The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-11-16
The Girl at Number Nine - A
Pathetic Story of a Mis-
understood Love.

about II later on--perhaps. Good even
ing!" And Off he swung, chin in air,
twirling his cane between his fingers.
That evening and the day following
Tom sulked like a spoilt child. Nellie
must be taught lesson His wounded
self-esteem demanded as much. But ii
was far from his thoughts to allow
this parting to be final For hers was
the stronger nature dn his heart of
hearts he knew III; she was his wise
little counselor. and without her he
would assuredly drift on life's voyage,
Ike bark that has lost its steering
gear.
He did not doubt he had rival.
Probably the fellow was good-looling
and glib-tongued; and so Nellie, wom-
1 an-like. was fiattered by his atten-
tlons. But her heart-ah, that belonged
entirely to him. Tom Marston! And
he did not intend to lose it! But Mel
lie, he repeated. must be taught a les
son. She would be expecting him TO
F., call to-day or tomorrow or the day
! following; and then She would write,
| begging him TO come and see her.
But as the days went by fthe longest
four he had ever known without bring
! ing the looked-fer letter Tom became
decidedly unhappy TO stay in his
room was unbearable; to seek his
friends in his present state OF mind
was not to be thought of; and so. eager
for distraction, he walked into the city.
and turning into music-hall. booked Il
seat in the stalls
The curtain rose; and as turn" sue
ceeded turn 1t is probable that in
all that vast audience the one implaca-
bly, severe critic was Tom Marston.
Nothing pleased him. The comic songs
lacked humor: the sentimental pos
sessed a distinct tendency to pathos;
the aerobatic feats were devoid of orig
inality; even Stella May, the star of
the evening. radiant, outshinng all her
predecessors failed to awaken his in
terest.
On the following day his pride was
perilously near capitulation, Yes, he
would see Nelle-perhaps this very
evening-and If her explanation of her
conduct should prove satisfactorily all
might yet be well
He has changed his collar ana was
adjusting n neat brand new neclltie
when he heard the whirring of the
electric bell. The postman! His heart
| Cd -. Il r,,l -
eager expectancy, he hurried to the
| front door
Chronicle, sir?"
With sense OF keen disappointment
| Tom took the local weekly newspaper
from the newsboy. and re-entering his
sitting room. sat down, and mechani-
cally opened the sheet.
For a moment or two he glanced in
differently across the columns. and
then. suddenly, his eye caught the fol-
lowing paragraph:
''Heroism of a Handsworih Lady"
yesterday evening horse. standing
between the shafts OF trap in Clare
mont avenue. took fright at a passing
steam roller and suddenly bolted A
little boy who happened TO be playing
in the road nj the time was in immi-
nent danger of being run over, when a
young lady Miss Ellen Graham, of
Ventnor Road. seeing hia peril. ran
into the roadway and rescued him.
Miss Graham. We regret to state. was
knocked over the wheel passing over
her body, and now lies at her home in
a precarious condition"
In a dash Il numhness fell upon his
brain. This. however, lasted but a
moment, and was followed bya curious
sense of unrealty; and for space he
sat starring at the paragraph. his face
the color of cigar ASH Miss ellen
Graham" 1t was mistakel 1t could
not be his Nellie, his little girl! She
who was so strong and healthy when
he last saw her, to be suddenly struck
down, To be lying ON bed of pain.
The troubled current of his thoughts
came to an abrupt standstil, Snatch
ing his cap from the table he rushed
from the house: and never before did
he cover mile SO quickly as the one
which lay between his lodgings and
Nentnor Road
The door was opened by tall. good
looking man ot thirty. Or thereabouts,
whose deeply tanned complexion
seemed Indicative Of 4 recent residence
in tropical climate.
Straightway Tom painted oat the
question nearest his heart. The reply
to which c'Better, much better') acted
upon him like news of a reprieve upon
man awaiting execution.
"You are Tom Marston. suppose?
-. l thought SO. l am Ned Ora