The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-02-01
Not an III Wind.
FOR 1T BLEW SOMEBODY
GOOD.
BY w. r. ROSE.

III was cloudy fall day. Out of the
slate colored sky the rain fell in little
showers from time to time. The wind
blew strong from the lake.
1t blew particularly strong M the
street between the tall bank building and
the ancient stone church. The wind nj.
ways blew strong here. 1t seemed as if
the two buildings drew the gale between
them rs through a funnel. When the
wind blew lightly in other sections of the
city, it blew strong here.
This made it trap and surprise for
the unwaly. The pedestrian coming
along in the lee of the bank building and
quite unSuspicious of what awaited him
beyond launched boldly into the street
from the shelter of the sandstone ME
to find himself fierccly bufIeted about, hi
hat torn from his head, his umbrella
rrdely reversed and he himself driven
from his path and forced to tack manful.
ly before he could pull into the harbor of
shelter IN the lee of the gray old church.
There was little crowd of men and
boys on the steps of the venerable struc-
ture this particular fall afternoon. Some
OF them had been there for an hour or
moreover since the wind frcShcncd
/ hey were enjoying themselves at the
expense of the unhappy victims who ven
turcd across the highway from the bank
building riilcd hat raised Il shout If
JOY, wrecked umbrella drew forth hila
rious cheers. They didn't heed the ftful
spurts of rain; they were having too
much sport to he mindful of petty dis
comforts. Luckily most of the targets If
lftfh
didn't restrain their glcc however. when
some luckleSS female vcuturcd into the
wind trap. Probably if there had been
any real danger their chvalry would
have awakened. As it was, they were
there to enjoy the free show.
Rupert Strong had just come down from
his Office, and the crowd attracted his at.
tention. He stepped up to see what if
meant. As he ncarcd the laughing ggonp
a short. stout lady stepped from the bank
entrance and looked mp at the Sky. Then
she deliberately raised an umbrella and
started to cover the fatal crossing. Ten
feet from the curb the wind caught hcr
She was \ broadly shining mark. The
rude blast turned her umbrella inside
out, it flung her hat over one ear. il
forced her at an acute angle out into the
highway. Struggle rs She might, She
couldn't make Roadway against the gale
The wicked crowd ut the church steps
chucElcd with delight.
Rupert Strong saw the plight of this
forlorn craft and. clappins his hat a little
tighter on his head, hurried to the res
cue. In a dozen strides he reached the
buifeted dame and. passing his arm firm
ln ct H.,
tack and. running. as it were. before The
wind, brought her into the park, where
the force of the blast was blokcn bv the
tall buildings across the way. The crowd
on the church steps chccrcd this gallant
act
pray. sir" gaspcd tire stout lady, "are
you professional rcscucr?"
Madam"
"Will you permit me to call your at
tcntion to the fact that your arm is stjll
in the neishborhood of what was once my
waist"
81 beg your pardon, madam"
Force of habit, ! suppose" said the
stout lady dryly
Rupert laughed, and the stout lady
laughed. She was very bright eyed
stout lady, with short gray curls and a
shrcwd though kindly face.
Permit me, madam" said Rupert. He
reached up quickly and straishtcnrd the
lopsdcd bonnet. Then he took the wre, k
of the umbrella from her unresisting
hand.
Throw it in the gutter" said the stout
lady.
Rupert obcycd and, raising his own
umbrella, which he had grippcd tightly
under one arm, held it over the stout
lady's head and marched along by her
side.
81 am sure I'm much obliged to YOU"
said the stout lady, looking up mt the tall
young fellow. II was afraid that re-
spect for age had quite died ont among
the young men of today. 1t must have
required a good deal of moral courage
to face the jecrs of that crowd OF idiots
on the church steps"
at struck me at the moment" said
Rupert, that the main thing required
was reasonable amount of physical re-
sistancc to that impudcnt blast"
Whats your business. young man?"
II am a lawyer, madam"
"Ah! Externally on the lookout for pro-
spective clients. of cOurSc?'
Rupert laughed at the grim inSinuation.
"Struggling young lawyers can't afford
to leave any stone unturncd." he said.
"Nor any stout old lady overturned"
laughed his companion. Then she looked
up at him again with sharp glance.
"Do you know Lawyer BarlowY she
asked
81 have the honor of his acouaint-
ance,' replied Rupert.
Ever meet him professionally
"Fate once threw me on the opposite
side in bit of litigation wherein the dis
tinguished counsel prominently figured"
"And the result?"
'Lawyer Barlow lost the case"
"Not much of a case. | fancy" said the
stout lady.
81 beg your pardon" said Rupert. "hut
] must disagree with you. 1t was really
quite a case. 1t Melted me SO"
The stout lady laughed
"Thcrc's my card" she said. Then she
abruptly added: LET me have your card,
young man. am going to borrow your
and | want to know to whom
] am indebted. And when you come up
to reclaim it, which You may do tomor-
row evening. ! may have something fur
ther TO saw to YOU. There's my name"
Rupert found loose card in his poke
and handed it over, taking the stout
lady's card in exchange. A moment later
he had put her aboard the car and turn
ed away. AS he regained the sidewalk
he glanced at the stout ladys card. Then
he softly whistled. The bit of paste
board bore the name of Mrs. Jane Buff |
fngton, and Mrs. Jane Burlington was
understood to be the city's richest wom-
an. He had heard many tales of the |