Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-08-13
The
Urkno&n
Man BY
Troy
Copyright, 1901. By a Hison
X. W. Whitehead
Copyright, 1901. bU
h. VI. Whitehead

pcned. who she was and all about 1t.
The letter had dropped out of the IL
brary book that he had hastily selected
on his way home. The sheets of paper
were unfolded, and the letter COM
mcnccd in way that made him think
he had as much right To read 1t as any
one else Ii was love letter; undOubt-
edly the whole heart of the woman
was in 1t. but il commenced Dear Un-
known Man" Before he read 1t he
thought some silly schoolgirl had put
IL in the book with the intention Of
getting up Irritation. but he realized
that il was II letter schoolgirl could
not have written.
This woman was tired and disap-
pointed She had evidently expected
more than she had found and through
some within had written all her disap-
pointment and heartnche to the only
person that could fully understand it
her Ideal man.
There was longing for an under
standing and for sympathy that the
known men had never been able to sat
isfy. Stanley could imagine that she
had relieved spell Of dependency by
putting her thoughts on paper on the
same principle that he talked to his
dog or smoked an extra cigar. The
thing he could not understand was that
woman capable of such depths of in
tellect and feeling should have had so
silly an impulse and put the letter in
Il library book.
There was no name or address-at
least she expected no reply.
He got up from his easy chair and
walked to the window 4 cold, driz-
Zling sleet beat against the pane, and
the electric lights from the street turn
ed the night into CHASTITY gray.
His dog had followed him and stood
with his fore paws on the window
ledge
A sudden. furious blast striking the
pane made the dog rub his head against
his master and whine his desire for
companionship and affection.
Are you lonely. too. old fellow? Two
old bachelors like us, living In fat.
ought not TO expect to be gay. You
ought to be glad that you are not out in
the storm. you ungrateful wretch" He
strOked the dogs head and thought Of
the loneliness expressed In the letter
he had just read.
"Ry Jove, she knows the real article
1t must be the lonely In a crowd feel
ing. She seemed to be Il society wOm-
an-the monogram on her paper didn't
indicate poor girl working for her liv-
Ing"
He went Back to his chair before the
fire and wondered IL 1t would be pos
sible for him to locate her He fancied
lie would like to meet her AMI study
the woman. Si1ed by his knowledge of
her inner thoughts as expressed in the
erratic letter
Suddenly he threw away his cigar
with an expression of satisfaction,
Sherlock Holmes might have solved 1t
in less time. but he couldn't have
thought of an easier method Of finding
her."
The next morning ut the library the
woman In charge gave Stanley the at
tentiOn that his looks always won from
women.
"The book was last returned by Joan
Railsiell, DOGS Massachusetts avenue.
l AM sure it will be very kind of you
TO return anything that you found IN
II. Very few people would trouble
themselves to that extent"
Stanley kept the letter In his pocket,
and II his acquaintance could have
compared notes during the next few
days they would have thought that he
was suffering from Il mania that took
the form of an acute desire to learn If
his auditor knew certain Miss Joan
Ransdell.
He himself had only been i'm the city
q few months after I'M absence of sew
eral years lie thought she must be a
newcomer. and the address given car
ried ont his Idea that she WAS not
among the working class.
1t was Il week before he met mu-
tual acquaintance. lien Jim Dent re-
peated his question: Know Miss Rams
dell: Certainly do. She takes dinner
with us tonight. DO you want TO come.
old MANI
When Stanley was getting into his
evening clothes. he carried on his
usual conversation with tie dog: don.
old chapple. I'm going TO see her to-
night. We are going To solve IL prob
lem. BE good. old fellow. and don't
get lonely. and I'll tell you about her
when | 20; ZONE"
He brought Il rug froL the bedroom
and put il in front of the CRATE. The
dog looked on knowingly and then lay
down on il Ia take the ham bone that
his master always left as special
| treat when he went out To dinner. The
pretty waitress in the cafe had n
habit of CORNING the elevator boy IL
give the nice bones To the nice dog that
belonged 10 the nice man on the fourth
| floor
Don beat the floor with his tail in
satisfied approval Willie Stanley pu;
on his ovcrcoat. pattcd him on the
head and went out.
When he came in that night the dog
heard his step and met him at the
door
He put on his dressing gown and