Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-04-16
HIS PUNISHMENT.

front rooms across the nall. The maid
who took the letters from the postman
and distributed them among the inmates
Of the boarding house was not SO much
to blame, for the reason that Edith, not
withstanding the fact that she had been
graduated from a coeducational insti-
tuition with high honors, wrote a rather
illegible hand, and the supergcription
on the envelope looked as much like
&c. r. Walsly" as anything else. Walls
ly was not to blame, for the reason that
he was a new boarder and had not met
Wellesley. The person really at fault
was Wellesley himself, for IL he had con-
Quoted his wooing In less assured and
confident manner it would not have
been necessary for Edith to snub him
by purposely misspeIling his name.
The note which she wrote and which
Walsly received was as follows:
Dear Mr.. Welsly: am sorry to say
that I cannot accept your kind invitation
to lunch on Wednesday Miss Stanford
and have arranged to do some shop
ping on that day"
However, we shall lunch at F'riedel's
at one o'clock, and if you care to join
us instead we shall be delighted. Very
cordially yours,
EDITH STRAKER."
"P. S.-The table nearest the ele-
vator"
II think that ought to do for deli
cate reproof," said Miss Straker, apply
ing her blotting paper. Nov, I'll go
and see If can get Maud Stanford to
come with me-"
Walsly, when he read the note, said:
well, I'm hanged if can make head or
tail of this. My kind invitation
haven't kindly invited anybody that
know of. And who is Edith Straker?
l think somebody's been playing prac-
teal joke on me. Shall see 1t through
or treat 1t with silent contempt? be-
lieve I'll see it through"
Wellesley, when he failed to get the
answer he had expected, walked up and
down his room in state Of great uneasi-
ness. 81 wonder If I'm turned down."
he said as he walked. "She must have
got the bid all right. don't believe I'm
troubled with cranial expansion, but |
could have sworn she liked me and she
was sweeter than peaches when l was
up to the house. She's always sweet,
bless her heart! She couldn't be any
thing else if she tried. Maybe I'll get
something in the next mail. ! believe
I'll wait for 1t and see"
He waited, but no letter came. Then
he put on his hat and coat and went to
the corner drug store, where there was
telephone. He called up the Straker
residence and asked for Miss Edith.
maid answered the telephone and said
Miss Edith had gone downtown, but
would probably return about five o'clock.
Wellesley hung up the receiver and
stood considering.
"well, she'll have to eat lunch some
where" he said at last. Perhaps she'll
go to Friedel's after all She may not
have thought it necessary to write"
AT a few minutes after one O'Clock
Walsly entered the lunch room at
Friedel's and looked about him for the
table nearest the elevator. He found it
quite easily--it was rather apart from
the others and unmistakable. Two at
tractive young women were sitting
there with an indefinable air Of expect
ing somebody. Yet Walsly hesitated.
They're ladies, both OF EN-" he said
to himself "This seems more of mys-
terry than a joke. Perhaps the best
thing | can do is to slide off and let it
go at that"
Then he reflected that no hero any
romance that he had ever read sould
have acted in this manner-or, rather,
have failed to act. He was young man
who. in the words of his friends, habit
ually carried his nerve with him.
Approaching the table, he bowed re-
specially and deferentially to the young
women and, producing Miss Edith's
note, said: az beg your pardon, but
received this letter this morning.
am MIR. Walsly. If, unhappily, there
has been mistake"
There has certainly been a mistake,
sir" said Miss Edith, icily.
Excuse me-" said an agitated mascu-
line voice. Il should like to hear this
gentleman's explanation also"
1t was Wellesley. Wellesley, gor-
geously appareled and violeted, but pale
with anger.
Miss Stanford was the first to recover
her self-possession. "Sit down. gentle
men, both of you. please" she said.
Then, as they obeyed, she turned to Mr..
Walsly and said Now, if you Will
kindly tell us about this. Mr.. Wellesley,
you will oblige me by glazing at menu
card if You must glare.
"It's very simple, said Walsly you
see. the note of invitation is addressed to
me. | received it and opened it. was
puzzled, confess, but l thought might
at least see what it meant"
at is addressed to Mr.. Wellesley"
said Miss Edith. mot to you. And this
is Mr.. Wellesley"
s.That isn't the way spell my name"
said Wellesley. ashe took the note tits
my address. though"