Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-10-02

put his arms around his dear little
Laurie and patted her blond head and
laughed at her for being troubled over
such a trife as that. The idea of her
being worried and distressed for the
want of thousand dollars when he
could place ten times that sum in her
hands within an hour Didn't she
want two thousand-three thousand
FIVE thousand, instead? It was all the
same to him-all in the family. No,
she didn't want but one thousand,
and she called him her dear George
and wiped away her tears and looked
cutter than ever. Stay, however If
he could just as well spare $4,000, she
would use the odd thousand to set
decorators at work in her New York
mansion and give an order for her
trousseau.
The major was almost vexed with
her because she wouldn't accept
$4,000 instead, but she was firm on
that point. When be handed over the
vulgar dross, he printed two long, lin
gering kisses on her ruby lips. Those
kisses cost him just a thousand dollars
apiece, but at the time he thought
they were cheap at that.
After the kisses the widow named
the wedding day. He was to meet
her in Pittsburg two weeks from that
day and be quietly married, and later
on they would proceed to New York
and her Fifth avenue mansion. Three
days later she left for Pennsylvania
to close up coal mine affair that had
been worrying her for some months,
and the light Of the majors life went
out.
Two long weeks 1t was an eter-
nifty to the major, especially as he on
ly received one brief letter from the
widow. The hours and days Crept
away, and one morning he started for
Pittsburg. So did the Judge, the law
yer and the three others hitherto
named. The seven of them took the
same train and rode in the same car.
Each looked self satisfied and super
cilious.
The major condescended to explain
that he was going to Pittsburg on pri-
vate business Of great Importance, and
the others condescended to make the
same explanation. The major MUIR
INJURED that it seemed curious that all
seven had private business up there
on the sane day and that no one had
mentioned his Journey TO the other,
but they only smiled and assumed
knowing looks He then announced
that he was rather glad Of their COM
pany, as they would De on the spot to
congratulate him over a certain event,
but they looked at him in an absent
way and didn't see the point Of the
joke.
The gang reached Pittsburg in due
time. Curiously enough they all went
to the same hotel, but no one tried to
explain it. The major was the first
to register and ascend to the ladies
parlor, but the other six were not long
behind him. He remarked on the sin-
gularity of the thing, but the six
looked at the toes of their boots and
smiled. Seven cards had been sent
up stairs to the little blond widow to
tell her that her seven admirers were
waiting, but she didn't come down,
and the landlord didn't know whether
she was in Halifax or Texas.
Explanations were in order, Of
course. 1t was a drama in seven acts.
Each one of the seven had been accept
ed by the widow and each one had
advanced her money and was to meet
her in Pittsburg and lead her to the
altar. For time the seven called
each other liars and scoundrels and
shook their fists under each other g
noses, but on motion Of the major they
finally adjourned to the bar. Stand
ing there and crookiDg their elbows
in unison, they swore each other to
secrecy, and every man lied as he de-
clared that be saw through the little
widow from the very start and that
he had not even spent FIVE minutes Of
his time or fifteen cents of bis cash for
her benefit.
Henry Clews, perfectly bald, was
once travelling on western railroad.
Sitting directly behind him was a
coarse looking mau with rough
shock of hair the color Of brick dust.
Tapping Mr.. Clews on the shoulder,
the fellow remarked:
"Guess you wasn't around when
they gave out the hair.