Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-05-23
How Littlepage
Took Care of Her.

| wealthy dIIer the war naQ clOSeQ. lie
had been brought up in the good old
way. He had quick temper, ready
revolver and what most people would
say was an exaggerated idea of cour-
! tesy and chivalry to women. He went
through college and then through a
| technical school, coming out with a
| degree as electrical engineer. Then he
came north to take a position with a
large manufacturing corporation. With
| in a few months he had made many
warm friends who admired him both
| for his ability and for his courtly man.
ners.
Finally he was ordered by his COM
pany to go east to look over an electric
| al invention which they were thinking
| about buying. The train left at
o'clock in the afternoon. He was de-
| layed in reaching the station, and it
was within few minutes of traintime
when he clambered on the rear end of
the sleeping car. AS he mounted the
steps a man opened the car door and
came out. 1t was Larsen, young law
yer, with whom he was well acquaint-
ed in a business way.
''Why. hello, Littlepage," said the
lawyer. where are you goingY
"New York." said Littlepage.
"Great luck" Larsen answered.
"Just got time to go back and intro
duce you to my wife. She's called to
New York by her mothers illness. /
couldn't go with her, and I've been
worried about letting her make the trip
alone. l know you'll be glad to look
out for her and see that she gets
through all right"
sit will be great pleasure to me" !"
said Littlepage with one of his best
bows
Mrs. Larsen was a pretty woman.
After Littlepage had been presented
her husband had just time to get off
the car before the train started. Lit
tlepage sat down in the seat with her
and soon found that she was as pleas
ant and entertaining as she was good
looking. 1t was really a great piece of
luck for him. 1t promised to make a
tiresome trip rather pleasant than
otherwise. Mrs. Larsen had often
heard her husband speak of him. He
was from Alabama2 He had fought a
duel or two? Was it true that he had
actually shot man? Did he always
carry revolver?
Littlepage tried to explain his deli
cate ideas of honor and the proper way
to protect it. She seemed to be half
afraid of him, and as Littlepage was a
her charm
Half way across the state, at a little
way station, a fat man with big black
mustache and a huge diamond stud
got on the car and sat down across the
aisle in a seat where he could stare
Mrs. Larsen full in the face. At the
first glance Littlepage disliked him.
He looked impertinent. His appear
ance put Littlepage almost into rage.
He had an insolent stare, and it seem
ed that he could hardly keep his eyes
off pretty Mrs. Larsen. Half a dozen
times Littlepage glanced up only to
catch his bold, black eyes staring
across the aisle. He wondered if Mrs.
Larsen had noticed it. Finally he
spoke to her.
THAT man across the aisle is looking
at you in an impertinent way" he said.
IF you'll allow me, I'll go over and
make him stop it."
Mrs. Larsen begged that he would
do nothing of the kind She had not
noticed that he was staring at her. AT
any rate, she was sure there was no
occasion to make a scene.
Littlepage assured her that he was
not in the habit of making scenes
which could be embarrassing to wo-
men. When he spoke to impertinent
people, they obeyed him without max
ing any loud objections. That was one
reason why gentleman should always
carry a revolver.
Presently the fat man got up and
went out into the dining car. A few
minutes later Littlepage asked Mrs.
Larsen if she was ready to dine. She
explained that she had eaten luncheon
just before taking the train and did not
care for dinner. So Littlepage went
into the dining car by himself. He de-
bated whether he should accost the fat
man and hold him to account for his
impertinences, but finally concluded
that he would hardly be justified under
the circumstances.
While Littlepage was drinking his
coffee the fat man got up and walked
out of the dining car into the sleeper.
Ten minutes later Littlepage followed.
As he stepped into the sleeper he
stopped suddenly as if paralyzed by
what he saw. Up at the other end of
the car, where he had left Mrs. Lar
sen, she was still sitting, and in the
same seat with her was the fat man.
IL took Littlepage but a second to de-
eide ON plan of action. The imperti-
nent wretch had evidently taken ad-
vantage of his absence to go over and
sit down by Mrs. Larsen. She was
only waiting for him to return and re-.
lieve her Of the man. Whatever he did
must be done quietly and without max.
ing scene Of any kind. He took his
revolver from his hip pocket and put It
in the side pocket Of his coat. Then he
walked as quietly as possible up the
aisle.
Just as he reached them Mrs. Larsen
looked up. Littlepage recognized an
appealing look in her eyes.
"Oh, Mr.. Littlepager' she cried in an
excited tone. All Littlepage's hot south
ern blood was on fire in a moment. He
drew out his revolver and put the end
of it under the fat mans nose.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Larsen" he said
at the same moment. "I'll take care Of
him."
Mrs. Larsen glanced at the revolver
and promptly tainted away. The fat
man turned a CHASTITY gray shade and
attempted to demonstrate.
"Don't say word to me-" whispered
Littlepage in low voice. Come right
along with me. If you open your
mouth, I'll blow your head off"
In perfect silence and without at
tracing the attention Of anybody In