The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-08-21
And VET She could not snnnress the

anu Ntb Sut COulu DOt suppress tne
consciousness of pleasure in his pres
ence. He quit his gift giving and die
tated more letters, which proved that
his wife was suspicious and had per-
haps accused him of infidelity of some
kind. He never discussed the con-
tents of these letters with Helen, but
ratified away as If she were a mere ma
chine, and then changed the subject
to any of hundred delightful themes
of which he seemed to be anxious to
hear her talk. When at last he seemed
to drift into a more serious frame of
mind and habit, Miss Barr found her
self unrensonably gratified. Her heart
gave a joyful bound one day when
she heard Kim tell friend one day
that he was "on the water wagon"
but an access of virtuous anger seized
her that same evening, when, for the
first time, he came to her and asked
quite calmly and respectfully, il she
would go to the theater with him. She
made a pitiful effort to "freeze him"
with her answer, but her eyes were
brimming before she could turn away,
and she said nothing He walked away,
and from the corner of her downcast
eye she could see that he went into
the buffet.
The unhappy girl spent sleepless
night, for she had neither parent nor
relative to share her troubles. a
dozen times she resolved to beg of
Capt. Baldwin to quit the hotel and go
home to his wife. She thought of
writing TO him, or refusing to take his
letters, of ignoring him, and finally
resolved to do his work if he persisted,
but remain deaf and blind to his per-
sonal attentions as she had done with
every other man at the hotel. But her
tired heart was in flutter again the
moment she got behind the railing of
her little Office for she saw the cap
tain strolling nervously about the ro-
tunda. She kept her eyes on her work.
but she knew he was watching her
Her work was cleared away and she
was ready to leave for luncheon when
he came suddenly to the desk and
said:
Take a couple of letters, please,
miss?" She did not look up, but she
was aware of strange, hard note in
his voice. He began with letter to
Dear Catherine" as usual, and Miss
Barr was wondering what new sub
terfuge he would palm off on his wife,
when he began: You have been a
good sister-in-law to me, and / hope
you win succeed in satisfying my
brother, that"
Miss Barr's cheeks were aflame with
excitement Catherine was not his
wife, then! She could hear her heart
beat the music of those words. But
when he came to the end of that letter
and said: THE fact is, I've made up
my mind to get married and settle
down if the girl will have me-" Miss
Barr got pale again and trembled.
But the worst was to come. She could
have struck him when he leaned
across the rail and said: Now, want
you to write out proposal for me-
She didn't hear exactly what followed
Her trained fingers flew mechanically
over the keys as he dictated stilted
and very formal proposal, beginning
Dear Miss and ending "Your anxious
and devoted Hugh Baldwin"
whats the address?" she asked,
coldly.
Here's the envelope" he said in
frigid tones.
She picked it up with quivering
fingers, said: Fifty cents, please"
and read the addrcss-"Miss Helen
Barr. Hotel Packingham, City"
And they stood there smiling into
each others eyes.-Chicago Record
Herald.