The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-09-20
}. 90 IN ~ - - %. FFs.S-
I The Nan Of Her Choice
/ By Hm. J. hampton.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

not de young db nc hoo "At
be passed his fiftieth birthday. Fl
roomed on the iioor that Mary ha
the care Of, and after a years az
quaintance with her be had decide
in his own mind that she was YER
nice girl Mary liked Mr.. Doan we
enough. but that was all, for he was
bachelor. and she rather had he
doubts about such old bachelors as b
was But Mr.. Doan was rich an
liberal. and so polite always that b
gradually won favor in Mary's eyes.
One Sunday when she was fxinI
up his room, which was the only tim
she ever saw him there, he began talk
ing 10 her.
DO you know. Mary" he said, will
evident sincerity. that you are th'
prettiest girl in the hotel7'
Yes. SIR" replied Mary.
Mr.. Doan was somewhat staggered
by this unexpected frankness.
"Oh. you do. doyou7" he responded
little nettled.
II ought TO-" she said; "every man
have seen in this hotel has told me
50, except you. and now you have. so
they can't all be telling stories"
This explanation did not quite suit
Mr.. Doan, but Mary was quick-wit-
ted, and he let 1t go as she put it.
II presume" he said. apologetically.
II ought to have told you so before.
because have known IL ever since the
first day I saw you, but you seemed
TO me to be lady, and / did not
want you to think that was not
gentleman"
And | am lady. Mr.. Doan, as my
mother was and still 10. but / am
lady in distress. as the story-tellers
have it. Two years my father
died, leaving us noLhing 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. II was the only thing could
do for wages right from the start,
and we needed something to live on.
My brother found a place in a store.
and between us we manage to live"
You're as good girl as you are
pretty, Mary" said Mr.. Doan. "and
must go out and see that mother OF
yours"
SO he did, too. and came back with
very agreeable impressions Of the
sweet old lndy Of 60 that he had met,
Mary" he said on the following
Sunday, "how would you like me to
be your father?r
You are quite old enough to be-
she said, sharply, but you are not
Did enough to be my mothers hus-
band, II that Is what you are leading
up TO-"
II don't know about that" he
aughed. "A woman's heart is always
Toung."
But Mary did not like the subject,
md went out without continuing the
Half an hour later as
he was carrying roll Of quilts across
he hall in front OF the elevator, into |
which Mr.. Doan had just stepped, that
lways uncertain method of locomo-
ion got loose and started down the
haft for the bottom, seven floors be-
wv. Mary knew what was coming, or
ding, rather, and with scream she
ashed the roll of quilts into the open
oor. The csge had only slight start
nd the quilts were caught and
yedged in between the floor and the
leeator roof and the downward move
tent stopped with a noise like wheel
liking rubber brake. Mary dropped
/ faint. Mr.. Doan almost had a
pasm in the elevator where he was
oxed up, the elevator boy came run
ing from room where he had gone
, deliver message, somebody turned
! a fire alarm and the whole place
as in an uproar. The fremen were
strained from turning the hose
a Mr.. Doan, and busted themselves
gging timbers in the elevator shaft
.low the cage TO catch IL, when the
ilits were withdrawn, and presently
r. Doan came down with a thump,
i'd walked out scared almost white.
he papers next morning had
hole column about IT, with a large
cture Of Mary, the big headlines
,out the heroism of chambermaid
happened on Friday, and on Sunday
ary was at her post again. When
r. Doan saw her be did not wait to
k her about the flowers he had sent
her house, nor about his having
lied TO see her without seeing her.
Mary" he said, in the matter OF c
ct way Of a man of so, you saved
Y life, and | want to do something !
show my appreciation OF it,"
oh. Mr.. Doan," she almost pleaded,
ont say anything more about it.
iidn't do anything" I
You saved my life. Isn't that any ;
ing? II is to me If it isn't to youl' =
Il would have done just the same !.
. Tom" Il
Tom was the elevator boy. :
Well, I'm going to offer you some 7
ing a kid like Tom couldn't offer is
a, and that is the heart and the
nd of an elderly man" u
You mean you want TO marry me q
saving your life?" asked Mary ~
npletely dazed. u
Not exactly, Mary. Ill" hes =
led Mr.. Doan.
It's just the same thing, and
q permit it," said Mary resolutely. OF