Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-22

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ways have 500 silly women chasing
after them" He did not wish to see
his daughter join the procession.
Besides, Mr.. Bolton preferred Irving
Meade, q young man who stood in the
Shadow Of fortune and had recently
come into Mr.. Bottoms employ that he
might be kept from idleness while the
fortunes shadow was becoming solid
and substantial. Mr.. Meade was not a
handsome man or much pursued by
signing maidens, despite his prospec-
tive wealth. To Bertha he was joke
The Bottoms lived in Englewood, N.
! .. a widowed sister. Of Mrs. Bolton,
Mrs. Laura Merriam, resided in New
York. The relations between her and
the Bottoms were not cordial, except as
to Bertha, who was favorite with
Mrs. Merriam AS the widow was
wealthy, Mr.. and Mrs. Bolton viewed
this intimacy with favor.
Now, 1t happened that occasionally
Bertha would receive telegram like
This:
Meet me at Twepty-third street, Sixth avenue
II" station, up town side, IL tomorrow
Il &C.,. LAURA MERRIAM.
From Mrs. Merriam? Oh, no-from
Georges! Bertha could show these mes
Sages to her mother and use them as
an excuse for going to town without
the least fear Of discovery, for Mrs.
Bolton and Mrs. Merriam would prob
ably not meet within six months. So
bertha and George were enabled to en-
JOY many luncheons together in the
SWEETEST restaurants and usually mat
inee at the theater afterward.
TWAS on a Tuesday that George sent
n message couched in the exact Ian
B guage of the sample given above. Ber-
tina was not at home when the mes
6enger boy arrived, so the telegram
was given to Mrs. Bolton, who read it.
She knew that it was Bertha's habit
to- answer these kilograms from
s'aunty," and she. also knew that Ber-
tia would not return home till quite
late In the evening, as she was to take
dinner at the house Of friend. Such
being the case and as she was sure
that Bertha could go to town on the
FOLLOWING day, she sent away this reply
5 Nv the boy who had brought the mes
sage:
nns. Merriam. % West - Street, New York:
Yes. Tomorrow, IL, Sixth avenue and Twenty.
khird street. Bertha.
- When Mrs. Merriam received this.
she did not know what Eyes" meant
and was inclined to regard it as an err
For OF the telegraphers. The impor-
tant part of the message, however, was
clear-Bertha wanted to meet her to-
morrow at noon at Sixth avenue and
Ewenty-third street.
1t must be understood that shopping
appointments Of this kind had some
times been made between them.
When Bertha learned that her
mother had answered the telegram,
she was somewhat disturbed in mind.
She decided to telegraph George on the
following day telling him to make the
time 1l:45 instead of ~. Thus they
could meet and George could get out Of
the way before Mrs. Merriam should
arrive. II aunty should come, 1t would
spoil the afternoon for Bertha and
George; II she didn't, Bertha would
know where to find George, who
would be waiting, and an Ingenious
note OF explanation would satisfy Mrs.
Merriani's mind in regard to the tele-
gram.
a little before 10 o'clock Wednesday
forenoon Bertha entered the Engle-
wood telegraph Office, intending to
send her message to George.
I've just sent a telegram for you-up
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