Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-03-12
1.-THE LOVE LINK"

supernatural ! mention the fact here
as warning to unbelievers, in order
that they may abstain from reading 1t.
Unlike some others of the same class, it
is strictly true. and tell it partly in the
first person, partly as it was collected
afterward from other people.
1t begins in Claypool's curiosity shop.
Any one who knows the town of Min
sterton will know also Claypoors shop
on the right-hand side of bridge street,
as you come up from the river. 1t is
kept equally by MIR. and Mrs. Claypool.
and with such success that il is COM
mon saying in Minsterton that the old
man would sell his soul to the devil. but
his wife would buy it back next day at a
profit | myself believe that when a
bargain is in sight Mrs. Claypool could
give Sapphire a smart handicap and win
easily. az will be seen.
Maj. Bings and Capt. Hayward were
buying bric-a-brac. They knew nothing
about it, and cared less; but as there was
to be bazaar in Minsterton Qn aid of
the Xenana missionl the two officers had
felt it their duty to make some contrbu-
ton.
Presently Maj Bings, who, being diff
tident and somewhat nearsighted, was
keeping mOdestly in the background fell
over II small table which stood near the
door. ana, cropping to restore it's scattered
contents, he produced an object which
occasioned him some perpleXity.
1t appeared to be Inc double link of
chain formed by two small hoops fas-
tened together bv their own clasps
What is it?" he inquired of Mrs
Claypool, who was in attendance.
"BraceletsI"
Before replying Mrs CIaypool paused
for moment. The shop was very dimly
lighted.
Quite right, sir" she said. Brace
lets it is, and uncommon rare ones, some
-er- some native manufacture believe.
They say" she continued, warming 10
her work with the enthusiasm of an art
ist, that there's something queer about
these articles which makes 'em valu-
able"
Queer" asked Capt Hayward.
Yes, sir, said Mrs. Claypool sort of
a love link as the saying is, so that #
your friend was to keep one and give the
other TO Young lady they would make
her fall in love with him within n week
IA touch OF nature which. it may be re-
marked, had assisted Mrs. Claypoo in
many previous transactions. "Of course.
we needn't believe all we hear she
added. generously
Dear me" said the major. blusbing
that's very curious.
Capt. Hayward laughed.
NOT much III your line. though oh
Bings! he said. Whereat Maj. Bings
dropped the bracelets hurriediy and said.
vi course not. praying that the dark
ness had covered his complexion.
Shortly afterward. having purchased n
japanese idol, six clocks. and about half
a hundredweight of old china. the two
officers left the snoP; but before they
had gone very far Maj. Bings discovered
that he had forgotten his stick, and ran
back to fetch it.
OH he exclaimed bursting upon
Mrs. Claypool as she was counting her
gains, about those bracelets, | think,
after all, that
Thirty shillings,' said Mrs. ClaypooI
And when the major rejoined his com
panion the talisman was in his pocket
And this action betrays the secret of
his existence.
Mai. Bings was the victim of an in
tense but silent passion for Sylvia Wal
lingford the bishops daughter-a pas
sion so silent, indeed, that not even the
lady herself had the remotest linking of
it, For the little major worshiped from
respectful distance. and Sylvia Wal
lingford. the acknowledged beauty OF
three counties. had n hundred slaves in
her train, Moreover, report said that she
despised them ALL and that the disdain-
ml eyes which glanced so carelessly over
the suhalterns and hunting ~quireS of
MiESterton society We're still watchin:
for he sutton of R0mance-with a big
Il.
Small wonder. then. that poor Maj
.Hings. who was short and plump. and on
the shady side of FIVE and thirty, should
be sadly conscious of his own short
comings in this respect. He romantic!
His very name was an abSurdlty TO
make him curse the parents from whom
he derived both il and the comfortable
income which completed his alienation
from the ideal. Ii only, he thought, he
had been one of those pennleSS lovers
one reads about in novels, there might
have been some chance for him; bat as
ii WAS, Mai. BingS CRASHED his teeth as
he regarded the prosperous pink-faCed re-
lection in his mirror.
Now. whether il was owing 10 some
unexpected strGin of superstition in the
majors miui which made him believe
that any chance was better than none,
or whether the magic of the talisman
was already at work, ! do not know:
but the fact remains that ON his return
he sent polite note to Mrs. Wallingford,
with whom he was Il great fayorite tan
other fatal defect, incloSing one OF the
two bangles. lin the hope that. as a ma
tive ornament. Miss Sy ivia might care
to use it with her Indian costume ut the
bazaar"
But he never said word about the
other.
Mark the sequel On the following aft
ernoon | met Cape. Hayward mt the
palace. and in the course Of some bazaar
talk he took occasion TO give Us the
whole history of the visit 10 C.avpool.
and the diverting incident of Mai BingS
and the enchanted bracelets. The cap
tain laughed very loudly as he told il.
and own thar | was much amused my
self-till ! encountered Mrs. Walling-
fords expression.
Maj. Bings." she said. Sitfly. lis
friend for whom have the highest re-
speCt. and ! have yet to learn that il is
good taste to ridicule superior officer"
WhereupOn. as may be imagined. poor
Hayward collapsed, and out of the tail
of my eye ! caught a glimpse OF Miss
Sylvia. very rosy and confused. pulling
the lace of her sleeve over her wrist. Az
most immediately she got up and went
Uut.
AEd here begins the super natural part
Of the story For when the young lady
reached her room ehe told me an this
herself long afterwards she was natural
" very indignant. she tore the offending