him there, he began talk.
ing TO her.
"Do you know, Mary" he said, with
evident sincerity, that you are the
prettiest girl in the hotel?"
"Yes. SIR" replied Mary.
Mr.. Doan was somewhat staggered
by this unexpected frankness.
"oh, you do, do you?" he responded
a little nettled.
Il ought to- she said; "every man
/ have seen in this hotel has told me
so, except you, and now you have, 50
they can't all be telling stories"
This explanation did not quite suit
Mr.. Doan, but Mary was quick-wit'
ted, and he let it go as she put it.
II presume" he said, apologetieally.
81 ought to have told you so before
because / have known 1t ever since the
first day | saw you, but you seeme'
to me to be a lady, and | did not
want you TO think that | was not a
gentleman"
"And ! am a lady Mr.. Doan, as my
mother was and still is, but | am Q
lady in distress, as the story-tellers
have it. Two years ago my father
died, leaving us nothing but little
house away out in the suburbs, where
my mother and brother live. He never
was rich but he was a gentleman,
and when he left us poor, somebody
had to do something, and | took this
place. 1t was the only thing | could
do for wages right from the start,
and we needed something to live on.
Ny brother found a place in store.
and between us we manage to live"
you're as good a girl as you are
pretty, Mary" said Mr.. Doan, land !
must 90 out and see that mother Of
yours"
So he did, too, and came back with
very agreeable impressions of the
sweet old lady of 60 that he had met
MARY" he said on the following
Sunday, "how would you like me to
be your father?"
"You are quite old enough TO be"
she said, sharply, "but you are not
old enough TO be my mothers hus-
band, if that is what you are leading
up to-"
II don't know about that" he
laughed. "A woman's heart is always
young"
But Mary did not like the subject,
and went out without continuing the
conversation. Half an hour later as
she was carrying a roll of quilts across
the hall in front of the elevator, into
which Mr.. Doan had just stepped, that
always uncertain method of locomo-
ton got loose and started down the
shaft for the bottom, seven floors be-
low. Mary knew what was coming, or
going, rather, and with a scream she
dashed the roll of quilts into the open
door. The cage had only a slight start
and the quilts were caught and
wedged in between the floor and the
elevator roof and the downward move
ment stopped with noise like a wheel
taking a rubber brake. Mary dropped
in a faint. Mr.. Doan almost had a
spasm in the elevator where he was
boxed up, the elevator boy came rum
ming from a room where he had gone
TO deliver a message, somebody turned
in fire alarm and the whole place
was in an uproar. The fremen were
restrained from turning the hose
on Mr.. Doan, and bu-ied themselves
rigging timbers in the elevator shaft
| below the cage TO catch it, when the
! quilts were withdrawn, and presently
Mr.. Doan came down with thump.
and walked out scared almost white.
| The pa Iers next morning had a
whole column about 1t, with a large
! picture of Mary, the big headlines
about the heroism of a chambermaid.
1t happened on Friday, and on Sunday
Mary was at her post again When
Mr.. Doan saw her he did not wait 10
ask her about the flowers he had sent
to her house, nor about his having
called to see her without seeing her.
Mary he said, in the matter Of
fact way Of man of 50, you saved
my life, and l want TO do something
to show appreciation Of it,"
"0h, Mr.. Doan," she almost pleaded
don't say anything more about it
/ didn't do anything"
You saved my life. Isn't that apv
thing? 1t is 10 me if it isn't to you!'
Il would have done just the sam,
for Tom"
Tom was the elevator boy.
We'll, I'm going to offer you some
! thing a kid like Tom couldn't offe
, you, and that is the heart and tn
hand Of an elderly man."
Il