The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-11-19

| Nftf q = V'yyVVV\ wv 1U
HE WAS SHORT AND SLIM AND HAD A
BUNDLE UNDER HIS ARM.
| thing as stated, and for three days
was as happy as the fish that escaped
my hook. Then came something like n
shadow. | had noticed in a general
way that the barmaid was good
looking girl, but had given the matter
no thought. 1t is a barmaId's business
to be good looking. 1t was only after
| had got settled that l discovered this
barmaid of the Oak and Ivy had small
| hands, small feet, graceful form, a
refined air, was educated and alto
gether superior to her class. The shad-
ow came because as soon as l reeog-
| nzed this barmaid's superiority some
how felt it my duty to appreciate 1t
and encourage her. The idea of falling
| in love with barmaid, either common
or superior, was absurd, but the idea
| of showing my appreciation of her
mental and physical graces resolved
| itself into n duty.
l began my labors at once. 1t really
was an effort on my part to fiatter and
| compliment, but l was somewhat con-
soled on realizing that my work was
not in vain. Ethel, as the young lady
| was named, blushed In delightful
way and made no secret of the fact
that she was pleased She ought to
have been. l was good looking man,
possessed of a longish purse, stood well
with society and the world and was In
every sense a fair catch. Even though
had not the remotest intention of
letting the affair drift beyond paternal
compliments, it was her duty to be
thankful. There were yokels who
stood ready to fall in love with Ethel,
but | drove them away. There were
two or three counter Jumpers in town
they fed before me. In a week / had
the field all to myself.
Please understand me fully when l
say that it was purely platonic and
paternal on my part. Having found
a superior barmaid in that little out of
the way village, / felt it my bounden
duty to encourage her to better things.
smiled at her across the bar as / left
the inn to work havoc among the
fishes. l broadened the smile when l
returned. We strolled together in the
twilight; we sat together in the star
light. Some folks might have called
1t case of love, but we did not
had been at the Oak and Ivy two
weeks when one night, being unable
to sleep, l arose, dressed and left the
inn for stroll. Just why / was un-
able to sleep l could not say, but am
sure that love had nothing to do with
it. l had probably overfished during
the day. l was leaning against u
shade tree on the commons and won
dering why this superior barmaid had
not married lord or duke long be-
fore when young man passed me
| and disappeared In the hotel grounds.
He was short and slim and had a bun
die under his arm, and as the hour
was past midnight had momentary
curiosity. The next day learned that
the shop Of the village jeweler had
been looted the previous night, but the
news did not interest me.
Three nights later was again seized
with insomnia. / think the words of
the landlord had something to do with
1t. He threw out pretty strong hint
that he had employed this superior bar
maidStQ ,atnacttc pstou3 stQ1bigthN1xpd
that my attentions; to her had caused
a great fdlling;off In receipts. I,should
have, argued the case with. him, giving
him to understand my, paternaI Inter
est, but sasshe wps. not remarkablygin-
telligent ! passed him over assoyerefgn
to make good his. losses and said poth-
ing. 1t was 2 o'clock In the morning
when sat at an open window to smoke
my pipe, and had not been ruminat-
Ing for more than quarter of an hour
when the young man had seen three
nights before came tiptoeing along the
street under my window and made for
the rear entrance of the hotel My Gu
riosity was considerably aroused. but
there was no way Of satisfying II. The
next day l learned that residence
had been robbed of quite large sum
In cash and jewelry by a porch climb
er. Officers were scurrying around aft
or a clew, but the matter was of no
moment to me.
The next evening, as I walked with
the superior barmaid in the twilight.
having Tipped the landlord another
sovereign to cover prospective loss,
tried to make my position plain to her,
and quite succeeded. Indeed 1t real
" surprised me to see how promptly
she grasped the idea of my paternal
position. She was willing to take all
mNgopdsadyice to heart andract on 1t.