Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-11-06
The
GODFATHER
The Story of q Railroad
Acquaintance.
BY W. =. ROSE.
BY w. =. ROSE.

long station platform. A group Of
young women swarmed about the
rear platform OF the last coach.
They were very gay and very noisy.
A young woman in the midst of the
party was lovingly buffeted to and
fro.
"All aboard!" cried the conduct
or, and the heavy train slowly re-
sponded to the signal.
"Goodby, Bobbiel" came in cho-
rus of shrieks from the feminine
delegation.
The train gathered Roadway rap
idly, pulled by the platform, and
the merry adieus and the waving
handkerchiefs were swiftly left be-
hind.
a moment later a young woman
entered the car. She was a neatly
CARRIED young woman of perhaps %
"A young woman of handsome fig
ure and clear brown ewes and wavy
masses of brown hair She came up
the aisle in her search for a seat
and presently paused beside a man,
who, when he felt rather than saw
her presence, moved close to the
window and made room for her.
''Thank YOU" she murmured and
looked at him as she took the prof
fered place.
lie was a man of about middle
height, close to 90 years, pale and
with "A close trimmed mustache-a
careworn man, the girl thought, a
man for whom life had been a seri-
Gus game.
And the man, giving the girl a
cautious glance now and then, fam
cied that she was a young woman
of much determination, an indie
pendent young woman, a young wo-
man hard TO win, but well worth the
winning.
"Would you object to changing
seats with me?" the man presently
asked "The light and the swiftly
passing scenes are a little trying to
my eyes"
The girl smilingly took the seat
next the window and looked out on
the flying landscape. The man rails
ed his newspaper and turned the
pages with yawn. Then he stole
another glance at the girl.
81 beg your pardon" he said,
but that was a strange pet name
that your friends gave you at the
station where you got on"
The girl turned and looked at the
man with a half startled expression,
but something in his face seemed to
reassure her.
ooh, Bobbiew she laughed. ''That
is name the girls gave me. It's
an attempt at condensing Roberta,
you see"
"Yo our name is Roberta, then 20
said the stranger. cts not COM
mon name, and ] think l like it par
ticularly on that account. Perhaps
my liking is somewhat influenced by
the fact that man in whom | take
a good deal of interest bears the
name of Robert"
81 was named for a man named
Robert" said the girl.
Better yet" laughed the man.
1t was a very gentle laugh, but it
lighted up his careworn face won
derfully 1t was a pleasure to the
/ girl to see the change it made in his
appearance Il hope this favored
Robert appreciates the honor that
was paid him. l have no doubt he
/ does"
And he bowed to the young wo-
man with quite courtly grace.
ooh, thank you" she said, with
smile and a nod of acknowledge
ment. 'But the fact is he has for
gotten all about it."
"Ungrateful Robertp said the
stranger. "He didn't deserve the
honor"
81 fancy" said the girl, with a
little laugh, chat l have been able
to do without his fatherly advice
quite successfully. Anyway do
not intend to change my name just
to humiliate him. He was my fla
theirs earliest business associate and
his first partner. They struggled
along together and were successful
in modest way. My father was
very fond of his partner, his senior
in years and his model of business
intelligence. When l was born, my
father PAID his partner the compli-
ment of naming me after him
There was little christening party
which my father recalled many
times. l was baptized by our dear
old rector, and one of the sponsors
was the man for whom / was named
l have been told that he was fond
of me, but while | was still very
young the firm was dissolved, ano
my godfather went east to add to his
modest fortune, and my father went
still farther west. But he did mo-
| Il.