The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-27

I%yl way you liked. To be hit in the
49, back of the neck by a footpad
eEMsgi and robbed of all his papers was
bad enough in all conscience, even
if he did have $500 in gold in belt around
his waist when they took him TO the hos
pital. But to be robbed of his identity was
adding insult to injury. Here, for instance,
was Miss Ashton, the president of the
Young Ladies' Society for the Entertain
ment of the Convalescent, firmly declining
to allow him to call at her home And all
because he couldn't lay his tongue to a
name.
mo, it IS impossible.' she declared. Il
have made it a strict rule never to regard
socially any acquaintance that may be
formed here in the hospital. OF course,
under ordinary circumstances, yoL could
now board with some nice people and save
this dreadful expense. After awhile some
one would introduce you and l could invite
you to call, But you see the difficulty. As
you have no name you could not be intro
duced to me, nor could L afterwards intro
duce you to any one else. 1t would be so
AWKWARD
The young man rocked impatiently.
II never appreciated before he grum-
it's an absurd position TO be in, Here am /,
sound in mind and body, cooped up in this
place simply because L can't remember my
own past, nor tell my own name. OF
course L might assume one, but l shouldn t
feel comfortable with it and even you would
not care to call me by it,
Indeed no.'' she emphatically agreed.
81 couldn't think of having a friend whom
l knew TO be going about under an alias. y
'You are quite right" he admitted defect
edly 1--WE do not know anything about
me, and l may not have been fit for even
the tasteless ashes OF u Platonic friend
Ship
Il do not think you need be uneasy about
that she replied with conviction. - am
glad however, to hear you speak of it, as it
shows that you have a habit of frankness
and honesty which, in itself, proves your
fears groundless. You will understand"
she added an afterthought, that what
ever you might have been would make no
difference in our present relations. L am
here, you know, merely to minister to your
cheerfulness as a convalescent."
do you spend much time with all your
patients?" he asked with tactless idiocy.
Miss Ashton froze stiff and arose TO put
on her hat
NO" she answered icily. Yours seemed
to be an instance of unusual needs, but,
after more than a month of patient effort
on my part your memory does not show
any signs of coming back and fear l shall
have to give up the case
Miss Ashton" he protested earnestly;
there is no telling what might happen if
L should be left alone, tormented by the
thought of what l might have been. Why.
might even have stolen the money that
was found on me-"
.'Oh, nor she cried quickly. You never
could have done that. l don't believe you
ever did mean thing in your life!''
She was so much in earnest about it, and
her big eyes flashed so reassuringly upon
him she left the room that he almost
fcrgave her tall cousin this time for calling
to take her home. He hated that cousin.
Besides. he was only distant cousn-and
he called her Ruth, And he had a nasty
ha bit of always turning up since Miss
Ashton had taken his case.
The first day the Convalescent had been
turned over to her for mental diversion
she found him in the motherly matron' S
coy little private parlor where he had
been made free because he had such gentle
mariners and curly hair that one longed to
rumple On that day Miss Ashton read
him thirty pages of .Ben-Hur." After
that he decreased the number of pages at
each sitting until, at last. she opened the
book each morning to the northumberland
forty-third page-and began TO talk
She did him a world of good. On her
seventh visit she told him confidentially
of her intention never TO marry, but to
spend her life in the entertainment of the
cOnvalescent, and went home early, so
he knew better than to ever fall in love
with her The matron afterward gave
him a photograph of Miss Ashton. taken
as Saint Cecilia, and IL was a lot of COM
pany for him when her cousin mad taken
her away.
He felt that he must say something
visit he did so. He told her that the sight
of this cousin made him nervous and that
it was bad for his mind. After a five min
utes' silence, in which she opened her
mouth three times TO speak, Miss Ashton
read him twenty-four pages of ''Ben-Hur''
and went home But after that the cousin
did like that cousin Right after she had
gone home the day of his protest he
| hunted up the matron.
II understand" he observed, that Miss
| Ashton is not only the president, bud was
the founder of the Young Ladies Society
| for the Entertainment of the Convalescent.
How does it come that | l.. never see any
| of the other young ladieS?'
They are all married., she replied.
"Ohl Toto convalescents?" he ventured.
| escents" The matron smiled so irresstibiy
that he could not help smiling with her
Miss Ashton declares she will never
marry he went on. She intends to de-
| vote her life To this work"
That's what they all said. she respond
ed triumphantly. 1T was their strictest
| bylaw. Miss Ashton is not quite twenty
one"
| Great Scott, How / wish / had namer'
| he sighed, as he turned away. but
| haven't an idea in my noggin as to finding
one
| Miss Ashton had an idea though.
Are you sure that you gu need TO be