The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-12-29

A S THE Empire State express rum
IN bied out Of the Utica station a
travelling man for the Buffalo Flat
Ware company lay back in his seat
and wondered If that train had ever
carried anyone so happy as himself.
For the twentieth time he took out
tho dainty missive of Dora Hide
brand unfolded the heliotrope sheet
and read the delicious wordsf "Of
course 7 love You, you great goose,
Why didn't you ask me before / left
Buffalo? I shall count the minutes
until the s1st'
But the Flat Ware Man counted the
seconds as tie glung-lung-a-lung of
car wheels todd them Off and brought
him nearer te Dora. Only a month
since she had gone home, but a busy
month for him, spent largely in
acheming to get the house to send
him 60 New York Once there, he
assured himself he would not be such
q laegard ia asking the father as he
he'd been ia avowing his love for the
daughter He knew his little book.
TO Mr.. H~il&ebrand he would 60 bold
l8 and witho4t any beating about,
say;
81 love Dcra-no thar wouldn't do;
too familiar. fSir, I have been for
tunate enough to win the love and
esteem 81 your daughter. / ana able
% support her. My sales r grow
ing bigger each year. VIII you give
your consent to our marriage?" That
was the business way of performing
the task, and as a business man Mr..
Hildebrand would not fail to appre-
ciate It.
The train began to slow down. A
guard called: ALBANY! Albanyl"
Two young men, one in a brown derby
and the other wearing a very light
fedora. entered and took places in the
seat ahead Of Wentworth.
"Now, rE show you that picture,
Charley" said the Fedora, as the train
rolled on again. He took out a photo
graph and handed it t. the other, who
held il before him in such a position
that the Flat Ware Man could not
miss seeing it.
"By Jovei A stunneri' exclaimed
the Brown Derby, "What eyesi Say,
old man, you're ia luck"
II the Flat Ware Man could not help
seeing the picture at first, he could
not help bending forward now close
80 the Others backs and glaring at it
between their shoulders. Well, there
was no getting away from the hor-
rid fact. The face was that of Dora
Hildebrsnd, and the hat was the same
ais one he had seen her wear. He
knew il by a peculiar aigrette. But
what in thunder was this chap doing
with the picture?
Eyes, she's q mighty pretty girl,
Charley, and as clever and good as
she Is pretty. And what's better than
an, she loves me. Think of It. Loves
me, o Hollow Ware drummer. Old
man, IN bet I'm the happiest sales
man or any other man on this or any
other train"
The Flat Ware Man dived into his
pocket, brought out Dora's letter and
read e for the twenty5frst time to
make sure that there was no catch
Ga her words. No. There IL was in
violet and heliotrope: "0f course I
love you, you great goose What did
it meant Ye gods. big and httlel
Was she triAing with him? Then he
called himself a fool and several other
things. lay DaeA in his seat again
and tried 70 laugh and reason away
she dark miagiyings. Astonishing re-
Eemhlauce, of course but there were
$50 many girls Sc the world that some
naat looA alike. Besides, how could
be2 She usver knew any Hollow
ware man. sEill, you couldn't tell.
Girls were mighty
g wonder N f s. the family Of
H~ldebrauds that my people know IN
eW York ai etc Brown Derby.