Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-04-12

smile was altogether different to those
of the others. Miss Benedict did not
see him. for she was Gathering away
on her typewriter at furious rate.
Indeed, her eyertion was so great as
to bring quite an unusual color to her
cheeks. Miss Purdue saw him and
said afterward that he was cutie nice
looking. Further. she said that he did
not look like a married man. though
how she differentiated is mystery.
The point of the matter is that as
the delegates were putting on their
coats one of them. a man with a
double chin and four creases in his
neck. happened to notice Miss Bene-
dict rather more particular" than
usual, and he was instantly struck
with the similarity in tint and texture
of her hair and the anonymous fila
ment that had been discovered on his
colleagues coat. He at once called
the attention of the rest of the dele
gates to this circumstance.
Miss Benedict could not hear what
they said. but she knew that it was
horrid. Her back was turned to the
corner where the coats were kept.
but she could feel the glances that
We're directed at her and her cheeks
burned distressingly. One of the dele
gates called out.
What time was Harmer here this
morning? Does any one know?"
He was here when l got here"
said another. 81 guess I was here be-
fore any of the rest of YOU"
Miss Benedict struck the keys of
her typewriter with vicious energy.
and the resulting clatter drowned the
rest.
1t is unnecessary to say that Miss
Benedict bitterly reproached Miss
Purdue or that she spent subsequent
hours of repentance and humiliation.
She went to the Office. however, and
had been at work for half an hour be-
fore Mr.. Mordant, the president of the
association, arrived. She fancied Mr..
Mordant looked at her curiously and
rather severely. but that may have
been Imagination. But there was no
question about the way the dele
gates comported themselves. They
may not have meant it at all. but they
were fnsufferable. Some of them
looked at her laughingly; others with
dreadful austerity that Miss Bene-
dict knew was deserved. Three or
four Of them did not look at her at
all, and she felt that was worst of
all. One by one they came. each as
unpleasant as possible in his peculiar
way, until at last Mr.. Harmer arrived
And then somebody coughed, and they
all coughcd
Miss Benedict said she simply would
not stand it another day. nor another
hour, for that matter. Therefore she
called William to her and bribed him
to tell MIR. Mordant how. why and
under what circumstances the hair
had been distributed. Then she went
home and teleDhoned down to the
Office that she had sick headache
which was perfectly true-and could
not come to work.
The headache lasted for three days,
at the end of which time Miss Bene-
dict went back to the office. She had
seen Miss Purdue twice before. but
all Miss Purdue knew was that Mr.
Mordant maintained a grave silence.
William had said that Mr.. Nor
dapt just nodded and said Him -m-m!"
when he told. and that soon
after there was more laughter in
the committee room. AS soon as the
meeting was over there had been a
general overhauling of overcoats, and
Mr.. Harmer had gathered up the hair
Miss Benedict had made up her
mind Just what penitential pose she
would adopt when Mr.. Mordant called
her into his office. She had determined
at what point in her excuses she
a pearly tear to roll down her cheek
She had got her defensive campaign
mapped out. Then Mr.. Mordant. in
stead of calling her in. came out and,
pausing in front of her desk. said:
Don't let that occur again. if you
please, Miss Benedict" And. hardly
looking at her. went into the tele-
phone room.
And now the young women are
wondering why Mr.. Harmer gathered
up the hair. and what he intends to
do with it. and whether he will be
at the next meeting. and all sorts of
things.-Chicago Record.
How Polish City Amuses Its People.