The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-10-10
AN UNUSUAL LOVE.
BY FLORA STEWART EMORY.

"It was strange love that would
prompt such an action, said Detec-
tive Adams, as he and his friend, the
doctor, were discussing the latest SEN
sation.
Undoubtedly 1 take wrong view
of the case; but find myself rather
much in sympathy, not with the lone
wife, but with the daring young kid
napper."
1--WE are not due at the hospital for
an hour yet and 1 will tell you what
1 know about the affair.
cit seems that when the young
fellow was a mere boy he and Miss
Irwin, than a girl of fifteen, had a
case of puppy-love, which in the
course of year or so he apparently
outgrew. She, although child, was
in heart woman, and lavished upon
her youthful admirer perfect avail
anche of love, so much so, his moth
er, fearing one of those early mar
riages which blight young mans
life and ruin his prospects, took it
upon herself to tell Miss Irwin that
her son cared quite as much for one
girl as another, limiting even so
vaguely that she was his confdante,
giving her the knowledge and right
to speak with authority.
Knowing Miss Irwin as woman,
tells me something of how, even as
child, she would take such interfer-
ence. She then lacked the wisdom
which comes with years, and scene
between her and the young man was
thing of necessity. He had a pc
culiar disposition and rather chafed
under the restrictions which his i'm
pulsive, much-in-love sweetheart laid
down for him.
"From one quarrel to another they
flew, each time the 'making-up' be-
ing less satisfactory. Finally there
was none at all.
"Five years passed and during that
time they often met, and eventually
there seemed to exist certain friend
ship between them, although he never
called upon her or showed her any
marked attention. AS far as the
world knew both had forgotten the
time when wild notes circulated be-
tween them. The world, however,
knows little of the iDner workings of
man. From law student the young
man became practitioner and just
as the opportunity to make for him
self the name, for which his ambi-
tious mother had prayed, came, he
met Margaret Stevens. She was en-
tirely unlike his former sweetheart,
and in comparison Miss Irwin proba-
bly, suffered. Miss Stevens never
knew an impulsive thought she was
calm, collected, soothing; above all,
she was exceptionally sensible, aud
little wonder she appealed to the mind
of the young lawyer. During their
not infrequent drives she told him of
the life she had lived since her par
ents' death,-how necessity had rob-
bed her of her youth and forced her
to teach for a living. She had a
large class in German and French,
but the work worried her, and many
an evening the tired eyes would in
voluntarily close and sigh would
escape her which seemed to come
from the very depth of her soul.
"I have nothing to say for or
against Miss Stevens. She knew of
Miss Irwin's early love for the law
yer, and knew, as few others did, that
that love had never lessened. From
the time Miss Irwin joined the French
class the two women, so utterly un-
like, became friends.
"In a few words Miss Irwin prob
ably made a confdante of her new
friend, hoping to find in her media
tor who would bring the old love into
a present one.
"Perhaps Miss Stevens thought
such a result would be disastrous to
the hopes of the man. He was not
of temperament to confde his hearts S
longings to anyone, and l will give
her credit for believing he had for
| gotten his youthful infatuation. At
any rate she made no effort to bring
them together, but, to the contrary,
drove and walked with him more and
more often herself.
Zone beautiful summer evening a
party of young people started to drive
to a watering place some twelve miles
from the town. The wagon arranged
for the outing was piled high with
straw, and all bid fair for jolly, if
hard, ride. When the crowd was be-
ing seated the discovery was made
that no matter how closely they sat
and on straw rides that is not con-
sidered hardship-two must be left
behind. Miss Stevens offered to be
one and the lawyer the other. How
ever, they did not remain behind for
in few minutes buggy whirled
past the hay wagon, and the merry
peals of laughter told them they had
been recognized. As on several pre-,
vious occasions, Miss Irwin, who was
one of the party, was strangely quiet
Before four miles were gotter
over a heavy storm arose and the
party thought best to take the wet
ting gracefully and turn back, while
Miss Stevens and her escort with the
light buggy and fast horse reached
the hotel just as the storm broke
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