The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-01-24
SHE WAS A DELEGATE

Aht uiuhitHA bhih ioiitN hVieiiy
into the station with a changing Of
bells and splitting Of steam. Half a
dozen very sleepy passengers fell oil
the high steps and disappeared in the
darkness. A dozen very w%ideawake
: passengers hustled into the stuiTy
sleeper, and parting kisses resounded
through the car. The sleepy porter
glanced rcprovingly at them as he
busted himself with the bcrths.
The sleepy conductor smiled a sad
smile and glanced commiscratingly
ut the row Of drawn curtains. His
quick ear had detected a smothered
groan from No. Z.
With the Gathering Of the moving
train the voices rose higher Ne a dozen
women sorted their belongings and
prepared TO settle down for the night.
"Groat Scott!'. growlod the weary
passenger in No. z, what have ]
struck! A female seminary or a
mothers meetiug!" And as IL in
answer came a clear, sweet voice from
across the way:
Pm SO glad I'm a delegate, aren't
you. May? 1t is going to be such fun
all Except my speech
Lets hear it, Kate. Try it on Us
FIRST" and the chorus Of laughing
voices smothercd something that
sounded like 3D. from No. 4.
A bell rang violently at the other
end Of the car. and the apologize por-
ter FASTENED forward. Silence for q
moment; then a mans irate voice was
heard saying: swell, I'll try to stand
it,"
The silence lasted fully five min
utes. and the mar in No. : closed his
weary eyes, hoping for rest. when a
sudden lurch Of the train caused q
smo,hercd squcal from the aisle. and
something soft fell violently into his
berth and sat full and square upon
him.
Only for a moment-thcn with q
mui!ed shrek the object regained lis
feet and disappeared in NJ. s, where
for ten minutes it giggled hysteric-
ally.
Poor No. I. lie had always consid-
cred himself a gentleman. but over
taxed patience could stand no more.
"Confound it, he cried. This is
the worst | eve struck
Ii takes mar some time 10 recover
from such n disagreeablc experience.
and Crosby, though ordinarily the
most amiable Of men, was still a little
rufied when he went to Miss Pear
sons reception the next evening, and.
meeting Katherine Grey. forgot
everything in the world hut her.
Ii anyone had asked him a week
before if he believed in love at first
sight he would have laughed scorn-
fully. But tonight. as he looked into
a girls soft brown eyes, he knew he
had met the one woman in the world
for him, and he surrendered his heart
TO her keeping without thought Of re-
lSstance.
Foolish? OF course it was. When
'as love ever otherwise?
'YouAr a brave man, Mr.. Crosby"
she smiled up at him. AREN'T YOU,
like other men, just a little afraid Of
club women"
"Afraid hardly expresses it, Miss
Grey" he replied, with an exaggcr-
stcd shudder. 81 think ! may truly
say that if there is n thing ! detest
more cordially than ANOTHER it is a
new-fashioned club womdn."
The girl drew herself up a little
stifly.
"Then why are you here tonight
in a very nest Of them, may ] ask"
II be- pardon" he stammered, so
honestly mystifed that Miss Grey
laughed merrily,
"Stupid man! Don't you know
that this reception is given TO the fed
Grated club women OF the state, who
are holding a convention in your
city?'
"Heayen forbid!' he calculated so
earnestly that she laughed again,