The Press., 1903-08-13
: Mr.. WILLIAM
BUNTY) SMITH
BY C. ~. Ogden
Copyright, 1909. by t. @. Mcclure

enough to supply distinguishing ini-
tiaL The postmaster at Tow Head
Junction never knew whether letter
was for Shanghai or for Bunty. He
could generally place postal cards In
the proper box by studying their con-
tents.
Bunty, by reason of lack of expert
ence, had matrimonial aspirations.
Shanghai, who lived at the other end
Of the village street, was resting In full
enjoyment OF the respite death had
given him from q somewhat oversren-
uous term In the yoke. When he tired
nf his own cooking, he went and stayed
with his married daughter a week.
Bunty had been seriously considering
the Widow Dunnigen for three years.
He had gone over the ground and knew
abe was ready to become member Of
bis household upon invitation. Just as
he had made up his mind to make his
formal proposal he received matrimo-
NAL paper through the mail At least
he got 1t out OF the post Office, and 1t
was addressed to William Smith. The
sender may have intended It for Shang-
haf
That paper opened new perspective
30 Bunty. He never dreamed that the
matrimonial market offered such posi-
bilities. 1t became plain to him that
he had been fooling away his time with
the Widow Dunnigen, faded, somewhat
wrinkled and owning but twenty five
acres of bottom land. Here were la
1ies-the paper spoke of them always
As ''ladies"-who appeared willing to
marry anybody, and some Of them had
SIS. 900 In cash. Bunty opened CORE
spondence. To make sure his letters
would not fall into the hands of Shang-
hal, he directed the ladies to address
them thus: William (Bunty) Smith"
William Bunty) Smith soon began to
receive no fewer than two letters from
each mail. The superscription. was so
Enthusiastically feminine that the post
master mentioned 1t to the loungers.
They twitted Bunty and told him he
would prejudice his chances with the
Widow Dunnigen IL he persisted in his
rifing with ladies' hearts by mail.
Bunty laughed. He could marry the
Widow Dunnigen any day, he thought.
What he was after was bigger fish. He
finally sifted the choice down to two.
According to their uncOntroyerted
statements one was a widow with $12,-
boo In mining stock, the other a maiden
lady of means Her mysterious reserve
on the question of means led Bunty TO
believe she must at least own a bank,
possibly a railroad. To these ladies he
sent his photograph, taken ten years
previously, when he attended the
Grand Army encampment. He also
gave them to understand that he was
able to support wife as wife should
be supported and that he did not SO
much value means as a faithful heart
and face free from wrinkles.
Bunty made progress. He arranged
with the two women to meet him on a
certain day In the city. twenty miles
from Tow Head Junction, one at the
union station at one hour, the other at
the post office at another. One was to
wear a pink, the other a white rose.
Bunty marked himself apart from all
mankind by tying red ribbon In his
lapel buttonhole. He did not go to
the post office that morning, but took
the 9:10 train for the city. When
Shanghai went after his mail the post
master handed him a letter. "Ain't for
Bunty, reckon" he said. las it's ad-
dressed jist William" Shanghai
opened the letter and read:
Dear william-Looking at the map,
see Tow Head Junction Is very near the
city. ! find the first train from the city
reaches Tow Head Junction fifteen min
utes before the train you will leave on
gets there, so I have decided to go to
Tow Head. Meet me on the station plat
form will wear pink CAROLINE.
"Must be for Bunty." Shanghai re-
fected as he set out to look him up.
Jim Daniels said he saw Bunty at the
depot and that he heard him ask for q
ticket to the city. Before Shanghai got
there the 9:10 came, but the train from
the city had not arrived At the depot
they said Ii was thirty minutes late.
Bunty was to meet Caroline at the
union station In the city at 10 o'clock.
Caroline was the maiden lady with
means. He had named o'clock as the
hour for seeing the widow who held
the mining stock at the post Office. The
widow also consulted time tables and
maps. She found that she could get a
train to Tow Head Junction that
would put her down there at 8:55 and
that she could return to the city at
noon. She decided to run out and look
the place over. So when the train from
the city which should have arrived at
Tow Head before Bunty left stopped
two women got of. One wore a pink
al g. - 80,
rose. The one adorned by the rose was
fat. short, broad faced and masculine.
The tall woman scanned the men ON
the station platform. There was not q
CLEAN of red ribbon on any OF them.
ais Mr.. William Smith herer' she
asked the agent.
'sThat tall gentleman over there" ha
answered. pointing out Shanghai. who,
having missed Bunty. had forgotten
the letter and Caroline. The fat wo-
man. who was standing near, with
tween her feet, critically surveying the
peaceful. dusty landscape whereon
Tow Head was a dot, heard the query
and answer. She picked up her grip
and headed for Shanghai. The tail one
reached him first.
Els this Mr. William Smithr' she
said.
Shanghai bowed. That's my name.S
he replied.
We'll" said the tall one, II am Caro-
line"
The fat one approached. els this
Emith-William SmithF was her stern
query. j.. ~
'.The same. madam" Shanghai an
swered. somewhat confused at the at
II am Maudie." she explained.
Light dawned on Shanghai. Ladies'"
said he, 'T am William Smith. but not
-FOUR William. He 10 known as Bunty.
I am Shanghai"
Confusion followed The women aSe-