The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-09-09
A JudSe"S
Rom ance

My position was thus when the courts
a certain year md | retired TO my usual
resort on the scasliorc.
1t may not strike YOU us quite con
sistcnt when l say that Il few days aft
CT my arrival Il woman appeared who
caught my attention. Shn was regis
tered rs Mrs." and it was understood
that her husband would appear later.
She was Handsome, we'll formed, re-
fincd-in all outward respects Il lady.
L did not have speech with her, but |
admitted to myself that but for my dig
nifty and position | might have at
tempted what is legally known as u
mild Irritation.
People seemed to understand intui-
lively that a judge of special sessions
did not care to hear about triflcs, and
so no gossip was poured into my ears.
However,, | learned later on sever or
eight rooms were robbed inside Of Il
week. The robbcrics occurred by day,
and generally at meal times, and the
plumber was money and jewelry. In
one case the loss amounted to $500, in
another to $500, in a third to over ST.
600.
After the first complaint had been
made the landlord set Il watch, but in
the face of that three moro rooms were
plundcrcd and a coniiding guest who
kept several hundred dollars in his
trunk instead of the hotel safe found it
missing ono day after luncheon. Then
two detectives were employed, and all
the go guests felt themselves under
espionage, If not suspicion-all but L.
How could landlord, detective or any
one else suspect the integrity of Judge
Coke?
The robbcrics ceased as suddenly as
they had begun, but for reasons known
to themselves the detectives decided
to search the baggage OF certain guests,
one of whom was the handsome Mrs.
Blank. l heard nothing of this at the
time, but as l left my room OH the day
of the search l encountered the lady
with Il small package in her hand and
she frankly said TO me:
Judge Coke, / have not had the
honor of an introduction, but | wish to
beg Il favor of YOU. AS the clerks are
busy this morning, and as the porter
does not look like n man TO be lrLstcd,
you would put me under many obliga-
tons by taking this package to the cX-
press office. 1t is directed to my hus-
band, rs YOU sec, and contains papers
that he must have soon. / am sorry
to thus impose upon our good nature,
but
"Say no more, madam" I interrupted,
as l took the package from her; 81
shall be only too happy 10 be of service
TO YOU"
l may have smiled rs 1 lifted my
hat and bowed, but | contend that 1
lost none of my dignity, and of course
1 did not make it an excuse for any
extended conversation.
met her on the street, n full block
from the hotel, upon m return, but
as I handed hcr over the receipt l
merely raised my hat again and spoke
of the weather.
The search was made quietly and
with the consent of the guests, but it
proved futile.
Tho next three days passed without
excitement, and l took it into my head
to order Il carriage and be driven out.
1t has always been my opinion that q
judge looks we'll as he rides out In
q landau with head erect and arms
folded.
/ was being bowled along The boulc-
ward connecting my resort with one
five miles away, with my driver fully
conscious of my dignity and impor-
tance, when n parasol WAS waved at
me from tho sidewalk, and I made out
q lady ut the end Of IT. More than
! Il,ak >.1N ~.l Nf.. IDI. - =
to me as my carriage halted at the
curb:
"Judge Coke, were you going to drive
over TO Surf City?'
~ am on my way there, madam" l
replied as my hat came off at the
proper angle.
"Thcn-thcn"-
"What is 1t, madame"
IL have n friend over there who is
iii, and there Is no train for two hours.
1 know 1t is presumption OH my part,
but
Not at all, madam. Let me assist
you In. 1 will have you there i'm three
quarters Of an hour, and the obligation
will be mine"
There were no languishing smiles,
~ SOoSbO NN'o III my IlIl. lIltcCu, Il
think that most of our conversation
during II drive referred to the law d.
rcctly OF indirectly. / was n bit sur
prised that she should ask TO be set
down on the public square instead of
at her friends house, but dignity for
badc me ever TO raise my eyebrows.
She bowed and returned thanks; 1
raised my hat and murmured, Don't
mention it," and we parted.
My position demanded that I should
forget her as soon rs possible or until
/ met her at breakfast next morning,
and | had fairly succeeded when / re-
turned to the hotel two hours later.
Then she rushed back into my memory
Mt n bound. The landlord and the de-
tcctivcs were looking for her. 1t had
become known that she was an adj
yenturcss whose photograph adorned
morc than one rogues' gallery and who
had even done time" for theft. 1t
was she who had cleaned out tho rooms
and given me the plumber to express
away, and 1t was she who had robbed
the hotel safe Of about $1,000 Mt tho
noon hour as the clerk left for a mo-.
ment. 1 had driven her ovcr to Surf
City that she might take the train and
thus elude the detectives.
I.ITkn