Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-02-01

her friends that she was going west,
that was all.
$50 for ten years theDceforth la
bored most strenuously for money, and
spent 1t in searching for her. visited
California, where obtained a slight
trace; the girl had been there, but had
sailed away on a boat, together with
her relatives. ] went here and there
and everywhere, taking no einto my
confidence, and Of course getting no
reward. Finally / gave up. For 20
years | have been--well, you know
what / have been, captain; moder-
ately successful man. as the term is
used; a modest patron Of the arts and
sciences and Of the manly sports; but
to woman-adaman This afternoon
in that picture Of New York street
gathering i saw her face, and upon her
bonnet was a rose. IL may have been
white or 1t may have been red--I could
not tell its color, / recognized the
locality by the buildings. 1t seems to
me more than likely that she lives in
that quarter Of the city, and such be-
ing the case, it VIII not be difficult to
find her. j go to New York tonight.
1t may be-"
The captain involuntarily extended
his hand and the colonel grasped il
warmly. Then they arose and passed
into the street.
'It may be" continued the colonel,
clearing his throat and throwing back
his shoulders, chat / am to come in
for share of loves young dream aft
err all / am no longer young, to be
sure, but ii Is the same dream. Ah-er
--ahem--captain, win you oblige me
by informa ton relative to the state Of
my cuticle? Do l blush?"
You do not" replied the captain,
frankly.
is not my pulse somewhat accel-
erated?" asked the colonel, presenting
his wrist to the others grasp.
"Nary," returned the captain; sit Is
like an eight-day clock"
81 go to New York tonight, at any
rate" said the colonel, bit disgust
edly. 81 shall write you, captain; and
in the event Of my bringing home a
bride 1 shall look to you to make fit
ting arrangements for our reception.
See to it personally that we have the
| bridal suite at the Grand Union, nicely
/ warmed and ventilated and perfumed
/ and all that sort of thing, you know,
And a good carriage waiting at the
station for us. And your wife and a
/ few female friends to smile at us when
we step from the Pullman might have
a good effect and convey heap of joy
to the young wo-er-the brides
heart"
Il shall be only too happy to make
the arrangements" declared the cap
tain. Il trust you may have your
fondest hopes realized, my dear friend
You certainly deserve immense happi-
ness. God bless you, sir"
MAY lie bless you, sir" returned
the colonel.
And then they parted, the captain
charging home at double quick tc
tell his wife the story, while the col
onel marched rapidly but with dignity
to his apartments to prepare for his
journey.
He was absent six weeks. At the
end of the second week letter came
from him to the captain. 1t was very
brief:
''Have not found her yet" il said
"Have obtained copy of slot machine
photograph, and am determined tc
fight it out on this line if it takes al
summer"
At short intervals thereafter other
letters came, all brief, all to the same
effect, and the captain began to fear
that his friend was doomed forever
to disappointment. But at last, at the
close of the fifth week, came a letter
the very outside of which shriekec
triumphantly. The captains hands
trembled with much violence as he
opened it, and thrice his eyeglasses
sprang from his nose.
81 have found her" were the first
words that greeted him from the has
tily scrubbed page. II have founC
her, aid the rose she wore in the pic
tugc vas white. l have talked witt
her face to face after all these years
and | have seen her face dimple as il
used to dimple, though, alas! the dim
plies now are all but lost in wrinkles
and the sparkle of her eye is but sug
gestion of the long ago. She wept
when she saw me, and L wept-d-r
you, sir, l did, and l am proud of it
when she told me that she had worI
a white rose upon her head every day
for 80 years. And after awhile sh,
introduced me to her husband, a re
tired sea captain, comfortably pro
vided with this worlds goods, whom
she met in California; and to her chill
dren, of whom she has three; and tC
the five of her nine grandchildren
who are at home. She has been the
companion of her husband in his voy
ages, else ] should probably have
fou..d her and made a laundering asl
Of myself. She has been around am
around the world-and she has no
failed for single day to wear whit,
rose. Talk of fidelity! Great heaven