The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-08-17
II" 7 -I.Is-'II J
The Man Of Her Choice
BY Vim. ]. .Lampton.

BY VIM. J. hampton. E
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
M AIRY HOWARD was the prettiest
VI chambermaid, in the hotel, and
Mr.. Doan was the oldest boarder
Not oldest in point of years, but in
point of occupancy, although he was
not as young as he was when
he passed his hftieth birthday. He
- roomed on the floor that Mary had
=, the care of, and after q years &C.
quaintance with her he had decided
in his own mind that she was a very
nice girl. Mary liked Mr.. Doan we'll
enough, but that was all, for he was q
bachelor, and she rather had her
doubts about such old bachelors as he
was. But Mr.. Doan was rich and
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
ling to her.
do you know, Mary" he said, with
evident sincerity, that you are the
prettiest girl in the hotel?''
Eyes, SIR" replied Mary.
Mr.. Doan was somewhat staggered
by this unexpected frankness.
"Oh, you do, do you?" he responded,
little nettled.
Il ought to-" she said; "every man
I have seen in this hotel has told me
SO, except you, and now you have, 10
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 60 as she put it.
II presume" he said, apologetically.
II ought to have told you so before,
because have known it ever since the
first day saw you, but you seemed
to me to be a lady, and did not
want you to think that was not Q
gentleman"
mother was and still is, but am a
\ 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 I took this
place. 1t was the only thing could
do for wages right from the start,
and we needed something to live on.
My brother found q place in store.
and between US we manage to live
you're as good girl as you are
pretty, Mary. said Mr.. Doan, land I
must 60 out and see that mother of
yours"
So he did, too, and came back with
very agreeable Impressions of the
<weet 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 il 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 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, OF
. going, rather, and with q scream she
~dashed the roll of quilts into the open
door. The cage had only slight start
and the quilts were caught and
: wedged in between the floor and the
elevator roof and the downward move.
ment stopped with q noise like wheel
taking rubber brake. Mary dropped
in faint. Mr.. Doan almost had q
spasm in the elevator where he wal
boxed up, the elevator boy came run
ming from a room VIII IRE he had gone
to deliver 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 themselvea
rigging timbers in the elevator shaft
below the cage to catch it, when The
quilts were withdrawn, and presently
Mr.. Doan came down with a th1mp
and walked out scared almost white
NThe pa )ers next morning had {
whole column about it, with larg.
picture Of Mary, the big headline,
about the heroism of q chambermaid
1t happened on Friday, and on sunda,
Mary was at her post again. Whe1
Mr.. Doan saw her. he did. not wait t.
n ask her about the. flowers he; had sen
5a to her house, nor about his havip{
called to see; her without seeing her
Mary" he said, in the; matter o
I fact way Of q man Of 50, "you savet
my life, and want to do something
to show appreciation OF it.'''
'Oh, Mr.. Doan," she almost pleaded
"don'tssay anything more about st
4 I didn't do anything" :" aes's& Il
"You. saved my life. Isn't that any
thing? Il Il. to me if 1t isn't to syioou!'
! II would haye done, just the ,sam,
2 tor TON" a[,~ = - - ''' =. =, s.
Tom was the elevator boy.
We'll. In going to otter YOU some
n .'. I-,g + :. q