Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-14

girl in Midwife. and; notwithstanding
she was so poor-she was compelled to
earn her own living by the sweat Of her
typewriter, she was popular with every
body. and no social gathering in the gay
and lively little town was complete with
out her. Among her best friends were
those of prominent position in the town,
and her dearest standby under all cir
cumstances was Florence Crandall, who
had more money in a minute than Alice
ever hoped to have in a lifetime. The
two girls were nearly the same age-let
us say little beyond twenty without
going into unnecessary details-and they
had been friends since childhood, shar-
ing each others joys and sorrows, and
especially confidantes in all the love at
fairs that had fallen to the lot Of each,
thus far without serious. or at least per-
manent results to either.
Ordinarily Alice spent her two weeks
summer vacation with Florence, but in
the year of this chronicle she went to visit
an aunt who had not previously been on
friendly terms with the Keenes and whom
it was wise to cultivate when the oppor-
tunity presented itself, for the lady was
not one whose wishes could be well dis
regarded being a person of influence and
position although of no wealth that
would divide up TO large extent. Thus
4. was that on the Saturday before the
week of her vacation Alice Keene board
ed the first train in the morning for
Easton, carrying all her belongings in
dress suit case. which was the property
OF Florence Crandall. kindly loaned for
the occasion.
She had a ride of five hours before her.
and choosing the best seat she could find,
she prepared to be as comfortable as pos
sible in a day coach. There were friends
galore to see her on and wish her a
pleasant time. and when they had all
gone and the train was moving away she
settled down and began TO survey her
surroundings She had a book. but she
was not so frequently a traveller that a
book was the most interesting thing she
could find, and she let 1t lie on the seat
beside her while she looked about the car
with now and then a quick glance at the
flying scenery outside. There were only
a few passengers at that hour, the morn
ing was cool and Alice leaned back in
her seat to enjoy herself at her leisure.
For two weeks and two days there would
be no more clicking typewriters, no more
Office hours, no more work. nothing but
rest now, and a lovely imitation OF being
rich and lazy.
AS the tired girl thought of these things,
she did not forget her immediate sur
roundings and presently she was attracted
by a dress suit case directly across the
aisle from her. 1t was a handsome one,
she noticed. but then no handsomer than
the one she had. for Florence Crandall
had only the best of everything, and on
the end of Il she saw the inscription,
''H. D., Fenn, New York. City"
She had never met man, from New
York and with not little curiosity she
shyly glanced up from the dress suit case
to its owner. In an instant she was sorry
she had been so bold, for the man was
looking directly at her. Her interest was
Immediately diverted to something out
side of the window. She knew he was
still looking her way, because she could
just feel that he was. and she wondered
how man could. be so rude. She re-
membered her book, now, and as she
turned to get 1t she ventured another
glance at the New Yorker. He was alb
sorbed apparently in a newspaper, and
she had an opportunity, with woman's
quick intuition, to gather data sufficient
to warrant the conclusion that he was
about 30 years old. quite handsome and
stylish and in all respects an appropriate
accompaniment to the elegant dress suit
case he carried. Several times within the
next two hours Alice looked over at her
neighbor, when she thought she could do
so without being caught, but in nearly
every instance she was mistaken. But
there was some kind of strange fascina-
ton which drew her eyes across the aisle
again, and when at last the brakeman
called out Moose Lake." and the man
picked up his dress suit case and left the
train she was positively glad and her
eyes .roamed over the car with a distinct
sense of relief. ,.s
Alice came back from her vacation like
another being. Everything of the past
was gone, and she went to her work
again as If she were making a new start
in life She had even forgotten the strange
fascination across the aisle, and II proba-
had 1t not been for Florence Crandall. The
summer had waned and Florence had re-
turned Alice met her at the train and
went home to dinner with her, and after
dinner the two hid themselves away in
a corner for a good long talk. OF course,
they had been writing to each other, but
letters are never satisfactory as compared
with the heart-to-heart talks that girls
indulge in.
but the funniest and the strangest
thing that happened all summer" said
Florence after the exchange OF a great
lot of condolences, was letter I received
from a Mr.. Fem, of New York, who said
he had met me on the train going to Eas-
ton and was so pleased with me that he
could not help trying to find me again"
Have you answered it?' asked Alice
weakly, feeling all at once the recurrence
of the strange fascination across the
aisle.
"Of course, I haven't" promptly replied
Florence. do. you suppose l would write
to a stranger like that7 But how ever did
he get my address,? And 1 haven't been