The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-06-17
BY G. az. Ogden


he got it out of the post office, and it
was addressed 10 William Smith. The
sender may have intended it for Shang-
hal
That paper opened new perspective
to Bunty. He never dreamed that the
matrimonial market offered such possl-
bilitiCs. 1t became plain to him that
he had been fooling away his time with
the Widow Dunnigen, faded, somewhat
wrinklod and owning but twenty-five
acres of bottom land. Here were Ia
dleS-the paper spoke of them always
as "ladles'-who appeared willing to
marry anyGCdy, and some of them had
$4,000 In cash. Bunty opened corre-
spOndence. To make sure his letters
would net fan 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 it to the loungers.
They twitted Bunty and told him he
would prejudice his chances with the
Widow Dunnigen if he persisted in his
tritling 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 uncontroverted
statements one was widow with S12,-
600 IN mining stock, the other n maiden
lady of means. Her mysterious reserve
on the question of means led Bunty to
believe she must at least own Il bank,
possibly Il railroad. To these ladies he
sent his photograph, taken ten years
previously, when he attended the
Grand Army encampment. He also
able to support wife as wife should
be supported and that he did not so
much value means as Il 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 Il white rose
Bunty marked himself apart from all
mankind by tying u red ribbon in his
lapel buttonhole lie did not go to
the post office that morning, but took
the 0:10 train for the city When
Shanghai went after his mail the post
master handed him letter "Ain't for
Bunty, | reckon" he said, las it's ad-
dressed jist William" Shanghai
opened the letter and read:
Dear William-Looling at the map, l
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 | have decided to go to
Tow Head. Meet me on the station plat
form. will wear pink. CAROLINE.
"Must be for Bunty," Shanghai re-
llectcd as he set out to look him up.
Jim Daniels said he saw Bunty ut the
depot and that he heard him ask for a
ticket to the city. Before Shanghai got
there the 0:10 came. but the train from
the city had not arrived At the depot
they said it 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 1 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
train TO Tow Head Junction that
would put her down there ut $50 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 Off. One wore Il pink
pinned to her bosom, the other white
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 a
glcam Of red ribbon on any Of them.
'Is Mr. William Smith hcrc?' she
asked the agent.
''That tall gentleman over there" he
answered, pointing out Shanghai, who,
having missed Bunty, had forgotten
the letter and Caroline The fat wo-
man. who was standing near. with
hands ON her hips and a valise be-
tween her feet, critically surveying the
peaceful, dusty landscape whereon
Tow Head was dot, heard the query
and answer. She picked mp her grip
and headed for Shanghai. The tail one
reached him first.
rs this Mr.. William SmithT' she
said
Shanghai bowed. THAT'S my name"
he replied.
well" said the tall one, II am Caro-
line"
The fat one approached. "Is this
Smith-Wiliam Smith," was her stern
query.
"The same, madam" Shanghai an
swcrod. somewhat confused at the at