Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-31

GS torial room with blue SAITH
ribbon, the purchase of which at tn
Dry Goods Emporium had been direct
ed by Il sudden Inspiration of his supe
rior, Mr. Parker of the eomposln;
force. 1t was Ross intention to gar
nish each chair with an elaborated,
tied bow. but as he was no sailor ant
understood only the intricacies of :
hard knot he confined himself to tina
species of ornamentation, leaving, how
ever. very long ends Of ribbon hanging
down after the manner of the pendant!
of rosettes. Mr. Schofield was alone a
his labor, his two confreres having be
taken themselves to the station to NEE
the train from Rouen.
/ 1t was a wet. gray day. The wide
country lay dripping under formle.ss
wraps of thin mist, and the warm, driz
zling rain blackened the weather beat
en- shingles Of the station. made cleal
/ rejecting puddles on the unevenly
worn planks of the platform and damp
ened the packing cases too thoroughly
for occupation By the station lounger
The bus driver, Mr.. Bennett, and the
proprietors of two attendant 'cut I'M
ders" and three Or four other worthless
whom business ar the lack Of it called
| to that locality availed themselves OF
the shelter of the waiting room, but the
gentlemen Of the Herald were too agi-
| tated to be confined save by the limits
! of the horizon.
/ They had reached the station half an
hour before train time and consumed
the interval in pacing the platform I'M
| der a big cotton umbrella, addressing
each other only In monosyllables. Those
in the waiting room gossiped eagerly
and for the thollsandth time about the
| late events and particularly about the
tremendous news Of Eisbee Judd Ben
nett looked out through the rainy door
way at the latter with reverence and a
fine pride Of Craftsmanship. He de-
clared 1t to be his belief that Fisbee
| and Parker were waiting for her now
For all Carlow knew why Fisbee had
gone to meet the strange lady at the
station when she had come to visit
the Briscoes, why he had come with
her to the lecture, why he had taken
supper at the Bl.iscoes' three times and
dinner twice when she was there. F'is-
bee had told tn, story to Parker on
melancholy afternoon as they sat to-
gether In the Herald office, and Parker
had told the town 1t was simple
enough indeed, and Fisbee's past was
q mystery TO longer. 1t might have
been revealed years before had there
been anything In particular to reveal
and if it had ever occurred to Fisbee
to talk of himself and his affairs.
Things had habit of not occurring to
Fisbee.
Mr.. Parker, very nervous himself,
felt bis companions elbow trembling
against his own as the great engine,
rocking in the mist and sending great
clouds of while vapor up to the sky,
swooped down the track, rushed by
them and came to standsttll beyond
the platform. Fisbee and the foreman
made haste to the nearest vestibule
and were gazing blankly at its barred
approaches when they heard silvery
laugh behind them and an exclamation.
Upstairs AMI downstairs and In my
lady's chamber! Just behind you,
DEAR"
Turning quickly, the foreman beheld
a blushing and smiling little vision,
vision with light brown hair, vision
enveloped in light brown rain cloak
and with brown gloves from which
the handles OF big brown travelling
bag were let fall as the vision dis
appeared under the cotton umbrella,
while the smitten Judd Bennett reeled
gasping against the station.
Dearest" the girl cried to the old
man, you should have been looking
for me between the devil and the deep
sea, the parlor car and the smoker!
I've given ul' cigars, and I've begun
to study economy. SO l didn't come on
eitherw
The drizzle and mist blew in under
the top of the 'cut under" as they
drove rapidly into town, and bright lit
tie drops sparkled on the fair hair
above the new editors forehead and on
the long lashes above the new EDITORS
cheeks. She shook these transient
gems off lightly as she paused in the
doorway Of the Office at the top Of the
rickety stairway.
MIR. Schofiel1 had Just added the last
touch to his decorations and managed
to slide into his coat as the party came
up the stairs, and now, perspiring,
proud, embarrassed he assumed an at
titude at once deprecatory of his en-
deayors and pointedly expectant OF
for the results. Gle |
was modest youth and conscious.
After his first sight of her as she stood
in the doorway it was several days be-
fore be could lift his distressed eyes
under the new EDITORS glance or, In |
deed. dare 10 avail himself Of more |
than a hasty and futtering stare at
her when her back was turned.) AS |
she entered the room he sided along /
the wall ard laughed sheepishly at
Every chair in the room was orna-
with one of his blue rosettes,
tied carefully and firmly to the middle
slat of each chair back There had
been several yards of ribbon left over,
and there was hard knot of glossy
satin on eacl Of the inkstands and on
the doorknohs A blue band passing