Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-06-19
SUSIE AND THE
ARISTOCRAT
Copyright, 1908, by Daily story Pub Col
BY n. T. PARSONS

CUSlE tripped out of the great store
y and drew sigh of relief as she
emerged from the stuffy atmosphere.
Now, thank goodness, she was able to
follow her own sweet will for a few
hours. She would hurry home, get n
hasty supper, and then go into the park
and enjoy the green grass and waving
trees which reminded her so much of
the country home she had left to seek
her fortune in the great city.
Bent upon saving every precious mo-
ment she darted across the street in or
der not to miss the first car. And, in
her haste, she failed to observe a bug
gy dashing down the street, drawn by
two handsome bays, tugging at their
bits They were upon her before she
realized it and would have trampled
her down had it not been for a strong
arm which encircled her and drew her
swiftly backward 1t was daring act
and the stalwart young fellow who
performed it flung himself almost be-
meath the feet of the affrighted steeds
which had been drawn fairly on their
launches by the driver, who had per-
ceived the peril. The contact threw
both rescuer and rescued violently to
the pavement. He was up in second
and reached to raise her simultaneously
with the athletic figure which had
leaped from the buggy. Together they
picked the girl up. Once on her feet
she shook them off, exclaiming:
"Oh, thank you. I'm all right now
How careless l was-and oh, how
thank you"
SIT was brave act" remarked the
gentleman who had been driving, to
the rescuer, 81 did not see her until
too late. The ponies were so Internal
ly frisky 1 was busy holding them in
and did not stop in time"
at was nothing" replied the other,
brushing the dust from his clothing.
The two men looked straight at each
other. They presented a decided con-
trast. One typical American mechan-
ic, well-built, rugged, clear eyed, with
his head well up, despite his rough
clothing garb, stained with evidences
of his trade; the other gentleman of
birth, wealth and leisure, well
groomcd, attired in the height of fash
ion, showing evidence of the gymna-
SUM and the hunting field as well as of
the club and the evening drawing room.
After brief glance at each other
both turned to the rescued girl, the
one with admiration in his sturdy eyes,
the other with graceful apologies for
his team upon his lips. While he was
voicing his regret at the accident some
thing in the face of the girl attracted
Chester Chamberlain's further atten-
tion-which was not at all strange con-
sidering Susie's fresh complexion and
big, black eyes. There was a sugges-
ton of refinement as we'll as strong
physical beauty in the girls face and
-gure. A whimsical notion took pos
session of the young aristocrat,
"May l not repair the damage done
by driving you home?" he asked. "My
team is aching for exercise and we can
beat the street cars with all their
stops"
AS the level gray eyes met the black
ones the girl flushed a rosy hue and
before she fairly knew what was hap
pening she was bundled into the buggy
and was being whirled along the street
Rt the same break-neck speed which had
nearly caused her undoing.
The young mechanic stood at the
crossing gazing after the vehicle with
. strange light in his eyes.
That swift ride to her lodgings was
like dream to Susie. Never had she
ridden in so stylish a vehicle, never be-
hind such horses. Indeed never had
she ridden at all Except on street cars)
since she came to the great city and be-
fore that only behind the over-worked
plow horses.
And the gallant driver from another
world seemed to her to be veritable
knight out of romance. He had
watched her out of the tail of his eye
very closely as he chatted carelessly
on and found it very interesting to see
the color come and go. AS for her she
listened entranced to his easy familiar
ity with the persons and things ofthat
great world of which she had dreamed
and read but never had come in con-
tact. At the journeys end he asked her
name and said he would take the liber-
ty to call and see if any injuries had
developed from the accident.
Never had Susie's heart beat so fast
and never had such rosy dreams visit
ed her as on that evening as she sat in
her little room and thought over the
strange escapade.
On the following day as she left her
work at the store-by a strange coinci-
dence-she met her rescuer of the pre-
vious day, the sturdy young mechanic.
She smiled gratefully and he made so
bold as to ask her if she felt any ill
effects from the accident. Upon receiv-
ing a negative answer he seemed high
ly pleased BY this time they were
walking along toward the car and both
were surprised to learn that it was his
car, too.
The upshot of it was that he told her
his name, Thomas Knapp, machinist,
and asked DO be permitted to call. This
was granted of cOursa-wha+ laos