The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-04-07

run in joining a combination which
was so plainly illegal. The Sherman
law. the laws to prevent the restraint
of traffic, innumerable state and fed
eral laws explicitly pronounced such
trust as that of the Bachelor Girls
to be Illegal. as striking at the dear
est rights and privileges of free-born
American citizens which had been
guaranteed them by the constitution.
Nettie in terror crept closer to Jack
and slipped her hand in his. Would
she be arrested, cast into jail, per-
haps sent to prison for life for her
fragrant disobedience OF the Sherman.
the interstate commerce and other
Notwithstanding laws? But Jack
assured her that he would look after
her legal rights. Only-otherwise all
his efforts in her behalf would be
null and void-he must first collect
his fees But as bad luck would have it,
and Jack was collecting the afore-
said fees in spite of Nellie's slight re-
sistance, the buggy swept out of the
shadows into the glare of an electric
light. There on the crosswalk, under
the light were three devoted and lOyel
members of the Bachelor Girls trust.
The next meeting of the trust was
the most stormy in the course of its
existence. Nettie was denounced as a
traitor to the cause and the trust.
She was charged with rank disloyalty.
In vain did she plead that she had
simply been seeking legal advice for
the benefit of the trust. The denunci-
ations continued. At last Nettie lost
her temper Worms, if trampled
upon, will turn; and if worms why
not pretty girls? Nettie rose in her
wrath and threw a bombshell into the
meeting by announcing that Laura
Hopkins, the president and founder Of
the trust, had set an example of dis
loyalty, that she had made up her
quarrel with the man who had
thought her as near perfect as a girl
might be, that, so far from discour-
aging him, she had by her conduct
helped confirm him in this belief.
The faltering members of the trust
turned to Laura in impatient eX-
pectance of an indignant denial from
her lips. But alas, the bushes and
embarrassment of Laura proved that
the president and founder of the Alb
beyville Bachelor Girls trust had set
the example of disloyalty.
With treachery within and tempta-
ton without the trust was plainly
doomed to failure. Nothing was left
except to formally disband No res
olution of censure was upon Nettie.
Instead she left the meeting in tri-
umph, arm in arm with the late presi-
dent. The young men Of Abbeyville,
| however, warned by the danger which
they had so narrowly escaped by the
downfall of the trust, were discreet
in their triumph and individually and
collectively tried to prove that the
need for such an offensive and defen-
| sive alliance had passed The result
was that none of the fair founders OF
the trust seemed to regret its untime-
ly end. And Nettie was least of all
regretful.
when you put up your Office sign"
she said, shyly, to Jack, 1T ought to
read: Jack Wilson, Attorney and
Trust Breaker
But Jack mOdestly demurred taking
all the credit.
81 was only a humble instrument"
he said, softly, trying to look into
Nettie's eyes. The really responsible
party was an old and determined enc
my of bachelor girls trusts-a little
fellow by the name of Cupid"