Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-09-28
THE JEW ELE y
III AIRPIN


! stA 9eiFS OF 1Ne, bf3F SHtuWleI CUttA e
was large enough to accommodate the
chums of all. and In July and August
we usually kept IL fun.
One night, returning late from the
city and being tired. went to my room
ana threw myself on dIvan. The
boys and girls were skylarklng In the
hall, and some one put out the light. |
dropped asleep, and when | awoke all
/ was stlll save the scratch OF 4 match
! which failed to ignite in any room by
| its flash caught sight Of The dim tx.
| ure OF a girl near the gas bracket.
| though ! could not see who she was
| Then there was suppressed Shrek -
| though she had discovered that she
was In the wrong room. and she made
for the door.
/ jumped and caught her al,out the
waist There was "A struggle. during
which ] kissed her aud in 0r,icr To
Identify her scratched her check with
a rough edge on my seal ring; then
let her go.
What was my surprise at going into
the breakfast room the next morning
to see every girl in the house there
were elk. besides my sisters-eaeh with
a piece of courtplastcr on her cheek
Him. | nuttcred To myself a pref
~ conspiracy 10 conceal the culprit,"
However. keeping my countcnancc.
sat down. pretending not TO notice the
beauty sputs. but Just before rising
put my hand in my pocket. graspe,i an
imaginary something. placed my closed
fist or the table and said:
Which Of you girls lost hairpin
last nigh;f'
Up flew half dozen hands TO as
many heads then we're quickly low
cred. none ot the girls admitting loss.
But red fash ia the cheeks Of Jennie
Sayer told that my ruse had been sue.
ccsSful.
Why do yon ask" Inquired one Of
the girls "Iave ron found oncY"
"No," | replsNi carelcssly and OPEN
cd my hand, showing nothing in It,
Then l arose and strolicd opt of the
diuing room. There was silence I'll |
had got away from hearing. then.
learned afterwau. n babel In which
was mercileSsly handled by the girls
and defended by the boys However
the secret was out and that was all
there was about It.
was uncertain as to the value Of my
victory was half In love with Jennie
Sayer. who had encouraged me. hat
from this time she showed decided
preference for one Of my friends This
veering taught me that l loved her
franticaily. Indeed so infatuated was
that despite the change In her told
my story" She listened 10 me calmly
until ! had finished. then said:
Il will give you my answer after
you have returned hairpin set with
pearls have lost during my stay
here"
looked at her puzzled could only
infer that this was way she had
chosen 10 refuse me. But when I told
her SO she said.
Not necessarily. Find my hairpin
and come for your answer
Blu; l may be long time finding ii.
| may never find it,
That's your affair. not mine"
Ii was plain that she was intending
TO punish me for my kiss in the X
and what had come Of it. But iLere
was hope. She had really lost halr-
| pin. and | might possibly find Il. II
| occurred to me that she might have
lost It on the night / kissed and
scratched her. so | searched my room
and the hall. Indeed everywhere that
/ could learn she had been during the
| day and evening. But, though / lifted
| rugs, moved furniture, turned my room
topsy turvy. met with no success.
! went TO Miss Sayer and pleaded for
a release from the condition. She had
no more mercy on me than she woul
have had on trout with her hook In
| Its gills. Indeed. being sure that |
could not find her hairpin, to add 10
| my sufrcrings she declared that on the
| day brought il 10 her | might cOnsid-
er her reply as given favorably. After
| this she barely noticed me.
The day before the party broke up
was called 10 the city. l kept an es-
| pecial suit for travelling and, as usual.
put IT on. on my return to my room
that evening missed my pocketbOok
| and ransaeked my pockets FOR It, In
an outside breast pocket of the coat /
found-a hairpin set with pearls
II must have fallen there while
was struggling with Miss sayer
| II ever a man was inspired with the
arrogance of triumph. was that man
| Slipping into dinner dress, went
down 20 the dining room. where all
were at table. / was so exhilaratel
all through dinner that | saw Miss
Sayer look uneasy. When the fruit
came on, l laid my fist on the table and
| said:
Which Of sou girls has lost a hair
| pinT'
Miss Sayer looked at me with horror
stricken eyes. opened my hand and
/ displayed her pin