Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-02-02
@HAT is proyokingr


When lay back my head in the fast
whirling train, to think a moment, l
held in my hand a photograph. 1t was
IN cabinet envelope, and, strange to
say, had not yet looked at it.
leaned forward in the seat and tried
to search the aisle past my travelling
companion, then 1 looked under the
seat, then back Of it.
at must have fallen out Of the win
dow" said to myself.
At this the young lady murmured:
Have you lost anything"
EYES," said 1, land, to make the mat
ter more embarrassing, it was the pic
ture of young and beautiful girl, the
finest of her SEX"
"You pique my curiosity" said my
companion.
well, mine was piqued Also" said I,
but, owing to my stupid fashion Of
falling asleep in railroad train, l am
afraid it will never be gratified unless
am fortunate enough to see the orig
iginal some day."
How interesting" said the pretty
girl beside me.
Seeing that she was in q mood to al
low me, a chance travelling companion,
to converse with her, l said: "It is too
utterly provoking! Here hesitated.
"Tell me about it," said she.
"Well," said l, las you probably live
In the East, and as l live in the far
West, and as there Is no probability of
our ever seeing the people or even of
Knowing, as far as you are concerned,
who they are, will tell you about it. l
think can do so without impropriety,"
laughed l, specially as it is a love af-
fair, and all the world loves lover"
At this the pretty girl looked intensely
eager, and prepared myself to tell the
story Of the lost Photograph"
Il can best begin," Said l, "by read.
Ing you a letter"
Taking from my pocket a letter In a
mans writing l read aloud this para
graph:
"She Is a beauty, Ned, and no mis-
take. l am wild for you to come East
and meet her. She is a Southern girl
but comes North now and then to see
her grandmother or aunts, or something
of that sort. Makes her Headquarters
at Boston.
But that Is not the best part of it.
Ned. l could love her for her pretty
face and for her good qualities. But
truth to tell, l am loving her just little
also for her money. Think of it! A
cool million, all in her own name! Came
into it last January. She is very gen
erously inclined. Talks a great dea,
about charity and all that. But l think
her charitable impulses could be
curbed. At least, shall try it.
my chances are excellent. Her folks
strictest of BOstonians, like me. She is
not Indifferent; writes to me regularly
Accepts the trifles l send her. And
seems to think there may be somebody
worth having up here in the North
even If she Is Southern girl.
"Well, Ned, l deserve her. l car
make a woman happy, though 1 an
afraid that l should never have falleI
so desperately in love with her if she
had been poor.
"Good-by. Glad you are coming Eas
soon. inclose the picture Of my beau
tiful heiress. Send it back to me.
want you to see how she looks. Yours
CHARLEY"
"Now, isn't that provokingF" said l
"I read the letter, took out the photo
laid back my head and fell asleep. Now
when l wake up, l find it gone"
'vThat is really too bad" said th'
young lady. Il can see how badly /
places you. What will your friend
what was his name-Charley, say?
"Guess he won't worry himself t
DEATH" laughed 1, easily; "he can asl
the young lady for another. Lucky dog
Charley always was"
almost too lucky" murmured th'
young lady sweetly; zone would hard
ly expect so much"
"Well, Charley deserves it; he de
serves all he will get"
"Yes. all he will get" said the youni
lady; "he seems so frank and-all-tha
sort Of thing"
After this the conversation branches
out on general topics, and before Ion
the young lady began to gather up he
travelling bag. Il get off at Brookline.
ALLOW me-"
And with all grace assisted her Of
the train, sorry to lose so interesting
travelling companion.
A few days later received this lette
from Charley:
Dear Ned: The heiress Is stone col
on me. l went to call on her the frs
night of her arrival north, and foun