Evening journal., 1900-02-27
THAT SUIT CASE.
lEEYS
AN EPISODE.

NO; everything is over between
John Baker and me-" she was saying
vchemently. Frances, / sent that
gentleman an invitation to the Junior
prom. two months ago. He not only
never answered the letter, but went TO
the prom. with another girl. Such
rudeness, I've sent back all his pres
ents, and never want to see him again.
But, for that matter, l suppose | shall, |
as / get home. lie lives just next door.
and always goes home as soon as col |
lege Is out"
"Why, Ruth" suddenly calculated |
her friend, looking out Of the window.
Here's your station. Hurry dear, or
youll be too late. Good-by, and wen |
meet again at Smith In September.
"Poor John Baker, jr.. / pity him
when they meet" she added TO her
self. as she watched Ruth seize her
umbrella and suit case and hurry OF
the car
Harrington. the driver OF the old
yellow coach that connected the little
out of-the-way town OF Thorndale
with the rest of the world. was look
ing up and down the platform. His
old eyes frightened when he saw
Ruth. "Been hopin yer'd come on that
train" he cried. taking her baggage
checks Jump right in There's only
one other passenger. and l reckon you
know him"
He opened the coach door and the
/, girl stepped in With n crack of the
whip they were Off almost before
J Ruth had time to recognize in her fell
} low passenger-John Baker, ir.
Good evening" she said, coldly.
J Good evening" was the equally
} chilly reply. John Baker became at
/ once absorbed I'm the evenings news.
/ The coach jolted on over the hills and
t hollows
"Don't see your wagon hereabouts,
!, Miss Ruth" the driver remarked as he
4 handed down her suit case at the end
= Of the route
e 1T win be right along. and I'm in
e no hurry" And she sat down on the
postoilice steps TO wait
I After time the postmistress came
+ TO the door. "lou amt waiting for
] your Jerry. l hope. Miss Kenyon. "
: she said, "for he said this morning he
y wasn't coming down again to-day"
n Thank you" replied the girl, with
IA rather a vexed laugh. "Then 1 must
r walk She picked up her suit case
e and started down the long dusty road
+ There was n sharp step behind her
IS Looking quickly back. she confronted
n John Baker.
a "Ruthw he said angrily "they tol'
n me you had started, so 1 followed
Il This is no place for a girl to be alone.
n lie glanced about at the gathering
lr darkness. "Let me carry that sui
W case; it's too heavy for you"
ID Ruth Kenyon suddenly straightene
d like a ramrod, and her eyes flashed
er but she made no answer.
Ut The walk seemed endless. but q
ly last the Kenyon house appeared d
st the end of a long pasture, which wa
ri separated from the road by a hig
stone wall. Before John Baker M
ticed what she was going to do, Rut
had turned, placed her suit case @
top OF the wall. and climbed up hei
a self
in ever clearly knew. Instantly theI
Of was a rolling sound, a crash, and
10 moment later John was over the wa
a. lifting the girls PROSTATE figure froi
the ground. In his excitement he 70
be got everything except that the girl
IT. loved lay motionless before him.
"Ruth." he cried brokenly, "are yO
is hurt badly? Speak, dear" At n
N words she staggered TO her feet "Il
not much hurt That case made n
lis slip" she said, but her lips were pa
III and trembling. THANK you," she adj
as ed, as he handed her n letter whiS
ng lay on the ground where she had IA
gh len. In the bright moonlight she res
the address written in her own han
Iry writing. Mr.. John Baker, jr., va
lal University, New Haven. Conn.
John she cried, suddenly faciI
sh- him. 1T was all my fault l thoug
ter You weren't a gentleman for not a
he swering my letter It must have be-
me in that suit case all the time. Can v
lge ever be friends again, JohnY
lge "Nor said he, springing forwa
ed. with a cry Of joy. 1--WE can't be simp
ELF friends. It's got to be something mo
ike than friends this time, Ruth"
IN John Baker paused on his doorst
before going in that night to look
OIL at a bright light in the next houi
1od "Poor girl, she did hurt herself"
Tor said gently. "And il was all on
lls- count Of that plaguey suit case. But
Ity was desperate, and it gave me
a chance TO tell her how l feel about
two. anyway" He laughed soft
sed tben onened the door and went i'm
cry
ho. The Dearth Of Marriageable Primo
On A statistican has recorded the pa
fuI fact that there are Spyonfy-ono m